Senior Foundation Relations Officer

environmentallawpolicycenter; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC) in Chicago, IL seeks a Senior Foundation Relations Officer to expand the grants program and secure new funding opportunities. The role requires managing a busy calendar, writing persuasive proposals, and cultivating funder relationships.

Hybrid work includes in-office days weekly. The SFRO will handle high-level grants ($50,000+) and collaborate with leadership, development, and program staff to meet grant requirements and increase funding.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related discipline required.
• 7-10 years of development experience with 3-4 years in foundation relations and grant writing.
• Proven track record of securing increased and new foundation funding.
• Experience and connections in Midwest environmental philanthropy preferred.

Responsibilities

• Plan and manage a busy grants calendar and deadlines.
• Collaborate with leadership and program staff for proposals and reports.
• Write persuasive letters of inquiry, grant proposals, and reports.
• Cultivate relationships with foundation staff and funders.
• Follow up submissions to ensure funding success.
• Identify and solicit new foundation prospects.
• Engage leadership for funder meetings and strategy.
• Support fundraising goals and revenue through grants.
• Contribute to fundraising events and campaigns as needed.

Skills

Writing & editing

Organization

Relationship building

Deadline-driven

Environmental knowledge

MS Office (Word)

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Word

Job description

The Opportunity

ELPC is looking to hire a dynamic Senior Foundation Relations Officer who brings excellent writing skills together with the proven ability to expand an existing grants program and a passion for environmental protection.

About ELPC

The Environmental Law & Policy Center is the Midwest’s leading environmental legal advocacy organization. We drive transformational policy changes with national impacts.

We show that environmental progress and economic development can be achieved together by putting sustainability principles into practice. We advance climate solutions effectively by accelerating clean renewable energy alternatives to conventional power plants and advancing clean transportation solutions. We protect the Great Lakes and defend the Midwest’s wild and natural places, and we fight for safe, clean water and healthy clean air for all. We combine effective public interest litigation with strategic policy advocacy, sound science, and economic analysis. ELPC produces strong results for the environment in the courtrooms, boardrooms, and legislative hearing rooms across the pivotal Midwest states and in Washington D.C.

Come join our winning team of talented, mission-driven professionals, who passionately work together to protect the environment and natural resources in the Midwest region.

Title

Senior Foundation Relations Officer

Location

Chicago, IL with a hybrid work environment that includes required days in the office each week

Hours per week

Full time (40 hours/week)

Reports to

Chief Development Officer

Job Summary

The Senior Foundation Relations Officer (SFRO) will help manage ELPC’s large portfolio of current foundation grants and work to expand the grants program by identifying and securing new funding opportunities. The SFRO will manage ELPC’s busy grants calendar of proposal and reporting deadlines, and their own portfolio of high-level ($50,000+) grants and prospects. The SFRO will identify new high-level funding opportunities, effectively engage with funders and foundation program officers, and write persuasive letters of inquiry, grant proposals, and reports. The SFRO will work collaboratively with leadership, development team members, and program staff to successfully meet current grant requirements and secure increased and new funding.

Essential Job Functions

• Plan and effectively manage work to meet a busy calendar of grant deadlines.
• Work proactively and with ample lead-time to engage leadership and program staff in the development of proposals and reports.
• Produce well-written, compelling, and persuasive letters of inquiry, grant proposals and reports.
• Cultivate strong relationships with foundation staff and funders.
• Follow up on submissions to ensure funding success.
• Research, identify, and solicit new foundation prospects.
• Engage regularly with leadership to strategize best approaches to new funders.
• Prepare leadership and program staff for funder meetings.
• Work with development team to successfully achieve overall fundraising goals, especially by increasing the number of secured grants and amount of revenue raised.
• Work collaboratively with development team on fundraising events and campaigns throughout the year including the annual gala, year-end giving, and other fundraising efforts as assigned.

Education & Experience (years)

• Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline
• 7-10 years of development experience with a minimum of 3-4 years focused on foundation relations and grant writing.
• Demonstrated track record of identifying and securing increased and new foundation grant funding.
• Experience and connections within the Midwest environmental philanthropic sector highly desired.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• An entrepreneurial approach to fundraising combined with a passion for ELPC’s mission.
• Exceptional writing and editing skills
• Highly organized with meticulous attention to detail
• Strong relationship-building skills
• Results oriented with ability to focus on and meet deadlines and achieve goals
• Ability to follow up with current and prospective foundations in a prompt and timely manner
• Strong problem-solving and negotiating skills.
• Highly creative/innovative with abilities to persuade and motivate others
• Ability to operate independently as well as part of a regional and diverse team
• Environmental knowledge and experience strongly preferred
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, especially Word

Estimated travel & related conditions

• 0 - 10% domestic travel with occasional overnight travel
• Availability for occasional evening or weekend work

Salary

ELPC offers an attractive salary and benefits package, competitive to leading national environmental non-profits. For those meeting the minimum education and experience requirements, annual salary will range from $95,000 - $110,000.