Youth RISE Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering youth and young adults through leadership development, mentorship, education, workforce readiness, healthcare career exploration, civic engagement, and community partnerships. What sets us apart is our commitment to building opportunities from the ground up. Our team collaborates across education, healthcare, business, government, and the nonprofit sector to create innovative programs that produce measurable community impact. We foster a collaborative, mission-driven culture where every team member has the opportunity to contribute ideas, grow professionally, and help shape the future of an organization dedicated to creating lasting change for the next generation.

Grants & Fundraising Officer

RISE Foundation

Department: Development / Strategy

Reports To: Chief Strategy Officer / Senior Vice President of Strategy

Position Type: Contractor

Work Arrangement: Remote / Flexible

Recruitment Priority: High Priority

Start Date: As soon as practicable

Overview

RISE Foundation is seeking a highly motivated, resourceful, and results-oriented Grants & Fundraising Officer to lead the organization's efforts to identify, pursue, and secure financial resources.

This specialized position is focused specifically on grants, corporate sponsorships, philanthropic funding, government funding, institutional funding, and other legitimate sources of financial support for RISE Foundation.

The successful candidate will build and maintain a strong funding pipeline, research prospective funders, develop high-quality applications and proposals, manage deadlines, conduct appropriate follow-up, and help establish a sustainable fundraising infrastructure for RISE.

Position Purpose

The primary purpose of this position is to expand RISE Foundation's access to financial resources that support its programs, operations, and long-term growth.

The Officer will focus on:

• Finding qualified funding opportunities
• Building a diversified funding pipeline
• Developing competitive grant applications
• Pursuing corporate sponsorship opportunities
• Identifying philanthropic and institutional funders
• Researching government funding opportunities
• Managing funding deadlines and submissions
• Cultivating appropriate relationships with prospective funders
• Identifying recurring and multi-year funding opportunities
• Supporting RISE's long-term fundraising infrastructure

This position is specifically focused on funding acquisition and fundraising. Public affairs, communications, and general partnership management remain within their respective organizational functions.

Essential Responsibilities

Grant Research & Development

• Research foundation, corporate, government, philanthropic, and institutional funding opportunities.
• Evaluate prospective opportunities for mission alignment and organizational eligibility.
• Maintain a comprehensive grant and funding prospect pipeline.
• Monitor funding announcements, deadlines, eligibility requirements, and funder priorities.
• Prepare letters of inquiry, concept papers, grant applications, narratives, and supporting materials.
• Develop compelling and accurate descriptions of RISE's mission, programs, services, and anticipated impact.
• Coordinate information required from program and organizational leadership.
• Coordinate with the CFO when applications require budgets, financial statements, or other financial documentation.
• Track submissions, pending decisions, awards, renewals, and reporting requirements.
• Identify recurring and multi-year funding opportunities.

Corporate Sponsorships

• Research corporations with philanthropic and community-investment priorities aligned with RISE's mission.
• Identify appropriate corporate sponsorship opportunities.
• Develop sponsorship proposals and supporting materials.
• Research corporate giving programs and sponsorship cycles.
• Maintain a corporate funding prospect pipeline.
• Conduct appropriate outreach and follow-up.
• Track proposals, discussions, decisions, and renewal opportunities.

Philanthropic & Institutional Funding

• Identify private foundations, family foundations, charitable organizations, and philanthropic institutions.
• Research opportunities for unrestricted operating support and program-specific funding.
• Identify recurring and multi-year funding sources.
• Maintain organized records of prospective funders and development activity.

Government Funding

• Research applicable federal, state, and local funding opportunities.
• Identify grants, contracts, and other government funding opportunities for which RISE may qualify.
• Monitor relevant funding announcements and submission periods.
• Coordinate government funding applications with appropriate organizational leadership.
• Ensure applications accurately represent RISE's programs, capabilities, and organizational status.

Funding Pipeline Management

The Grants & Fundraising Officer will maintain an organized funding pipeline containing, as appropriate:

• Funding organization
• Funding opportunity
• Eligibility requirements
• Funding amount/range
• Application deadline
• Submission requirements
• Application status
• Follow-up dates
• Decision dates
• Renewal opportunities
• Organizational contact information
• Next steps

The Officer will provide regular funding-development updates to the Chief Strategy Officer / Senior Vice President of Strategy.

Performance Expectations

Performance will be evaluated based on the overall quality and effectiveness of the individual's development work, including:

• Quality of funding opportunities identified
• Development of a diversified funding pipeline
• Timely preparation and submission of applications
• Quality of grant and sponsorship proposals
• Consistency of funder research and outreach
• Appropriate follow-up with prospective funders
• Development of new funding opportunities
• Identification of recurring and multi-year opportunities
• Accuracy and organization of funding records
• Compliance with application requirements
• Contribution to RISE Foundation's overall fundraising capacity

Funding awards are ultimately determined by external funders and are not guaranteed.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Strong research and analytical abilities
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines simultaneously
• Ability to work independently
• Strong attention to detail
• Ability to develop professional written proposals and funding materials
• Ability to understand and communicate an organization's mission and impact
• Professional judgment and discretion

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in one or more of the following is preferred:

• Grant writing
• Nonprofit fundraising
• Foundation relations
• Corporate philanthropy
• Corporate sponsorships
• Government grants
• Government contracting
• Institutional fundraising
• Philanthropic development
• Proposal development
• Development research
• Fundraising operations
• Donor development

A demonstrated record of successful grant development or fundraising is highly valued.

Core Competencies

Grant Development: Ability to identify opportunities and develop compelling, accurate, competitive proposals.

Research: Ability to conduct detailed research and identify qualified opportunities efficiently.

Communication: Ability to communicate professionally with funders, sponsors, leadership, and internal stakeholders.

Organization: Ability to maintain an accurate funding pipeline and meet deadlines.

Initiative: Ability to independently identify opportunities and take appropriate action.

Persistence: Ability to consistently conduct appropriate follow-up throughout the funding process.

Strategic Thinking: Ability to identify funding opportunities that support both immediate and long-term organizational priorities.

Integrity: Ability to represent RISE Foundation accurately, ethically, and professionally in all fundraising activities.

Reporting Structure

The Grants & Fundraising Officer will report to:

Chief Strategy Officer / Senior Vice President of Strategy

The Officer will collaborate with:

• President / Chairperson of the Board
• Chief Financial Officer
• Program leadership
• Public Affairs leadership
• Other organizational departments as necessary

The CFO will provide financial information and support related to budgets, financial documentation, grant financial administration, and applicable financial controls.

The Grants & Fundraising Officer's primary responsibility remains funding development and fundraising, not accounting or financial control.

Contract-to-Hire

This position will begin as a contract-to-hire engagement.

The initial engagement will be governed by a written agreement establishing the applicable:

• Scope of services
• Responsibilities
• Compensation
• Performance expectations
• Confidentiality obligations
• Intellectual property provisions
• Term and termination provisions
• Organizational policies
• Other applicable contractual requirements

RISE Foundation will determine and document the appropriate classification and terms of engagement before services begin and will administer the relationship consistent with applicable federal, state, and local requirements.

Following successful completion of the initial contract period, RISE may consider transitioning the individual into a regular compensated position based on:

• Performance
• Organizational needs
• Funding availability
• Organizational growth
• Mutual agreement
• Applicable law

A transition to regular employment is not guaranteed and would require a separate written agreement.

Compensation

Contract-Based Compensation + Performance Incentives

This position will begin as a contract-to-hire engagement. During the initial contract period, the Grants & Fundraising Officer will receive contract-based compensation pursuant to a written agreement establishing the scope of services, responsibilities, compensation, performance expectations, and applicable terms.

The initial compensation arrangement will be established before services begin and will be administered in accordance with RISE Foundation's policies and applicable federal, state, and local law.

In addition to the established contract compensation, the Grants & Fundraising Officer may be eligible for performance-based incentives tied to defined fundraising and development objectives, subject to applicable law, RISE Foundation's compensation policies, and required organizational approval.

RISE Foundation does not compensate this position through a percentage or commission based solely on grants, charitable contributions, donations, or sponsorship dollars secured.

Performance incentives, when applicable, will be structured around the individual's responsibilities, services, measurable development objectives, and overall performance rather than solely the amount of charitable funding obtained.

Following successful completion of the initial contract period, RISE Foundation may evaluate the individual for transition into a regular compensated position, based on performance, organizational needs, funding availability, and mutual agreement.

Compensation will be discussed and finalized with qualified candidates during the contracting process.

First 30 Days

During the initial period, the Grants & Fundraising Officer will be expected to:

1. Become familiar with RISE Foundation's mission, programs, strategic priorities, and funding needs.
2. Review available organizational and program materials.
3. Establish or refine the funding prospect database.
4. Identify qualified grant, sponsorship, and philanthropic prospects.
5. Build an initial prioritized funding pipeline.
6. Identify upcoming application deadlines.
7. Develop a funding-development calendar.
8. Begin preparation of appropriate funding applications.
9. Establish a consistent prospect-research and follow-up process.
10. Provide leadership with an initial funding-development assessment.

First 90 Days

Within the first 90 days, the Officer should have established a functioning development pipeline across multiple potential funding categories, including:

• Private foundations
• Corporate sponsors
• Government funding
• Philanthropic organizations
• Institutional funders
• Program-specific opportunities
• Unrestricted funding opportunities
• Recurring and multi-year opportunities

The Officer should also establish a repeatable process for researching, qualifying, preparing, submitting, tracking, and following up on funding opportunities.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this position means helping RISE Foundation build a professional, diversified, and sustainable funding pipeline.

The successful candidate will not simply search for grants. They will help RISE build the systems, proposals, prospect pipeline, funding calendar, and development processes necessary to consistently pursue funding opportunities aligned with the organization's mission.

Work Environment

RISE Foundation is a growing nonprofit organization. The successful candidate should be comfortable working in an environment where systems and processes continue to develop.

The position requires:

• Independent work
• Strong initiative
• Remote collaboration
• Multiple concurrent deadlines
• Research-intensive work
• Self-directed prospect development
• Regular leadership communication
• Strong written documentation
• Adaptability
• Professional discretion

Application Requirements

Interested candidates should submit:

• Resume or professional profile
• Brief cover letter or statement of interest
• Summary of relevant grant, fundraising, development, or funding experience
• Examples of relevant work, where appropriate and legally permissible
• Optional information regarding demonstrated grant-development or fundraising experience

Selected candidates may be asked to participate in an interview and/or practical assessment involving grant research, funding strategy, or proposal development.

Equal Opportunity

RISE Foundation is committed to providing equal opportunities to qualified candidates and making selection decisions based on qualifications, experience, organizational needs, and applicable law.

RISE Foundation does not discriminate against applicants or candidates on any basis protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Reasonable accommodations may be available to qualified individuals in accordance with applicable law.

Position Summary

Position: Grants & Fundraising Officer

Department: Development / Strategy

Reports To: Chief Strategy Officer / Senior Vice President of Strategy

Position Type: Contract-to-Hire

Work Arrangement: Remote / Flexible

Compensation: Contract-Based Compensation + Performance Incentives

Recruitment Priority: High Priority

Start: As soon as practicable

RISE Foundation

Resources • Inspiration • Service • Empowerment