Director of Foundation Relations

Description

FamilyAid is one of America's leading providers of solutions to family homelessness. Our mission is to empower parents and caregivers facing homelessness to secure and sustain housing and build solid foundations for their children's futures. 

We prevent family homelessness whenever possible, reduce harm if homelessness can't be avoided by housing families as quickly as possible, mitigate trauma, especially for children, and provide wraparound supports that foster long-term stability. 

We provide children and parents with a path to self-sufficiency via two-generation educational programs, housing search and placement support, and connections to vital resources they need to return to their own homes. 

Our strategic vision and bold strategies to reduce two-generation homelessness successfully served 5,000 children and parents in Greater Boston last year. New funding powers our plans to serve more families more deeply.

Our supportive, collaborative, diverse workplace of more than 130 professionals is ideal for a skilled, result-oriented professional who is driven to help children and families thrive. FamilyAid has been recognized as a Top Massachusetts Workplace by The Boston Globe and by Charity Navigator as one of the nation's top organizations working to end homelessness.

Job Summary

In collaboration with the Chief Advancement Officer and the President, the Director of Foundation Relations will be responsible for setting the strategic direction of the fundraising plan as it relates to foundation giving as part of the overall development plan for annual and special gifts. The director will be the primary point of contact for foundation philanthropy and is responsible for staying current with trends in fundraising and foundation relations. As a senior development team member reporting to the CAO, this person will oversee efforts to maximize funding from foundations and proactively seek new funding opportunities, cultivate relationships with foundation officers, grant writer, and monitor compliance with gift designations, reporting, and administration.

The director will work with an established portfolio of donors to sustain the impressive level of foundation support achieved in recent years and aim to attract new support. 

Duties and Responsibilities 

This position will play a critical role on FamilyAid’s development team responsible for raising approximately 25% of the operating budget, which was $21M in FY25. The Director of Foundations Relations supports general operations and special projects, including an expected capital campaign to fund capital expansion that is part of a recently approved strategic plan. The Director of Foundations will be a highly skilled communicator, an exceptional writer, and a critical and creative thinker. This position requires a deadline-driven, detail-oriented, highly organized development professional who shares FamilyAid’s values in helping homeless families secure and sustain housing. 

Leadership:

• Lead and facilitate cooperative and collaborative working relationships with all FamilyAid departments, programs, and external funding partners.
• Work closely with all programs/departments to ensure FamilyAid follows all personnel regulatory and legal requirements and best practices in driving an engaged, motivated workforce.
• Provide highly visible, front-line leadership and participation in agency activities, including but not limited to general staff meetings, appropriate management meetings and agency celebrations, and commemorations.

Foundation/Development:

• Develop an annual foundation solicitation strategy; 
• Identify and qualify funding opportunities; 
• Work closely with the President and CAO to set strategy; 
• Develop program narratives and budgets in consultation with program, evaluation, and finance staff; 
• Write, review, and submit grant proposals; 
• Manage the work of a grant writer; 
• Lead grant reporting; 
• Coordinate with finance and development operations on grant agreements and fund restrictions; and
• Effectively cultivate and steward foundation relationships. 

Management and Compliance:

• As a member of the senior team, follow and model all FamilyAid values 
• Ensure fiscal accountability as it relates to foundation work. 
• Provide consistent weekly supervision of direct report.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree. Masters strongly preferred.
• 7+ years of development, campaign, or comparable grant writing experience, a demonstrated track record of success in generating significant grant revenue from foundations.
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to meet deadlines, plan, and balance multiple competing priorities.
• Ability to work with and relate to diverse groups of individuals in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial team environment.
• Ability to craft coherent, organized, and compelling proposals and reports.
• Ability to distill complicated topics into accessible, persuasive language and copy.
• Experience with Donor Perfect and/or other fundraising databases and Microsoft Office.
• A strong commitment to FamilyAid’s mission to end family homelessness.

Supervision: This position reports to the Chief Advancement Officer 

Work Schedule and Conditions: This position is currently hybrid. Full-time, 40 hours/week, with flexibility to best meet donor, partner and department needs. Some evening availability required. Significant onsite work at FamilyAid locations and main office will be required. FamilyAid’s headquarters are located at 3815 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02130. 

FamilyAid is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, disability, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, or age.

 Please submit a compelling cover letter and resume to this email:  FamilyAidBoston@catalystcampaign.com.