Foundation Officer

Vote Solar advocates for a transition to a just and equitable 100% clean energy system that puts the interests, health, and well-being of people at its center. Vote Solar advocates for clean energy and energy justice in legislative and regulatory arenas at the state level, where most decisions about electricity are made.

Operating in over 20 states, we focus on bringing deep policy expertise, working in just partnerships with broad coalitions, and engaging the public to win on solar and energy justice campaigns. Founded in 2002 on the principle that state-level clean energy advocacy presents the greatest opportunity for climate progress, Vote Solar drives meaningful progress through its winning combination of deep policy and technical expertise, coalition building, and public engagement.

For more information, please visit our website.  

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Foundation Officer will manage a portfolio of 9-10 current donors and is responsible for identifying and cultivating relationships with prospective foundation founders with the goal of meeting organizational fundraising goals. Working on close collaboration with the Managing Director of Philanthropy, Vote Solar leadership and program staff, the Foundation Officer will develop strong approaches to funding opportunities along with high quality reports, proposal and other materials.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

The Foundation Officer is a new position that reports directly to the Managing Director of Philanthropy and will directly manage a writer who assists with information gathering and report writing. This position includes an expectation of occasional travel. 

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and execute a strategic fundraising plan to identify, research, and target institutional funders to raise programmatic, operating, and sponsorship support.
• Lead all aspects of identification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship for a portfolio of funders and prospects, including leading the development of oral and written presentations as needed.
• Secure funding for Vote Solar programs by managing and growing a portfolio of foundations. Manage all phases of grant cycle from solicitation to stewardship to renewal.
• Serve as lead relationship manager for majority of institutional funders; provide support for executive leadership team and board for funders whose primary relationship is with senior leaders.
• Supervise and mentor Philanthropy Writer, oversee project management for proposals, reporting, sponsorship requests, grant tracking and acknowledgment to support strong funder relationships
• Maintain accurate and timely institutional funding pipeline and data for development dashboard.
• Partner with Regional Program Directors to identify new funding opportunities and to match program strategies with potential funders.
• Keep abreast of domestic policy changes that may impact foundation priorities and any changes to trends in foundation funding by region.
• Work with program and finance staff to ensure compliance with all grant restrictions and reporting requirements, and to gather information necessary for grant reports.
• Support Managing Director of Philanthropy and/or Executive Director with relationship management of institutional donors and prospects, as needed.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Five plus years of foundation and/or corporate fundraising experience, including grant writing and management
• Demonstrated knowledge of cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship strategies and techniques related to foundation fundraising
• Demonstrated record of success in generating significant commitments from foundations through grants
• Demonstrated project management skills; ability to work independently and successfully manage multiple projects with competing deadlines; excellent attention to detail
• Ability to learn and communicate about energy policy and policymaking process
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal, and networking skills; ability to initiate and build relationships with prospective corporate and foundation donors and institutional representatives
• Knowledge of and preferred experience with grant writing for a 501(c)4 organization as well as a 501(c)3
• Ability to write and communicate clear, structured, articulate, and persuasive proposals; comfort using data to create strategic and compelling arguments
• Familiarity with financial information, including ability to evaluate grant budgets
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Suite applications required: experience with various CRMs including Salesforce or Raiser’s Edge preferred
• Enthusiasm for Vote Solar’s mission of making solar and clean energy more accessible and affordable across the United States preferred
• Experience managing staff or writers preferred
• Knowledge or experience in the energy or environmental sector
• Personal commitment to being a part of an inclusive and just workplace, including commitment to develop or further hone personal, and inter-personal core competencies related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice
• Passion for building strong new capacity at a growing organization
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy
• Comfortable working in a remote team setting, with demonstrated ability to be self-motivated
• Strong contributor within a team environment

COMPENSATION

The salary range for this position is $75,000 to $100,000. 

To demonstrate our commitment to equity and equal pay for all, Cook Silverman Search will continue to post salary ranges on all of its job descriptions moving forward. The practice of not posting salaries perpetuates the gender wage gap and discriminates against people of color by causing individuals to negotiate from a disadvantaged starting point.

TO APPLY

• To apply for this position, or for additional information on the opportunity, please click "Apply' below to email a copy of your resume with a cover letter to Victoria Silverman.
• All applications and inquiries will receive a response and be kept strictly confidential.

Our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and justice

Vote Solar is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in the workplace and in the communities with which we partner. We strongly encourage and seek applications from women, people of color, including multilingual and multicultural individuals, as well as members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities. Applicants shall not be discriminated against because of race, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, color, marital status, or medical conditions. Reasonable accommodations will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process. Please advise in writing of special needs at the time of application.