Donor Engagement and Grant Specialist

Tidewater Jewish Foundation; Virginia Beach (VA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Tidewater Jewish Foundation seeks a relationship-builder to manage grant and scholarship portfolios, engaging with donors, fund representatives, grantees, and partners. The role focuses on due diligence, award recommendations, and reporting results, while maintaining fund and donor records in CRM systems.

Work under senior leadership to advance community impact and donor engagement, with a chance to influence program priorities and storytelling of impact.

Qualifications

• Broad understanding of the community and how agencies interact.
• Bachelor’s degree and at least three years’ experience or equivalent.
• Proactive, self-motivated, able to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Strong writing and professional document skills.
• Maintains positive relationships with donors, partners, and grantees.
• Proficient with Windows, MS Office and web-based applications.

Responsibilities

• Manage grant and scholarship portfolios from start to finish.
• Reach out to prospective grantees and review applications.
• Conduct due diligence and coordinate with committees.
• Prepare award recommendations and report results.
• Maintain donor/grantee records in CRM and online portals.
• Support grant-making committees and boards with materials.

Skills

Relationship management

Grant management

CRM proficiency

Excellent communication

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

MS Office

Adobe Acrobat

Job description

Help shape the future of the Tidewater Jewish community, one relationship and one grant at a time.

The Foundation is looking for a relationship-builder with a head for detail to manage our grant and scholarship portfolios and serve as the trusted connection among donors, fund representatives, grantees, and community partners. You’ll see how generosity becomes real impact, and you’ll help make it happen.

Why this role matters

You’ll work under the Vice President/Chief Operating Officer and alongside the President & CEO and our Development Strategist. You’ll have a real voice in setting priorities and carrying out strategic initiatives that deepen both community impact and donor engagement.

What you’ll do

You’ll guide the Foundation’s grant and scholarship portfolios from start to finish, reach out to prospective grantees, review applications, conduct due diligence, coordinate with committees, make award recommendations, and report on results. Along the way, you’ll be the face of stewardship, building and sustaining relationships with donors, fund representatives, grant recipients, and community partners, and helping donors feel connected to the difference their gifts make.

Behind the scenes, you’ll keep things running smoothly: developing and maintaining fund agreements, managing donor and grantee records in our CRM and online portal, and making sure charitable fund and gift processes happen on time. You’ll also support our grant‑making committees and affiliated boards by preparing meeting materials and minutes, and you’ll collaborate with our marketing team to tell the story of our impact to the wider community.

You might be a great fit if you

• Are warm, curious, and genuinely enjoy working with people
• Are organized and dependable with deadlines, records, and process
• Communicate clearly, in writing and in conversation
• Care about the Jewish community and the power of philanthropy
• Are comfortable with CRM and portal systems
• Want a role where you can see the results of your work

This is a chance to work at the center of Jewish philanthropy in Tidewater, with a small, collaborative leadership team and direct access to the people setting the Foundation’s direction. Your work will help secure the community’s future.

ABOUT FOUNDATION

The Tidewater Jewish Foundation (TJF), established in 1984, is a $200 million regional community foundation serving the Jewish communities of southeastern Virginia, primarily in Norfolk and Virginia Beach. TJF manages and invests endowment funds for a range of local Jewish organizations, agencies and synagogues. As the central philanthropic resource for the Tidewater Jewish community, TJF offers expert guidance in charitable giving, legacy planning, and endowment management to donors, families, and partner organizations. Through close collaboration with partner agencies, TJF helps ensure the long‑term sustainability of Jewish communal life.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Applicant should have a broad understanding of the history and aspirations of our community and how the various community agencies and religious institutions interact.
• A bachelor’s degree and at least three (3) years’ experience or a combination of education and experience that demonstrates qualification for the position. Non‑profit experience not required; preferred.
• Self‑motivated and proactive. Proven planning/implementation skills. Ability to accept responsibilities for task/projects while working independently with minimal supervision.
• Exceptional organizational and communication skills, and demonstrated ability to compose memos, correspondence, agreements, and other professional documents.
• Maintains strong, positive relationships with governing body representatives, donors, prospects and grantees/applicants.
• Technical Skills: Proficient use of Windows and MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Adobe Acrobat and web‑based applications.

Supervisory Responsibility: None

Payroll Type: Exempt, Full‑Time

Working Conditions: Office environment

Salary: $60,000 - $70,000 commensurate with experience

The Tidewater Jewish Foundation is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable law.