Established in 2005, the College Futures Foundation is a private foundation committed to helping qualified low-income and underrepresented students in California who have financial need attend and graduate from college.  With an endowment of nearly $500 million, the Foundation expects to award grants of approximately $18 million in 2017.

We believe improving college achievement is central to California’s future. It is this belief that drives us to serve as a strategic partner to school districts, post-secondary institutions, nonprofits, foundations, businesses, local governments and policy makers in California. We work collaboratively to increase opportunities for low-income and underrepresented students and ensure a thriving future for the state by removing barriers to college degree attainment.

College Futures Foundation is an equal opportunity employer to all regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, sex, marital status, disability, religious or political affiliation, or sexual orientation.

Position Summary

Under the supervision of the Vice President for Programs, and working directly with the Senior Program Officer leading the Transfer to Completion strategy, the Program Associate will work up to 20 hours a week between January and December 2018 to assist in all aspects of grantmaking under the Transfer to Completion strategy. This is a temporary, part-time position.

Specific responsibilities center around due diligence, structuring and writing grant recommendations.  To that end, the program associate’s work would include:

• Assist senior program officer in researching, undertaking due diligence, and assessing potential grantmaking opportunities
• Undertake preliminary review of concept papers and grant proposals
• Work with program assistant to input and organize grant proposals, and reports in the Foundation Connect grants management system
• Participate in meetings, communicate and coordinate with prospective grantees to ensure: 1) timely receipt of concept papers and proposals, and 2) that these documents contain the information required to assess proposals and make grant recommendations
• Work with senior program officers to draft grant recommendations
• Work with program assistant to make sure final grant recommendations are processed for approval and filed in grants management system
• Assist senior program officer to ensure the grant recommendations include clearly described outcomes that are co-developed with grantees and evaluation and learning colleagues
• Draft PowerPoint presentations and/or written documents to be shared internally and with grantee partners
• Organize and schedule group internal or external meetings for senior program officer with grantees as appropriate 
• Undertake other special projects, as assigned by senior program officer or vice president of programs.

Qualifications, Experience and Competencies:

Academic

• Bachelor’s degree required.

Experience

• Prior experience with: 1) assessing grant proposals, including proposed strategies and budgets for viability, 2) structuring grants, and/or 3) grants management.
• Experience in higher education grantmaking would be a plus.

Technical

• Strong analytic and writing skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint

Organizational

• Detail-orientation, able to analyze data and information and synthesize into written grant recommendations.
• Excellent time management, task prioritizing, and project tracking skills.
• Must be able to follow procedures and comfortable taking the initiative to suggest process improvements.

Interpersonal

• A high degree of initiative, judgment and resourcefulness in solving problems, and overall results-orientation.
• Service-minded and open to new ideas and constructive feedback from colleagues.
• Ability to work collaboratively and in a team-oriented environment.

Other attributes

• Flexible schedule and remote work/telecommuting is possible for the right candidate with at least one day per week on-site in our offices in downtown San Francisco.

Compensation

We offer a competitive salary based on skills and experience.

Application Process

Interested individuals should send a cover letter and resume to [email protected]. No calls, please.