Do you have 5–8 years of nonprofit development experience and a strong background in grant writing, foundation relations, and fundraising strategy?

We are currently seeking an Assistant Director of Institutional Giving for a mission-driven nonprofit organization focused on interfaith leadership, civic engagement, and building bridges across differences. This is an opportunity for an experienced development professional to manage foundation relationships, lead grant proposal and reporting processes, and help secure funding for programs that strengthen communities and democracy.

Position Details

• Location: Chicago, IL Hybrid, or remote from DC, MD, or VA
• Schedule: Full-time 40hrs/week
• Work Arrangement: Chicago-based or remote; remote employees must travel to the Chicago office four times per year
• Type: Full-time, permanent
• Compensation: $80,000–$90,000 annually
• Benefits: Medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance, with employee-only premiums fully covered; retirement plan and generous paid time off
• Reports To: Director of Foundation Relations

Position Overview

The Assistant Director of Institutional Giving will support fundraising strategy and manage relationships with foundation funders, with a primary focus on civic and community initiatives. This role will lead grant proposal and report development, coordinate deadlines and submissions, and work closely with program, finance, and leadership teams to communicate the impact of the organization's work.

The ideal candidate is an experienced grant writer and project manager who can translate complex program information into compelling funding proposals, build strong relationships with funders, and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Foundation Relations & Fundraising: Manage a portfolio of foundation prospects and funders, support cultivation and stewardship activities, and identify new funding opportunities aligned with organizational priorities.
• Grant Writing & Proposal Development: Lead the development of letters of inquiry, concept notes, and grant proposals in collaboration with program, advancement, finance, and senior leadership teams.
• Grant Reporting: Prepare interim and final grant reports, coordinating with internal teams to ensure accurate information, compelling impact stories, and timely submissions.
• Strategy & Project Management: Develop fundraising strategies with senior leaders, maintain proposal calendars, track deadlines, and coordinate projects from planning through submission.
• Program Collaboration: Work with program leaders to understand initiatives, goals, outcomes, and learning priorities, translating them into clear and persuasive funding narratives.
• Funder Communications: Prepare briefing documents, program updates, and other materials for funders and external stakeholders; coordinate meetings and communications to strengthen relationships.
• Records & Systems Management: Maintain accurate funder records, strategy documents, and reporting information using Salesforce, SharePoint, and other organizational systems.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Collaborate with the Grants Compliance and Reporting Manager and other team members to monitor financial reporting, deliverables, and funder requirements.

Our Ideal Candidate

• 5–8 years of relevant professional experience in nonprofit development, philanthropy, foundation relations, civic or community institutions, or a related field.
• Bachelor's degree required.
• Experience with reaching out to national organizations for funding.
• Established experience in civic giving, foundational giving, and institutional giving.
• Experience with foundation grant writing, grants management, and/or fundraising strategy.
• Excellent writing and communication skills, with the ability to develop clear, persuasive, and engaging funding narratives.
• Strong project management skills and the ability to coordinate multiple projects and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to meet deadlines under pressure.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
• Willingness to learn and use Salesforce and other organizational systems.
• Ability to build relationships, collaborate across teams, and communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders.
• Authorization to work in the United States.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with religious diversity, pluralism, and inclusion.
• Experience in the civic sector, including community engagement, leadership development, or democracy initiatives.
• Experience working with foundation funders and translating program goals into compelling proposals and impact reports.

Personality Fit

We are looking for someone who is an excellent writer, highly organized, collaborative, and strategic. The successful candidate will be comfortable managing multiple deadlines, gathering information from different teams, and turning complex program details into compelling stories that resonate with funders.

This person should be proactive, detail-oriented, and adaptable, with a genuine interest in building partnerships and supporting work that brings people together across differences.

Why This Role?

This is an opportunity to play an important role in growing institutional support for programs focused on civic engagement, community partnerships, leadership development, and democracy. The Assistant Director will work closely with organizational leaders and program teams to strengthen foundation relationships and help secure the funding needed to advance meaningful, mission-driven work.

We’d love to hear from you! 

If this sounds like the job for you, we would love to help make that happen. Please apply using this link.

Emailed responses will experience a delayed processing. Deadline to apply is 10/30/2026.

For more information about Careers In Nonprofits and our other available opportunities and workshops, please visit our website at www.careersinnonprofits.com.

Careers In Nonprofits is an equal opportunity employer. Empowered by the #ILoveMyJob mission, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive work environment within the nonprofit sector. 

Due to the high volume of applications we receive, we regretfully can only respond to those candidates who best meet the requirements of a specific position or whose backgrounds are generally applicable to our client base. Please rest assured that we retain all candidate information for possible future matches, even if you do not hear from us in regard to your application in response to this ad.