Development Coordinator or Manager (Institutional Giving)

Alaska SeaLife Center; Seward (AK); On-site; USD 56,694 - 70,708; Full time

Job summary

Alaska SeaLife Center is seeking a Development Coordinator or Manager to support the VP of Advancement in institutional fundraising efforts. This role entails managing grant activities, preparing proposals, and cultivating relationships with foundations and corporations.

The ideal candidate should have a Bachelor's degree and 3-5 years of relevant experience in fundraising. Strong skills in grant management and communication are essential, alongside proficiency in CRM tools like Blackbaud.

This position offers a salary range of $56,694-$70,408 based on experience and performance.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of experience in institutional fundraising or grants management.
• Ability to independently represent the organization to funders.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain structures for fundraising.

Responsibilities

• Assist the VP of Advancement in implementing fundraising strategies.
• Draft and proofread grant proposals and reports.
• Conduct donor research and maintain accurate records in the donor database.

Skills

Grant administration

Institutional fundraising

Proposal development

CRM/database management

Communication with diverse individuals

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent education and experience

Tools

Blackbaud software

Microsoft Office

Google Suite

Job description

This role supports the VP of Advancement in advancing the organization’s institutional fundraising strategy, with a primary focus on foundation, corporate, and government funding opportunities. The Development Coordinator or Manager plays an active role in both the day-to-day management of grant and institutional giving activities and the strategic side of fundraising and relationship building. Key responsibilities include maintaining donor and grants management systems, conducting research and preparing materials for funder meetings, drafting proposals, reports, and institutional communications, and assisting with grant-related events and campaigns.

Education/Training Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience, with experience in grant administration, institutional fundraising, proposal development, and CRM/database management, as well as a demonstrated ability to positively represent the organization to external partners.

Manager

• 3–5 years of experience in institutional fundraising, grants management, foundation relations, or development operations.
• Experience managing foundation, corporate, or government funding relationships, working with CRM systems, and supporting grant proposals, reports, and funding compliance requirements. Demonstrated ability to independently represent the organization to external partners and funders.

Primary Responsibilities

• Assist the VP of Advancement in implementing the organization’s annual institutional fundraising and grants strategy.
• Schedule and help prepare for foundation, corporate, and government funder meetings (e.g., research, briefing notes, materials).
• Draft and proofread grant proposals, letters of inquiry, institutional communications, reports, and acknowledgment materials.
• Support the creation of proposals, reports, budgets, and presentations for foundations, corporations, and public funding agencies.
• Track proposal submissions, reporting deadlines, grant deliverables, and funder communications to ensure timely follow‑up and compliance.

Manager

• Manage select foundation, corporate, and institutional funder relationships independently, including stewardship, reporting, and ongoing communication.
• Monitor fundraising progress toward annual institutional giving goals and provide recommendations to strengthen funding pipelines and renewal strategies.
• Identify and pursue new institutional funding opportunities aligned with organizational priorities and programs.

Donor Research and Data Management

• Conduct background research on prospective donors, corporations, foundations, and government grant opportunities.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records in the organization’s donor database (CRM) and grants tracking systems.
• Generate donor lists, giving summaries, proposal calendars, and fundraising reports as requested.
• Help organize and streamline systems for grant tracking, funder stewardship, proposal development, and reporting compliance.

Manager

• Analyze donor trends, grant outcomes, and funding data to identify opportunities for donor retention, upgrades, grant renewals, and institutional funding growth.
• Develop and maintain reporting dashboards and metrics to support strategic fundraising decisions and institutional fundraising performance.
• Track institutional giving metrics, including proposal success rates, funding renewals, and grant reporting timelines.

Institutional Giving and Campaign Support

• Assist in planning and executing funder cultivation events, grant-related initiatives, and institutional engagement activities.
• Coordinate logistics, invitations, materials, and follow‑up communications for institutional funders and partners.
• Support online fundraising campaigns, including social media and email outreach, with an emphasis on institutional visibility and stakeholder engagement.

Manager

• Lead coordination and execution of assigned institutional fundraising campaigns, grant initiatives, or funder engagement strategies from planning through evaluation.
• Assist in managing event budgets, sponsorship fulfillment, and post‑event reporting.
• Coordinate internal grant processes, including timelines, document collection, and cross‑departmental collaboration for proposal submissions.

Internal Collaboration

• Work closely with the VP of Advancement to align fundraising activities with communications and program work.
• Liaise with staff and partners to gather information needed for proposals, grant applications, and reports.
• Provide administrative support related to development, grants management, and external relations.
• Foster good relations with visitors, volunteers, community leaders, contractors, and fellow staff members by promoting positive attitudes, goodwill, cooperation, and high standards of service.

Manager

• Represent the Advancement team in cross‑departmental planning meetings and contribute to organizational engagement strategies.
• Assist in developing and documenting fundraising procedures, grant management processes, institutional stewardship standards, and compliance protocols.
• Support organizational readiness for institutional funding by coordinating data collection, impact reporting, and program evaluation materials.

Misc

• Complies with all Alaska SeaLife Center policies, procedures, and programs.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Other Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain dynamic structures to align procedures and tasks with broader strategic vision.
• Skill in communicating with diverse individuals and presenting financial information to non‑financial groups.
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and work independently and use independent judgment. Computer experience required including Internet research, word processing and database management.
• Familiarity with Blackbaud software, Microsoft Office, and Google suite.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities.

This role includes a range of physical activities, such as standing or moving for extended periods, bending, kneeling, crouching, and occasional climbing, as well as handling tools, equipment, and materials. The ability to lift and move up to 25 pounds may be needed depending on the assignment.

Salary Range

$56,694-$61,776 (4) $65,520-$70,408 (5)

Full Time with Benefits

Must be able to pass a background check.