Description

The Institutional Giving Senior Associate is responsible for leading the Cliburn's robust institutional giving program, securing support from foundations, government agencies, and other grant-making entities to advance the organization's mission and strategic priorities. Reporting to the Associate Director of Development, this position oversees the full grant lifecycle, including identifying and qualifying funding opportunities, cultivating and stewarding institutional funder relationships, developing and submitting competitive grant proposals, and administering awarded grants to ensure compliance and accountability. Working collaboratively across departments, the Institutional Giving Senior Associate aligns institutional funding strategies with organizational priorities, programmatic initiatives, and the Cliburn's season calendar to maximize philanthropic support.

Identify and Qualify Funding Opportunities

• Research, identify, and qualify institutional funding opportunities.
• Develop and manage a strategic pipeline of qualified funding prospects aligned with the Cliburn's fundraising priorities and annual revenue goals.
• Maintain current knowledge of the Cliburn's programs and collect programmatic, financial, and impact data to support funding proposals and funder engagement.

Cultivate and Steward Institutional Funders

• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with prospective and current institutional funders.
• Develop and implement engagement and stewardship strategies that strengthen funder relationships and position the Cliburn for continued support.
• Ensure timely acknowledgment of grant awards and maintain consistent, meaningful communication with institutional funders.

Develop and Administer Grants

• Lead the development, writing, and submission of compelling, accurate, and timely grant proposals; maintain the grants calendar and coordinate with internal departments to meet application and reporting deadlines.
• Administer awarded grants by monitoring deliverables, grant periods, and compliance with funder requirements; collaborate across departments to collect financial, programmatic, and outcomes data for interim, final, and impact reports.
• Maintain accurate grant records, funder information, and supporting documentation within the donor database and grant files; prepare customized stewardship communications, including acknowledgment letters, funder correspondence, and impact reports.

Development Operations and Organizational Support

• Participate in professional development opportunities to remain current on fundraising trends, grantmaking practices, and industry best practices.
• Attend Cliburn events, performances, meetings, and donor activities as assigned.
• Demonstrate the highest standards of ethics, professionalism, and discretion.
• Support the department with direct mail production, proofreading, and other activities as needed.
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned by the Associate Director of Development.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required
• 3–5 years of experience with institutional giving, grant writing, and related development activities
• Proficiency with donor databases and Microsoft Office
• Excellent writing, editing, research, and analytical skills, with the ability to develop compelling materials
• Sound judgment in written and verbal communication      
• Financial literacy, including experience developing, monitoring, and reporting on grant budgets
• Self-directed, organized, and able to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and projects with accuracy and attention to detail
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build effective relationships