Institutional Giving Specialist

Organizational Overview

GreenRoots, Inc. is a grassroots community-based organization with a track record, spanning 30 years, of achieving significant environmental justice and public health victories in Chelsea, East Boston, and the Greater Boston region. GreenRoots’ mission is to achieve environmental justice and a greater quality of life through collective action, unity, education, and youth leadership across neighborhoods and communities. We do so through deep community engagement and empowerment, youth leadership, and the implementation of innovative projects and campaigns.

Job Overview

The Institutional Giving Specialist will be a vital member of our Development Team, playing a key role in fueling our mission by securing the financial resources we need to thrive. This individual will be a champion for our work, identifying, prospecting, researching, and crafting compelling grant proposals and reports that resonate with funders and highlight GreenRoots and the communities we serve in a powerful way. Reporting directly to the Director of Development, the Institutional Giving Specialist will be instrumental in expanding and diversifying our funding base, ensuring the long-term sustainability of our $5 million+ budget. The Institutional Giving Specialist will be expected to implement a robust grant writing schedule to carry out GreenRoots’ critically important community work.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

• Develop and submit high-quality grant proposals to potential funders. Understand funders’ priorities; track deadlines and reporting requirements; prepare and submit timely and accurate grant narratives and progress/final reports; and ensure adherence to all submission guidelines.
• Provide regular updates and reports to the Director of Development on fundraising progress and outcomes.
• Craft compelling grant submissions and development materials that effectively communicate the organization's mission, goals, and project needs, including powerful storytelling that uplifts the resilience and power of the communities GreenRoots serves.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of overall fundraising strategies, including donor cultivation and stewardship, researching and identifying potential new funders and analyzing fundraising data to identify trends and inform future strategies.
• Manage, and steward relationships with existing foundation officers and corporate partners to secure long-term funding commitments and maximize philanthropic support.
• Assist the Director of Development in coordinating and participating in site visits by funders and preparing reports on the impact of funded projects.
• Keep up-to-date on trends in institutional giving, changes in funding priorities, and best practices in grant writing and fundraising. This includes attending relevant conferences, webinars, or workshops.
• Collaborate with the Development Team and GreenRoots program staff to achieve fundraising goals and support program objectives.

The most qualified candidates will have the following skills and experiences:

• Demonstrated track record of independently securing $350,000+ in grant funding throughout their career as well as experience contributing to proposals for awards of $500,000 or more.
• Over 5 years of experience securing funding through foundation, corporate, federal, and state grants.
• A deep commitment to environmental, racial, and social justice movements and an understanding of relevant principles, tactics, and methodologies.
• Lived experience or significant engagement with communities facing environmental injustices, particularly those similar to Chelsea and East Boston. We highly value candidates who bring their own lived experience to this work and/or have a strong history of working in solidarity with frontline communities.
• A self-starter with the ability to proactively engage with program staff to deeply understand their work and the community served, and effectively and respectfully communicate GreenRoots' and our communities’ stories.
• Strong organizational, interpersonal, and time-management skills to manage multiple deadlines.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including strong, clear, and detail-oriented writing abilities, coupled with a creative, collaborative mindset and a commitment to learning and growth.
• Respect for all individuals and their contributions, with a willingness to consider diverse perspectives. Must be a positive and committed team player.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Salesforce, and Google Suite, and the ability to confidently learn and adapt to new software and applications.
• Ability to commit to the mission and vision long term.
• Proficiency in Spanish is a plus.

Benefits

• 401(k); up to 4% Match
• Sabbatical; eligible after 5 years of full-time employment
• Health and dental insurance
• 15 Days of Paid Vacation Time
• 12 Days of Paid Sick Time
• 5 Days of Paid Personal Time
• Professional Development
• Federal and State Holidays, including the week of Thanksgiving and up to 7 paid days during the Winter Holidays