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The Food Project

10 Lewis Street

Lincoln, MA  01773

 

Development Associate

Who We Are

Youth. Food. Community. Three important issues that intersect in one place: The Food Project. Here, we believe that food is a unique vehicle for creating personal and social change. Nothing else ties us so intimately to each other and the planet we share, affecting our health, the climate, culture, and poverty and privilege around the globe. If we—young and old from all walks of life—can unite to change the food system, we can change the world. From our urban and suburban farms to our community education programs, we aim to do just that by bringing together youth and adults from diverse backgrounds who work together to build local and sustainable food systems.

 

What We Seek

 

The Food Project is currently seeking a collaborative and conscientious person with strong communication and organizational skills to become our development associate. In partnership with our grants manager, you will be responsible for executing an ambitious schedule of proposal and report preparation. You will manage a portfolio of 30 to 40 funder relationships, including foundations, government agencies, corporations, and other organizational funders. Working with the North Shore regional director, you will also support the growth of philanthropy from all sources (including both these organizational funders and individual donors) for our programs on the North Shore. You will write compelling, informative, and effective proposals, reports, acknowledgements, and other communications for The Food Project’s current and potential institutional funders. You will also conduct research of prospective funders and cultivate relationships with individual and institutional donors and prospects. You will be an important member of The Food Project’s development team, and will work particularly closely with the grants manager, the director of development, and the North Shore regional director. As part of a small organization, you will also have the opportunity to participate in all aspects of The Food Project’s work from time to time, including helping with volunteers, assisting on our farms, and working with youth.

 

Responsibilities:

 

• Knowing, understanding and compellingly conveying the mission, vision, and values of The Food Project.
• Writing letters of intent, grant proposals, and grant reports to a variety of foundations for general operating support and for programs including youth development, sustainable agriculture and enterprise, food access, and policy work/social change.
• Researching prospective foundations and initiating relationships with new foundations.
• Collaborating with other development team members to think strategically about our approach to specific proposals/foundations and about our overall strategy for approaching foundations.
• Developing proposal concepts with management and programmatic staff.
• Preparing and assembling any necessary materials for applications, including budgets, board list, staff bios, etc.
• Maintaining and strengthening relationships with current funders; this may include writing thank-you letters, making check-in phone calls, helping arrange site visits, briefing senior staff for meetings, and other duties.
• Interacting with staff in Lincoln, Boston, and the North Shore, gaining familiarity with programs and learning about accomplishments, challenges, future plans, and objectives.
• Maintaining accurate electronic and paper tracking systems and files.
• Over time, the position will likely focus increasingly on growing philanthropy from all sources on the North Shore.
• Manage funder relationships, using Raiser’s Edge, our development database, documenting all activity and future plans.
• Tracking, invoicing, etc. for grants based on reimbursement.
• Work with the finance team and program staff to formulate budgets and track revenue and expenses.

 

Education/Experience:

 

• B.A. or equivalent life experience
• Excellent writing, editing, and research skills
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills

• Demonstrated qualities of both a team player and a self-starter
• Ability to stay focused in a busy work environment

• Excellent attention to detail
• Ability to learn quickly
• Interest in learning about the financial systems that support our work

 

Recruitment Process

We will review all submissions, identify viable candidates, and contact those individuals selected to continue in the search process. The position will be filled when desired candidate is found. Please send resume and cover letter via email to jobs@thefoodproject.org, via postal mail to the address above, or via fax to 781-259-9659.

The Food Project is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed
to creating a multicultural organization. We actively seek a diverse
pool of candidates for all positions.