Director of Fundraising, and Grants management at Inspire Community Network Foundation

• The Director of Fundraising and Grants is responsible for the overall fundraising and grants management efforts and will be responsible for the daily activities of ICON’s development program to include grant writing and grant management, corporate and individual donor cultivation, capital campaigns, fundraising events, etc.
• Additionally, the DFG will work closely with senior leadership to develop the organization’s development strategy and goals.
• The ideal candidate will build relationships with people and organizations, securing corporate, foundation, and other philanthropic support that helps to fuel and sustain ICON programs across thematic areas.
• The ideal candidate will be passionate and enthusiastic about ICON’s mission and understands the importance this work has in driving change in communities and in the lives of the people we serve, demonstrating an ability to create numerous, efficient, and compelling opportunities for donors to support ICON and create a satisfying and rewarding donor experience.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Research, Resource Development, and Grants Management

• Research and identify sources for funding, including individuals, corporations, foundations, governmental entities, earned revenue, and events.
• Research, write, contract, and track grant submissions and reports; ensure adequate grant proposals and fundraising activities to meet and exceed annual budget requirements.
• Performs prospect research on foundations and corporations to evaluate prospects for corporate, foundation and government grants.
• Oversee the creation and submission of letters of inquiry and grant proposals and the maintenance of reporting and other current grantee requirements.
• Plan and execute all Development Communications such as emails, newsletters, appeals, stewardship materials, and acknowledgment letters.
• Conduct the full range of activities required to prepare, submit, and manage grant proposals to foundation, international, corporate, and government sources.
• Collaborate internally with program staff and management to identify funding needs and secure information needed for grant proposals and reports.
• Provide stewardship to current institutional donors by preparing regular written updates about programs they have funded.
• Oversee and direct the implementation of the annual development plan.

Fundraising

• Develop fundraising timelines that align with program delivery requirements and annual budgets.
• Create and execute fundraising and marketing communication plans that ensure the organization can meet its strategic goals.
• Develop efficient and effective ways to attract new financial donations and clarify the roles of colleagues in supporting fundraising efforts.
• Prioritizes the growth of the organization, maximizes ICON’s profitability and profile, and generates financial support to meet and/or exceed the annual revenue target to support ICON programs.
• Plan and execute fundraising events that align with organizational funding goals across ICON’s thematic focus.
• Develop donors’ and sponsors’ benefit packages to retain and encourage annual renewals.
• Build a diverse multisectoral donor pipeline.
• Research and attend required networking events to socialize and network with prospective donors.
• Enhance the organization’s image by being active and visible among corporate businesses and with other professional, civic, and private organizations.
• Develop the annual strategy and goals for philanthropic events.
• Manage all grants and fundraising-related contractors, ensuring impeccable results.

Communication & External Engagement

• Serve as a liaison to the nonprofit community, the media, and the general public, to position and strengthen ICON’s name, recognition, and reputation in the community.
• Clearly convey the importance of ICON’s mission and work across grant writing and fundraising efforts.
• Articulate compelling cases for funding and address questions from potential funders.
• Make recommendations for changes in program design and implementation to increase competitiveness for funding.
• Draft high-quality reports to funders demonstrating return on investment and outcomes.
• Ensure grant/sponsorship proposals respond to requirements and provide relevant citations and data.
• Develop and execute strategic communications to enhance the organizational profile and cultivate support and expand the donor base.
• Create and disseminate messages that ensure all staff understands fundraising strategy and goals.
• Supervise all fundraising communications.
• Conduct regular face-to-face meetings with donors (of all sizes) and provide regular updates to ensure supporters are provided with timely funding updates.
• Develop communication, outreach, and engagement strategies that express gratitude, answer questions, and maintain ongoing support.
• Facilitate the creation of new opportunities to expand public messaging and advocacy campaigns.
• Create and maintain a messaging and branding strategy and coordinate marketing efforts to support programs, ensuring seamless messaging to all stakeholders.
• Ensure that all public-facing messaging consistently demonstrates the organization’s voice, capability, and potential and monitor the organization’s digital and communications output in order to match the Development strategy.

Financial Acumen & Management:

• Ensure effective collection of financial data, and align fundraising financials with operational budgets.
• Develop accurate financial models to support program operations and expansion.
• Identify new funding opportunities that can address budget gaps and shortfalls.
• Manage donor/grant/sponsorship/ database, entering, acknowledging, and recording all donations and donor information.
• Ensure that all sponsors/donors’ returns and benefits are duly met and promptly.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent plus 3 – 5 years of professional fundraising and grant writing experience; 5 or more years of experience preferred.
• Proven record of major gift fundraising success, and grant writing for foundations of various sizes.
• Ability to develop high-quality grant applications for federal, state, International, and local opportunities; ability to engage in grant monitoring and reporting and knowledge of grant management principles.
• Ability to identify, cultivate, and engage new donors with significant philanthropic capacity via strategic outreach and action steps, including one-on-one discovery meetings and personalized engagement opportunities.
• Proven ability to juggle multiple priorities and move quickly from one project to another while maintaining an overall perspective.
• Demonstrated success in event planning, logistics management, and project management
• Demonstrated success in fundraising in an NGO or similar organization in a similar capacity.
• Knowledge of community organization, fundraising, and marketing principles, practices, techniques, and trends.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including large and small group presentations, group facilitation, and training.
• Skill in written communications to include clear and concise narrative reports, evaluations, and similar narrative pieces.
• Ability to read, comprehend and analyze number goals, as well as fundraising reports and fiscal reports/budgets.

EXPERIENCE:

• Fundraising: 3 years (Required)
• Grant writing: 3 years (Required)

COMPENSATION AND HOURS

• Salary is a monthly N200,000-N250,000 commensurate with experience.
• Irregular evening and weekend work hours; flexibility with work schedule.
• Primarily local and inter-state travel during business hours, although some regional and overnight travel may occur.
• Benefits are generous, including paid employee health and dental insurance (some employee contribution required); voluntary vision and retirement plans are also available.
• Paid time off includes vacation, sick, personal days, and holidays.