REPORTS TO: Senior Grants Officer

FLSA STATUS: Exempt

About NatureBridge

Founded in 1971, NatureBridge provides environmental science programs for students in the world’s best classrooms—our national parks. Our mission is to foster environmental literacy to sustain our planet. Our programs do so by exposing students to the wonder and science of nature and inspiring the stewards of tomorrow. As the largest residential education partner of the National Park Service, NatureBridge serves more than 30,000 students and their teachers each year and offers programs in six national parks: Yosemite National Park, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Olympic National Park, Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, Channel Islands National Park, and Prince William Forest Park. In order to further our mission, NatureBridge is committed to supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion and to promoting equal opportunity for students and staff in the field of environmental education. For more information, visit: naturebridge.org. 

Summary

A member of the national Grants and Development Team, the Grants Officer is responsible for sustaining, stewarding, and growing a strong base of institutional funders to support NatureBridge and our programs. Areas of responsibility include: growing NatureBridge’s funding base through strategic prospect identification, research, and cultivation; independently planning, writing, and submitting well conceived, compelling letters of inquiry, grant proposals, and reports in support of high-quality stewardship and relationship-building strategies; and partnering with campus and national NatureBridge staff to support the work of the Development Department, as well as the mission and strategic vision of the organization as a whole. Funders include corporations, foundations, and government agencies. 

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

Prospect Research

• Research, identify, rank, and cultivate new corporate, foundation, and government grant prospects using qualitative and quantitative methods, including electronic screening, database mining, data modeling, and relationship-building strategies.
• Develop a comprehensive strategy for meeting annual fundraising goals, raising NatureBridge’s profile and engaging new funders by working closely with regional directors, campus staff, national development staff, and the regional Boards of Directors to support NatureBridge and to create a culture of philanthropy. 

Corporate, Foundation, and Government Relations

• Manage a portfolio of institutional prospects.
• Independently produce excellently written, compelling and research-based narratives, letters of inquiry, grant proposals, and reports.
• Work collaboratively with Finance Department staff to produce materials to accompany institutional grants, including budgets, financial data, staff biographies, required forms, etc.
• Manage proposal packages via grant websites or submission protocols, monitor progress and outcomes, and sustain institutional funders through thoughtful, individualized stewardship strategies.

Development Operations

• Coordinate meetings between NatureBridge leadership, board of directors, and institutional funders (current and prospective); attend regional and national Grants Team meetings, Development Team meetings, and regular check-ins with the Senior Grants Officer, and retreats.
• Carefully track all activities and input information into NatureBridge’s donor database (Raiser’s Edge), update internal records (electronic and hard files), and prepare quarterly work plans and internal reports to assure progress toward funding goals.
• Collaborate with other Grants Team members in editing and proofreading written materials; partner with individual giving officers (Development Managers) on solicitation strategies and donor logistics.
• Other duties as assigned. 

Required Experience

• Commitment to NatureBridge’s mission.
• At least three years of professional fundraising and grant writing experience, with thorough knowledge of the San Francisco local, California regional, and national funding landscape.
• Experience conducting extensive prospect research and writing high-quality, successful grant proposals leading to new institutional funders.
• Effective and efficient data management experience (Raiser’s Edge highly desirable), including all elements of proposal tracking, gift processing, and progress reporting.
• Ability to bring together staff from different parts/levels of the organization in order to prepare and produce key deliverables.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; flexibility, sense of humor, and an entrepreneurial ‘can-do’ attitude.
• Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university.

Competencies

• Original and vivid writing that captures the unique relevance of our program in the education and environment sector.
• Ability to manage competing or shifting priorities.
• Proficiency with Google and Microsoft Office applications.
• Customer service orientation.
• Flexibility, self-motivation and the ability to problem-solve.
• Highly efficient and attentive to detail.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to handle confidential information with sensitivity and integrity. 

Working Conditions

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand or sit, use hands to handle or feel objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; talk and hear. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds.

Compensation

NatureBridge offers a comprehensive benefits package, including competitive salary commensurate with experience, medical, dental and vision benefits, paid vacation, and a 403b retirement account.

Application Process

Recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce is a high priority. We strive to diversify our workforce and seek applications by individuals from all backgrounds.

Interested individuals should submit a letter of interest (1-2 pages), resume, and writing sample (1-3 pages) to [email protected]. The writing sample should be a letter of inquiry or grant proposal (or excerpt) written by the applicant with appropriate context provided in order to understand and assess the writing sample.

No calls, faxes, or printed materials please. No agencies please. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Position is open until filled. Looking for immediate hire, contingent on successful background check and fingerprinting.