Grants Officer at the Columbia Museum of Art – Museum Studies

Job Title: Grants Officer

Job Status: Full-time

Location: Columbia, SC

Salary: $49,383.00 – $74,075.00

Description

Title: Grants Officer

Reports To: Chief Development Officer

Purpose: To oversee and successfully execute all Museum grants activities. Act as a copy and content editor as a member of the Development department team.

Responsibilities: Under the direction of the Chief Development Officer, the Grants Officer is the lead team member in researching, developing, and writing grant proposals to foundations, businesses, and government (local, state, and federal) agencies to obtain funding for CMA activities and is responsible for compliance reporting and dissemination of agency programmatic policies, guidelines, and regulations.

Responsibilities include:

Grants Management (70%)

Develops and administers the grants and government funding strategy to apply for and secure funding to fulfill the Museum’s mission, operations, exhibitions, and programs.

Meet or exceed individual annual fundraising goal of $450,000 from foundation, corporate, governmental, and other grantors.
Displays adherence to the organization’s mission and values (welcoming, community-centered, vibrant, playful, and inspiring).
Personally identifies, cultivates, solicits and stewards corporate, foundation, and government donor prospects for philanthropic support of the CMA, with annual goals for visits and funds raised.
Maintains and updates the grants three-year portfolio production and submission schedule and pipeline to share with relevant staff.
Maintains meticulous records of funding sources, grant applications, report deadlines, and invoicing as appropriate.
Establishes a production schedule for all grants to be submitted, alerting all relevant staff as to deadlines and input needs. Sees that all deadlines and requirements are met.
Develops appropriate strategy in consultation with Chief Development Officer, prioritizes opportunities, and implements plan to foster philanthropic relationships with corporations, foundations, and government funders.
Establishes and maintains personal contact with foundation staff, program officers, and board members as appropriate.
Works closely with CMA finance staff to ensure the proper spending and reporting of all active grants.
Ensures prompt acknowledgement of foundation and other grants to the funding source.
Works with department staff and across the CMA to gather information to create compelling content and storytelling for proposals.
Remains knowledgeable and up to date on CMA programs, activities, exhibitions, etc.
Records all submissions and relevant interactions in Altru system.
Attends workshops and meetings relevant to local and national grant making activities.

Government Funding and Relations (20%)

Responsible for annual hospitality tax grant submissions to the City of Columbia and Richland County, and related reporting processes.
Provides communication when requested to state, city, and county government officials on grant requests submitted to them. This includes, but is not limited to, Columbia City Council, Richland County Council, South Carolina Arts Commission, South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism, and State of South Carolina.
Works directly with the CMA Executive Director to manage and steward institutional efforts to sustain and grow government funding opportunities and serves as a liaison with government officials.

Development Team Support (10%)

Drafts sponsorship solicitation overviews and final reports for programs and exhibitions.
As requested, assist with CMA development events to cultivate, and steward new and existing members and donors, which typically occur in the evenings and/or on weekends.
Exhibits a high level of Altru database proficiency with the ability to enter interactions, update biographical information fields, and enter pledges, etc.
Inputs and maintains current and accurate grantor information in Altru database.
Other duties as assigned.

Job Type: This is a full-time, exempt position.

Knowledge and Experience:

Bachelor of Arts or Science degree required.
Minimum 3 years of full-time grants writing and administration experience within an institutional setting or as a consultant.
Demonstrated successful portfolio of funded grants ranging from $25,000 to over $500,000 awarded within one twelve-month period.
Proficient with measuring and reaching income goals.
Mastery of the English language and demonstrated ability to write, edit, and deliver written communications that make an impact, persuade, and inform their intended audiences.
Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.

Requirements

Champion the museum as a welcoming place by serving as a positive museum representative through grant writing and networking activities.
Proactively model the importance of timely collegial interaction, personal accountability, maturity, professionalism, communication, and exchange across disciplinary boundaries.
Embrace diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion to contribute to an open environment for the communities we serve.
Self-directed and motivated.
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
Creative, innovative, agile, and flexible.
Possesses a strong sense of urgency, priority, and follow-through.
Discretion, diplomacy, and sound judgment are required.
Maintains the highest professional and ethical standards.
Understanding, commitment, and active engagement in development work and fundraising.

Contact: The Columbia Museum of Art is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to diversity, accessibility, equity, and inclusion. Confidential inquiries, applications, and recommendations are welcome. Please email cover letter and resume to Mrs. Jeanna Dixon-McCray, at jdixon-mccray@columbiamuseum.org with “Grants Officer Position” in the subject line.

Salary Range: Commensurate with experience that demonstrates proven successes and results: $49,383 -$74,075, plus benefits.