About Borealis Philanthropy

Borealis Philanthropy works as a partner to philanthropy, helping grantmakers expand their reach and impact. As a philanthropic intermediary, Borealis helps connect grantmakers to organizations that meet their mission. We provide a high level of service to our funders and grantees by conducting our work in a manner that is collaborative, transparent, and accountable. We respond promptly to the needs and interests of our partners by staying abreast of changing policy and social landscapes. We educate grantmakers and non-profits organizations on the important role intermediaries play in the philanthropic sector, and endeavor to share our knowledge with the broader field. In carrying out this vision, we ultimately hope to change the way philanthropy works. 

Overview of the Position

The Program Officer works in partnership with the Director to lead programmatic work of the Racial Equity to Accelerate Change Fund (REACH) as a part of the Racial Equity Initiatives team at Borealis Philanthropy. The Racial Equity Initiatives includes three donor collaboratives at Borealis Philanthropy whose purpose is to strengthen the racial equity capacity across three sectors – philanthropy, nonprofit and journalism. The Funds exist to provide a dedicated vehicle for institutional funders to support the racial equity organizational development and sustained practice.  

The REACH Fund seeks to build the capacity of the nonprofit sector to address issues of racial and intersectional equity and inclusion and to address the gap between interest and capacity in the sector to pursue racial equity. The goal of the REACH Fund is to resource racial equity practitioners, the individuals and institutions working closely with nonprofit groups on the ground to advance their racial equity work internally and externally. The REACH Fund’s three-part grantmaking strategy includes: 1) Grants to racial equity practitioners; 2) Communities of practice to create opportunities for grantees and capacity-builders to share lessons learned, strengthen their respective practice, and identify the ways in which the larger sector can benefit from this shared knowledge; and 3) Communications – share lessons and knowledge for others undergoing racial equity work and share stories and case studies to make the case for philanthropy to provide greater support for this work.

Reports to: Director of Racial Equity Initiatives

Major Responsibilities

Grantmaking:

• Work closely with REACH funds donors and REI team in the overall design and implementation of grantmaking and related activities.
• Work in partnership with the director on the design and implementation of REACH fund grantmaking program including:
  • Design the Request for Proposals (RFP) sent to prospective applicants.
  • Identify new applicants for future grantmaking rounds.
  • Review proposals submitted by grant applicants; conduct site visits, as appropriate.
  • Prepare written summaries and analysis documents of grant applications for recommendations docket to donors.
  • Develop and implement organizational and leadership development component of grantmaking.
• Communicate with the advocacy community, grant applicants and others and serve as the primary contact with grantees with support of the director.
• Ensure all grantee documentation is in compliance with legal requirements.
• Work in partnership with the directors to provide leadership and oversight on the development of grantee technical assistance, capacity-building, and peer-learning activities.

Facilitation:

• Serve in varied facilitation roles at donor and grantee meetings.
• Support design of presentations, meeting outline and facilitator’s agenda;
• Work with Director to develop and clearly communicate grantmaking, peer learning, and other program timelines and processes.

Donor Committee Management:

• Work with the Borealis REI staff team to plan and execute donor meetings - draft meeting agendas, facilitate meetings, report back, etc.
• Help identify other potential funding opportunities where applicable.
• Prepare information for submission of proposals and grant reports to funders.

Staff Support:

• Collaborate with and/or oversee the work of the Racial Equity Initiatives Program Associate.
• Participate in regular check ins with Racial Equity Initiatives Program Associate.

Fundraising:

• Provide staff support as necessary around funder research, assistance with proposal and report writing, preparation and distribution.

Community Relations:

• Conduct the necessary due diligence on the issues the funds address – report back on findings to donors and Borealis staff team.
• Represent Borealis Philanthropy and REI funds in grantmaking networks– help disseminate information about Fund’s philosophy and activities.
• Keep current on issues of importance to REI funds’ mission by participating in relevant meetings and conferences.

Qualifications

• At least 5 years’ experience in nonprofit sector/community work or philanthropy.
• Significant knowledge and experience with developing and incorporating racial equity and intersectionality practices into organizational culture.
• Demonstrated project management skills and ability to involve and work collaboratively and effectively with peers in joint and shared efforts.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work with a range of groups, including donors, consultants and community leaders.

• Experience that demonstrates a commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-oppression values.

• Strong communications skills, both written and oral. Ability to write clear content and present findings to donors, partners and grantees.
• Excellent planning and organizational skills, ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities.
• Ability to work independently and virtually, with a staff team located in different parts of the country.

Compensation and Benefits

Status: Full-time, Regular, Exempt, benefits eligible

Salary Range: $90-115k

Benefits include: Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, Medical and Dependent Care Flex Spending Account, Trans Health Benefit program, 401k plan, Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance, Life and AD&D Insurance, 12 paid holidays plus the days between Christmas and New Year’s, paid parental leave, and a generous PTO program.

* Borealis Philanthropy is a virtual organization where our staff primarily work remotely from home offices. We provide financial support for home office setup along with options for coworking office space in particular locations.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Borealis is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion, national origin, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, age, or any other category protected by local, state, or federal laws. We are committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive staff team. We strongly encourage applicants who are people of color, LGBTQ, women, people with disabilities; and/or formerly incarcerated people.

Close Date: Sept 30, 2019

To Apply

Please follow instructions online at https://borealisphilanthropy.org/about/careers/

No Phone Calls Please