Institutional Relations Manager

ABOUT COOL CULTURE

Founded in 1999, Cool Culture is a New York City based nonprofit that seeks to amplify the voices of families and strengthen the power of historically marginalized communities through engagement with art and culture, both within cultural institutions and beyond. The organization currently partners with 50,000 diverse families, more than 400 early childhood centers and Title I schools, and 90 cultural institutions in New York City. Cool Culture encourages community members to use arts and culture to celebrate their cultural heritage and creativity, and to connect and build community in an increasingly complex world. We are building a movement of individuals and organizations committed to providing a more equitable future for families, tomorrow’s artists, art lovers and activists and communities.

Cool Culture programs operate at the citywide and neighborhood level. We support a network of families, educators, administrators, museum professionals and artists in cultivating community, storytelling, relationship building, healing and activism through arts and culture. We are invested in finding innovative ways to connect with and engage the 50,000 families who partner with us as collaborators in the quest to bring the human right of art and expression to every community. We believe the exchange of individual diverse stories provides a larger narrative for addressing systemic inequities.

POSITION

Cool Culture is seeking an experienced and proven institutional fundraiser who will identify, cultivate and raise funds from foundations, corporations, government sources and elected officials. As a respected resource, thought leader and community partner with deep relationships with families, government, schools, institutions, and other community actors, Cool Culture is well-positioned to deepen its impact at a time when many of our partners are experiencing tremendous challenges due to the ongoing and disproportionate impacts of Covid-19 and racial reckoning that has followed. The Institutional Relations Manager will be responsible for managing a $1.5 million portfolio and will report to the Director of Development.

We are a small and resourceful team that wear multiple hats, understand the importance of being agile and nimble in achieving our mission, and seek clear direction while also being comfortable with ambiguity.

WHO YOU ARE
• You have 3-5 years institutional fundraising experience (background in nonprofit arts or social justice is a plus)
• You have experience or interest in community-centered fundraising methodologies, socially engaged arts practices, and cultural organizing preferred.
• You have a practice that is informed by a racial equity framework, and a deep understanding of equity and social justice that is actively integrated into your practice.
• You have experience partnering with BIPOC communities with demonstrated success cultivating community-centered, social justice-aligned supporters.
• You enjoy working in an environment that privileges collaboration and interdependence over hierarchical structures and autonomy.
• You are entrepreneurial, proactive, and have an interest in contributing to the build out of rudimentary systems and to build new systems as needed.

Key skills and areas of expertise:

• Strategic, able to work with Executive Director, Director of Development and Cool Culture staff to identify organizational fundraising needs, evaluate assets, and develop a grants strategy to support long-term growth as outlined in Cool Culture’s three year plan.
• Experience developing fundraising materials that are informed by in-depth analysis of issues of structural racism and patriarchy.
• Demonstrated ability to research, draft, edit, proofread communications (including letters of interest, proposals, and funder reports) in a timely manner.
• Proven experience collaborating, and working across departments to collect information to independently develop proposals, budgets and reports.
• Demonstrated track record in prospecting and generating support from new corporations, and foundations; strategically nurtures and develops funding relationships with integrity, rigor, and discernment.
• Strong grants management expertise and comfortable working in complex grant portals; Maintain multiple tracking documents with pertinent information, correspondence, financial information, and documents related to funders and prospects. Experience in database and project management platforms is a plus.
• Adaptable, responsive, proactive, and comfortable with change; can act and decide without having the full picture; able to balance multiple priorities and work in a fast-paced environment
• Flexible and open to feedback, and has the communications skills to manage up; can come with ideas and a specific plan.
• Comfortable with a flat structure that embraces the ethos that good ideas can come from anywhere.

We are committed to continual growth and we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet 100% of the qualifications above. If you meet a majority of the qualifications and this role is aligned with your career trajectory and interests, give us the chance to consider you!

This position includes an excellent benefits package. To apply, please submit (1) resume, (2) A cover letter that addresses your interest in Cool Culture's mission as well as your experience with grant writing. (3) Optional: A grant writing sample. Please send your application to: hr@coolculture.org. Please place “Institutional Relations Manager” in the subject line.

The ideal start date for this role is December 1, 2021 but we can be flexible to an earlier or later start date.

Cool Culture has a mission-driven commitment to principles of equity and diversity, is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, gender/ gender identity/ gender expression, age, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, HIV serostatus, disability, or marital status. BIPOC folk, womxn, immigrants, LGBTQ+, and members of other historically marginalized groups are strongly encouraged to apply.