GrubStreet is the leading literary arts center in the country. We are a hardworking and creative bunch and pride ourselves on a warm and supportive work environment. The Development Associate for Leadership Giving position plays a key role in helping GrubStreet to support our mission.
This role is responsible for assisting with ongoing fundraising for both the annual fund and the capital campaign to build GrubStreet’s new center for creative writing. This includes communicating closely with individual donors, helping with operations and list management for leadership donors, helping to coordinate events to cultivate and thank donors, and drafting proposals and reports for institutional supporters.
This is a full-time permanent position, with some evening work required. The Development Associate for Leadership Giving works in our fast-paced, friendly Boston office (currently operating remotely). This position reports to the Capital Campaign Manager and works closely with the entire team.
We encourage BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color), LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, and other communities historically underrepresented in arts administration spaces to apply. GrubStreet strives to dismantle every system, process, or structure that would discourage any person from working with us. We actively seek diversity, equity, and inclusivity because we know that all people are vital and that their stories are our stories.
Individual Donor Cultivation & Support
· Help to cultivate donors and request gifts.
· Assist with coordination of committee meetings, including arranging for catering, photocopying, arranging for technology, and meeting wrap up.
· Assist Capital Campaign Manager and Development Director with creation of proposals to donors and reports on what their giving has accomplished, including drafting copy and collecting photos and other impact data as needed.
· Closely follow programmatic updates and make recommendations to Capital Campaign Manager and Development Director about opportunities for cultivation communications to donors.
· Contribute to GrubStreet’s anti-racism and anti-bias resources and programming for donors and community members.
Donor Events
· Help to coordinate fundraising events, including annual fall gala and smaller cultivation events such as “author toasts” and gatherings at the annual Muse & the Marketplace writers’ conference. Tasks include helping with venue selection, catering, coordinating sponsorships, keeping track of attendees, invitation production, welcoming donors, and event follow up.
· Help Capital Campaign Manager to coordinate production of events at the new center, including tours of the new space, fundraising events, and kick-off for the public/community phase of the capital campaign. Tasks include helping with catering, keeping track of attendees, invitation production, welcoming donors, and event follow up.
Institutional Donor Cultivation & Support
· As directed by the Senior Development Manager, draft grant proposals and reports for foundation donors, including creating attachments.
· As directed by the Capital Campaign Manager, draft grant proposals and reports for corporate donors, including creating attachments.
· Assist with capital campaign proposals and reports to institutional donors as directed by the Capital Campaign Manager.
· Act as the point person with program team to collect all data needed for reports and proposals to institutional donors.
· As directed by the Capital Campaign Manager, provide support to corporate partners, including acting as point person for questions related to employee giving and gift matching. Prepare and provide requested promotional materials to corporate partners.
Prospect Research
· Conduct research on individual and institutional prospects for giving and make recommendations to the Capital Campaign Manager and Senior Development Manager on priorities and approach.
Qualifications:
· Strong interpersonal and communication skills required – both oral and written; comfort calling both donors and vendors on the phone and interacting with donors at events
· Strong organizational skills required
· Facility with gathering data and program information and synthesizing to create compelling written materials
· Passion for working with donors and community members
· Demonstrates GrubStreet’s commitment to anti-racism and equity in all communications and events with donors and members
· Experience with prospect research a plus
· Experience with event planning and management a big plus
· Detail-oriented
· Skilled in Microsoft Office (Word and Excel)
· Willingness to learn and work well within a team environment
· 1-2 years’ experience with non-profit fundraising or related experience
About the Organization
We believe that narrative transforms lives, builds bridges, and produces empathy. By rigorously developing voices of every type and talent, and by removing barriers to entry, GrubStreet fosters the creation of meaningful stories and ensures that excellent writing remains vital and relevant.
GrubStreet, the largest creative writing center in the U.S., annually engages over 8,000 students – both teens and adults – in programs that range from two-hour workshops to year-long graduate-level seminars.
Our teachers are working artists who bring the highest quality instruction and mentorship to storytellers. We also host a major writing conference each year and public storytelling events. The education and networks we facilitate foster a richer local writing scene, with a strong focus on increasing opportunities for writers of color, low-income writers, and teen writers.
Our programs eliminate common barriers to participation in the arts and lifelong learning, and build community among participants. We continue to increase scholarships and provide free writing programs (including bilingual classes) for adults and teens in low-income communities across Boston.
Our programs and offices are currently operating remotely in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Position Details
GrubStreet is an equal opportunity employer. We provide a competitive salary and benefits package and a dynamic, collaborative work environment. The salary range for this position is $45,000-50,000, commensurate with experience.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Please email your resume and cover letter to jobs@grubstreet.org and please put “Development Associate for Leadership Giving” in the subject line. Applications will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. No phone calls, please.
Position Status: Full time, exempt
Position Level: Associate, 1-2 years’ experience needed
Position Reports to: Capital Campaign Manager
Location: Boston