Manager, Foundation Relations

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States.

📋 Description

• Act as a strategic collaborator with Make-A-Wish America and chapter fundraising teams by discovering, researching, qualifying, and prioritizing foundation opportunities.

• Investigate, identify, and qualify family foundations that have national funding priorities in alignment with Make-A-Wish’s mission and programs.

• Create and sustain a strategic portfolio of qualified foundation prospects, which includes profiles, funding histories, leadership details, and philanthropic interests.

• Keep track of foundation trends, giving priorities, and emerging opportunities to guide fundraising strategy and pipeline development.

• Perform landscape analyses to uncover new opportunities in priority funding sectors.

• Collaborate with national fundraising teams to assess and prioritize prospects for cultivation and solicitation strategies.

• Ensure accurate prospect records are maintained in Salesforce and other research platforms.

• Monitor prospect stages, suggest next steps, and track opportunity movement through cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship.

• Evaluate foundation fit, capacity, affinity, geography, funding priorities, and the likelihood of engagement.

• Produce research briefs, prospect profiles, funding opportunity reports, priority prospect lists, landscape scans, and pipeline dashboards.

• Lead research initiatives related to major private and philanthropic foundations with substantial endowments and national grantmaking programs.

• Suggest engagement strategies for top-tier philanthropic institutions.

• Conduct relationship mapping to pinpoint access points to foundation trustees, staff, advisors, and decision-makers.

• Collaborate with the Leadership Gifts team on long-term institutional fundraising strategies.

• Prepare strategic briefing materials and recommendations for fundraisers, chapter leaders, and senior leadership.

• Assist chapter fundraising teams with local and regional foundation opportunities and prospect strategies.

• Develop and disseminate foundation prospecting resources, training materials, and best practices.

• Work together with national and chapter colleagues to enhance foundation fundraising efforts.

• Generate reports that measure pipeline growth, qualification activities, and funding opportunity outcomes.

• Utilize pipeline and qualification data for forecasting and strategic decision-making.

• Uphold confidentiality, ethical research standards, data accuracy, and appropriate use of research tools.

• Perform other related tasks as assigned.

⛳️ Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Nonprofit Management, Philanthropy, Business, Communications, Research, or a related field.

• At least 5 years of professional experience in fundraising, institutional giving, prospect research, foundation relations, or a similar discipline.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.

• Ability to distill complex information into actionable fundraising recommendations.

• Dedication to mission-driven fundraising and high-quality research practices.

• Capability to work independently and excel in a remote-first, collaborative environment.

• Proven experience in conducting philanthropic, donor, and institutional prospect research.

• Strong understanding of family foundations, private foundations, and institutional philanthropy.

• Ability to analyze complex foundation giving patterns and identify strategic funding opportunities.

• Exceptional project management and organizational skills, with the ability to juggle multiple priorities simultaneously.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present research findings and recommendations clearly.

• Experience using fundraising databases, foundation research tools, and CRM platforms.

• Knowledge of prospect management, moves management, pipeline tracking, and best practices in fundraising operations.

• Ability to identify relationship pathways among foundation leaders, trustees, advisors, board members, donors, volunteers, staff, and chapter leaders.

• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with national and chapter fundraising professionals in a remote environment.

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking skills.

• Sound judgment and discretion in managing confidential information.

• Commitment to advancing Make-A-Wish’s mission through data-driven fundraising strategies.

• Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S.; Make-A-Wish does not sponsor employment visas or other immigration processes.

🏝️ Benefits

• Comprehensive benefits package, effective from day one: Medical, Vision, Dental, and Wellness.

• Competitive salary with annual incentive potential.

• Options for Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Account.

• Health Reimbursement Account fully funded by Make-A-Wish America.

• Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, and Life Insurance coverage.

• Additional Insurance Plans: Accident, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, and Pet Insurance through Figo.

• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with a 5% match after one year of service.

• Eligibility for student loan forgiveness through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program.

• The organization provides a laptop, 24” monitor, and a docking station/adaptor to new hires.

• Competitive PTO starting at 15 days, with enhanced time off for senior roles.

• 10 Sick Days.

• 11 Paid Holidays.

• 2 Volunteer Days after one year of service.

• 2 Personal Days accrued annually.

• Parental Leave.

• Employee Awards and Recognition Programs.

• Opportunities for Individual and Leadership Development.

• Discounts and special offers for theme parks, events, hotels, concerts, and movie tickets.