Sr. Associate Director, Foundation Relations, Institutional Partnerships

CASE; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 85,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC seeks a Senior Associate Director of Foundation Relations to grow institutional funding with a focus on private foundations. You will identify, pursue, and secure grants and sponsorships, partnering with deans and faculty to build funding pipelines and support project development from concept through submission.

You’ll collaborate with external consultants and campus partners to expand federal funding outreach, train staff, and manage a

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree.
• 4+ years frontline institutional fundraising in higher education or nonprofit.
• Proven track record of grant awards from private or public sources.
• Demonstrated grant writing ability; work samples or funded applications may be requested.
• Experience with federal grant portals Grants.gov or Research.gov and with grant budgeting.
• Experience working with faculty across disciplines.
• Strong written and verbal communication and research skills.

Responsibilities

• Identify, strategize for, and prepare funding applications to foundation, corporate, and government funders with faculty and program leaders.
• Guide proposal development from concept and budget through submission.
• Continuously source new RFPs and grant opportunities and share with relevant faculty and staff.
• Develop tools and processes guiding faculty through forecasting, opportunity vetting, bid decisions, and proposal preparation.
• Train and mentor academic partners through the proposal development process; coordinate training opportunities.
• Coordinate with school-based directors of development, deans, and faculty on institutional funding pursuits.
• Support the external consultancy focused on growing federal/public-sector research funding.
• Build and manage a portfolio of institutional prospects in support of an aggressive annual revenue goal.
• Support grant stewardship and reporting for active grants in collaboration with faculty and administration.

Skills

Grant writing

Strong communication

Fundraising

Cross-disciplinary work

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Grants.gov

Research.gov

Raiser's Edge

Job description

Senior Associate Director, Corporate Relations,Office of Institutional Partnerships

University Advancement | The Catholic University of America | Washington, DC

Are you a grant professional with a track record of winning foundation, corporate, or government funding? The Catholic University of America's Office of Institutional Partnerships is hiring a Senior Associate Director of Foundation Relations to grow the University's base of institutional funding by identifying, pursuing, and securing grants, sponsorships, and philanthropic support — with a primary focus on private foundation donors.

This role sits at the center of a growing effort to build the University's institutional fundraising capacity. You'll partner directly with deans and faculty to develop funding pipelines, guide proposal development from concept through submission, and help build a campus-wide culture of grant-seeking through training and mentorship. You'll also support the University's collaboration with an external firm engaged to help grow federal research funding — a great opportunity for someone who wants to work at the intersection of foundation philanthropy, corporate giving, and public/government funding.

What You’ll Do

• Identify, strategize for, and prepare funding applications to foundation, corporate, and government funders, working directly with faculty and program leaders to find the right fit
• Guide faculty and principal investigators through proposal development — from concept and budget through submission
• Continuously source new RFPs and grant opportunities and share them with relevant faculty and staff
• Help develop and apply standardized tools and processes that guide faculty through the full business development cycle: forecasting, opportunity vetting, bid decisions, and proposal preparation
• Train and mentor academic partners through the proposal development process; coordinate training opportunities across campus
• Coordinate with school-based directors of development, deans, and faculty on institutional funding pursuits
• Support the University's partnership with an external consultancy focused on growing federal and public-sector research funding, coordinating with the Office of Sponsored Programs
• Build and manage a portfolio of institutional prospects in support of an aggressive annual revenue goal
• Support grant stewardship and reporting for active grants in collaboration with faculty and administration

What You Bring

• Bachelor's degree
• 4+ years of experience in front-line institutional fundraising in a higher education or nonprofit setting
• Proven track record of applying for and receiving grant awards from private or public sources
• Demonstrated grant writing ability — successful work samples or funded applications will be requested
• Experience with federal grant portals such as Grants.gov, Research.gov, or similar systems, and with grant/project budgeting
• Experience working with faculty across disciplines
• Strong written and verbal communication and research skills

Preferred

• Prior experience raising funds from foundations or government sources for social work, psychology, mental health, nursing/healthcare, life sciences, education, the arts, or related disciplines
• Experience with Raiser's Edge or similar donor database software
• Familiarity with accounting guidelines and regulations around federal funds

About the Office of Institutional Partnerships

The Office of Institutional Partnerships (IP) is the primary liaison connecting University faculty, staff, and administrators with institutional donors — foundations, corporations, and government agencies. IP supports strategy and planning, partnership development, and proposal development to help advance the University's mission, all within a Division of University Advancement built on Community, Trust, Innovation & Creativity, Accountability, Collaboration, Service, and Excellence.

Salary Range - $85,000-$105,000/year

Copyright ©2025 Jobelephant.com Inc. All rights reserved.