Community Foundation Seeks Program Officer for Creating Safe Equitable & Thriving Communities (SET) Fund
Position Description
Title: Program Officer, Creating Safe, Equitable & Thriving Communities Fund
Type of Position: 20 hours per week; exempt
Duration: This project is intended to last 3 or more years, contingent on continued partner support for the project.
Reports To: Senior Vice President, Programs & Community Investment
Purpose:
This position will serve a unique role in addressing the interrelated factors that lead to youth violence in our community. A community task force identified intersectional strategies to address systemic causes of youth violence, including safe and stable housing, improved educational outcomes and economic opportunities, and conflict resolution skills. In addition, the task force identified roles and recommendations for various community partners that interact with area youth. The Program Officer for the Creating Safe, Equitable & Thriving Communities (SET) Fund will facilitate a grant process to accomplish the SET goals as outlined in the task force final report. The Program Officer will engage nonprofit organizations, governmental bodies and community groups in identifying and implementing appropriate projects; assist with convening interested partners as appropriate; assist with project development and proposal submission; lead the application review process; provide analysis and support to the grant committee; and monitor funded projects.
Principal Responsibilities:
Community Support
- Build awareness of and a network of support for the work through public speaking engagements and outreach to community leaders (business, nonprofit, faith communities, and others)
Proposal Cultivation
- Identify current and emerging community leaders (organizational and individual) already engaged in SET-related activities
- Engage current and emerging leaders in developing and leading solutions to accomplish SET goals, fostering new connections and collaborations as appropriate
- Provide outreach and support for non-traditional grant applicants
- Identify and share resources with potential applicants, including model programs, key leaders, and relevant research
Grantmaking
- Provide technical assistance to applicants related to proposal development and submission
- Work with Senior Vice President and grants team to provide training and orientation to grant committee members
- Provide support to assist the grant committee, including reviewing and analyzing proposals, providing background information as needed, organizing site visits, and fielding grant committee questions
- Provide feedback to applicants after the application review process
- Conduct field visits to assess progress of funded projects
- Convene periodic meetings of grant recipients to cultivate a connected system of SET-related initiatives
- Review written interim and final reports to assess effectiveness of funded projects
- Provide regular reports to the grant and policy committees summarizing the implementation of projects and assessing the findings of final reports and site visits
Subject Matter Expertise
- Cultivate subject matter expertise of the complex and interconnected systems and underlying conditions that lead to youth violence; be able to teach/share this expertise with others
- Understand model policy and programmatic interventions locally or nationally that are yielding successful results
- Identify current community efforts and their level of success
- Identify and use local data sources to understand and monitor progress
Funder Engagement
- Cultivate funding relationships to sustain and grow the program, which could include hosting local donor education sessions and seeking external grants
- Support the Senior Vice President in work with the Policy Committee
Desired Skills:
- Knowledge of systemic and historic causes of inequity and differential outcomes for marginalized groups
- Ability to develop new relationships and strengthen existing relationships with multicultural community partners and work together to generate community solutions
- Strong facilitation skills, including a proven ability to facilitate difficult conversations and navigate mutually acceptable outcomes
- Strong organizational and analytical skills
- Experience in idea development and evidenced-based decision-making
- Ability to handle multiple relationships, responsibilities, and deadlines
- Flexibility and adaptability
- Computer knowledge in Microsoft office (Word, Excel, Outlook, Power Point)
- Ability to learn foundation database system (Stellar Financial’s iPhi Core)
Background/Requirements:
- Minimum of three years’ experience in a related field
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in the social sciences
Work Hours:
- Program Officer will work with Senior Vice President to set half-time schedule during normal business hours (Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.). Limited evening/weekend hours required for community events or meetings.
Compensation and Benefits:
- Salary commensurate with education and/or experience
- Equal opportunity employer
To apply, submit a cover letter, resume and four references to:
Latonja Scott
Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation
324 3rd Street SE
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
or
latonja.scott@gcrcf.org
Review of applications will begin on Monday, December 17, 2018.