The Organization:
Mother Jones is a reader-supported investigative news organization honored as Magazine of the Year by our peers in the industry. Our nonprofit newsroom goes deep on the biggest stories of the moment, from politics and criminal and racial justice to education, climate change, and food/agriculture.
We reach more than 10 million people each month via our website, social media, videos, email newsletters, and print magazine.
Founded in 1976, Mother Jones is America’s longest-established investigative news organization. We are based in San Francisco and have bureaus in Washington, DC, and New York.
We are independent (no corporate owners) and are accountable only to you, our readers. Our mission is to deliver hard-hitting reporting that inspires change and combats “alternative facts.”
Position Overview:
We are looking for a strategic thinker with superb writing and communication skills to support our foundation revenue strategy. You’ll work closely with the Vice President of Development to maintain existing and develop new funding relationships with foundations. You will be part of a dynamic and experienced development team focused on supporting the growth of Mother Jones’ 47-year-old independent newsroom. Driving our success is a business model grounded in reader support: approximately 60 percent of our revenue comes from our readers and as a member of the development team, you’ll be working directly with our community of support to ensure our newsroom stays competitive and sustainable.
We are a distributed team that includes primary offices in San Francisco, New York, and Washington DC. We are open to remote work in the continental US, but travel to meet funders and colleagues will be required from time to time.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Support the maintenance of strong relationships with existing foundation funders that lead to renewed funding and increased support.
- Work with the VP of Development and Donor Researcher to develop and execute strategies for the prospecting of new or stalled foundation relationships.
- Create compelling communication materials for other members of the Development team, including email outreach and updates and other materials to secure meetings with foundation staff and major donors.
- Maintain an organization-wide grants calendar to ensure that all grant submission and reporting deadlines are met.
- Draft and submit all grant proposals.
- Work across departments to track program objectives and outcomes to ensure that grant deliverables are met.
- Maintain working knowledge about Mother Jones’ reporting and special projects, using that information to identify and develop funding opportunities and strategies that may appeal to specific funders.
- Ensure that all information related to foundation communication, meetings, and fundraising goals is fully documented in Salesforce.
- Meet and, ideally, exceed annual revenue goals.
- Work to support the diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging goals of Mother Jones.
- Other duties as assigned.
REQUIRED SKILLS & COMPETENCIES:
- BA/BS or equivalent work experience.
- Minimum 3 to 5 years of relevant foundation fundraising experience and project management experience.
- A track record of identifying, cultivating, soliciting, closing, and maintaining foundation relationships.
- Excellent communication skills, both written and oral, with an ability to build professional relationships with funders.
- Problem-solver with excellent planning and organizational skills; ability to manage multiple priorities and set and adhere to deadlines; ability to maintain confidentiality.
- Outcome-driven, self-starter, and proactive with the capacity to work both independently and as part of fast-paced collaborative teams.
- Grace under pressure, strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to manage projects with tact, diplomacy, and good humor.
- Experience with Salesforce preferred, along with a general understanding of data systems and web-based CRMs.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and G Suite; experience with Asana or other project management software preferred.
- Able to travel and work some evenings.
- An interest or experience in fundraising in a news organization or the areas that Mother Jones covers is a plus, but not essential.
A Note to Potential Candidates: We recognize that potential candidates with identities that have been historically excluded from the fundraising field may be less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every one of the qualifications as described in the job description. If you believe that you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply.
How To Apply:
Please submit a resume, cover letter, and at least two (2) successful grant proposals to https://www.motherjones.com/jobs/foundation-grants-manager/