CityLit Project is looking for a part-time contractual Development Assistant who will grow local, regional, and national support for this small, literary nonprofit located in Baltimore, Maryland. This is a chance to join a growing literary organization, expand your literary community, and work within a flexible, remote schedule.
Position: Development Assistant/Grant Writing Assistant- Contractual, Part-time
Purpose: To grow the financial base of support for CLP, and provide support for the Executive Director
Location: Remote, with the option of attending occasional events and meetings, including the biannual Dambach Award Ceremony, which occur in Baltimore City.
Compensation: $25 per hour while averaging 20 hours weekly. Or, as negotiated with CLP.
Job Description:
CityLit Project (CLP) seeks an experienced fundraising professional to provide development and grant writing services and support. The position requires drafting all grant proposals and donor reports, communicating with our staff, Board, supporters, existing and potential donors, partnership organizations, and other affiliates with a goal to increase our base of support, and expand donor engagement and
retention. As our base of support grows, we expect this position to become more permanent, and responsibilities will expand to include helping CityLit attract and nurture additional members for its Board and Leadership Council. The Development Assistant reports to the Executive Director. This role requires exceptional communication, administrative and organizational skills, an ability to use fundraising software (Salsa Labs), and effective use of online systems and social media.
Background of the Organization:
CityLit Project is a woman-led nonprofit that nurtures the diverse culture of literature in Baltimore and throughout Maryland with three signature events, CityLit Festival, CityLit Stage, and CityLit Studio. We create enthusiasm for literature, connect a community of avid readers and writers, and design opportunities for a broad audience to embrace the literary arts. CityLit serves a vibrant community of emerging and established writers, amplifies literature in numerous ways, and elevates voices often unheard and in need of a platform. We expand our network of artists by offering a wide array of creative and compelling free programming on craft and critical issues, attracting writers and readers alike. We partner with organizations locally, regionally, and nationally, with a special focus on those that offer poetry and support youth. CityLit Project is an equal opportunity employer.
Working with CityLit will offer exposure to and experience with a small, literary arts organization, and will fully engage the incumbent with what it takes to serve the vast and growing literary arts community in Maryland. CityLit is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2004 and is located at the Motor House.
citylitproject.org
Development Assistant Duties and Responsibility:
Essential Functions
● Draft grant proposals for existing and potential funding sources.
● Prepare all interim and final reports for existing grants.
● Develop, maintain, and implement contracts reporting via a Grant/Funding Income Pipeline Report system, including researching and authoring standard reports in cooperation with the Executive Director, track reporting deadlines, and handle report submissions.
● Support the process and management of grant agreements and contracts, ensure accurate tracking
of contract status, including coordinating the review and execution of grant agreements, distributing executed contracts to CLP staff, and track reporting and renewal deadlines.
● Collect all required documents, attachments and copies, needed for timely grant submission and ensures internal copies of all grant submissions, reports, contracts and correspondence are properly
maintained electronically and in hard copy.
● Take a direct role in facilitating and coordinating communication to the Executive Director, Board Chair and Treasurer for grant and contract compliance, including changes or updates to contracts and applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
● Manage routine communication by email, phone, or written correspondence with funders.
● Collaborate with the Treasurer, Administrative Assistant, and Executive Director to complete fiscal and data requests from funders as needed.
● Record and track actions and deadlines related to grants, government agencies, and contracts in Salsa, and create and pull reports, as needed.
● Create or design a useful grant template to utilize for reports and proposals on an annual basis, including CityLit materials (promotion materials, photographs, articles, testimonies, and links).
● Research and identify new funding sources, local, regional and national.
● Establish consistent protocol for data input, monitoring progress, and maintaining an electronic filing system.
● Lead proposal development and submission for all grants including drafting and modifying program applications in accordance with funding source instructions, create outlines of online grant applications, incorporate edits of program and management staff, collect required documents, attachments, and copies, and timely submission.
● Establish, maintain, and monitor an annual calendar of all related fundraising activity.
● Draft fundraising newsletters for CLP email list.
● Help increase CLP email list.
● Draft fundraising letters to Leadership Council and other potential donors.
● Help increase individual and corporate donors.
● Assist the Executive Director in functions related to fundraising events, donations, funding appeals, and responding to donors. With the potential to network with potential donors and other
partners.
● Monitor donation activity in Salsa Labs software, and generate monthly fundraising reports for monthly Board of Directors meetings.
● Maintain communication to the Board of Directors via the Board Chair and directly through email and phone calls as necessary.
● including proposal and reporting deadlines. Communicate it regularly with ED and Board.
● Reconcile all gifts and update databases.
● Assist the Executive Director in thanking and acknowledging donors on a timely basis and identifying opportunities for personalized donor interactions.
● Maintain and update donor records, as needed.
● Coordinate with staff and accountant to develop and oversee annual budgets.
● Perform any other task that will assist CLP in carrying out its mission, as assigned.
● Help build the Board and Leadership Council.
Required Skills
● Advanced in Google Suite (Gmail, Docs, Sheets, Slides) and MS Office (Word, Excel,
PowerPoint).
● Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
● Demonstrated success as a creative thinker and spokesperson.
● Preferably knowledgeable of the contemporary literary landscape.
● Preferably knowledgeable of funding opportunities locally, regionally, and/or nationally
Preferred Education and Experience
● Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) and/or four years’ related work experience or equivalent in
fundraising/development for the humanities or nonprofits
● 2 years’ experience securing foundation, donors, and corporate support
● 2 years’ experience in organizing fundraising events
● 2 years’ experience in development, proposal writing, and database management.
Not Required but a Huge Plus
● Experience in working with Salsa Engage CMS. If not, an ability to learn a new system.
● A team player and problem solver with a can-do spirit.
● Passionate and knowledgeable about CityLit Project’s mission to enhance access to literature,
craft, and opportunities in an expanding multicultural community.
TO APPLY:
Please send a cover letter, a two-page resume, and three key references with contact information (name, title, employer, phone number, and email address).
Send to
in**@ci************.org
with Development Assistant Position in the email subject line. Phone call inquiries will not be entertained.
Considering we are a small nonprofit, references will only be notified if you are one of the top candidates.
DEADLINE TO APPLY:
EXTENDED to January 5th, 2023, close of business.