Director of Institutional Funding and Grants

About the role

Join CASL as a Director of Institutional Funding and Grants and Make a Difference

Are you ready to make a meaningful impact through sustainable funding and community investment? Join CASL as our Director of Institutional Funding and Grants, where you will lead strategic funding initiatives, strengthen grant management practices, and build partnerships that help advance our mission of empowering individuals and families throughout the Chicago community.

Your Mission

The Director of Institutional Funding and Grants provides strategic and operational leadership for CASL's government and private institutional funding portfolio, ensuring effective grant management, compliance, and long-term financial sustainability. This role leads the development of a centralized grants management framework, establishes consistent processes and accountability across the grant lifecycle, and drives diversified, multi-year funding opportunities that support CASL's mission and continued growth.

Grants Ecosystem & Salesforce Leadership

• Serve as the business lead for CASL's centralized grants management system, establishing requirements, workflows, and implementation priorities in collaboration with the Chief Advancement Officer, IT, and external consultants.
• Direct the development and optimization of grant tracking, reporting, and dashboards within Salesforce, establishing consistent data standards and processes across Advancement, Finance, and Programs.
• Oversee vendor and consultant deliverables, ensuring alignment with established project scope, timelines, and budgets.
• Identify opportunities to improve grants management processes through technology, automation, and responsible use of AI, reducing administrative burden and strengthening operational efficiency.

Process, Adoption & Change Leadership

• Develop, implement, and maintain standardized operating procedures across the full grant lifecycle, from prospecting and proposal development through reporting and closeout.
• Lead cross-functional change management efforts, including stakeholder engagement, staff training, and adoption of standardized grant management processes and systems.
• Serve as the primary liaison between Finance and Program teams for government grants, coordinating budget monitoring, expenditure tracking, compliance requirements, and financial and programmatic reporting.
• Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and accountability measures across Advancement, Finance, and Programs to improve coordination, data integrity, and timely completion of grant deliverables.

Portfolio Oversight & Team Leadership

• Provide strategic oversight of CASL's government, private foundation, and family philanthropy grant portfolio, ensuring compliance with funder requirements, reporting deadlines, and contractual obligations.
• Lead, coach, and develop the grants team, establishing performance expectations, monitoring workloads, and supporting professional development and operational effectiveness.
• Oversee the quality, accuracy, and timely submission of grant proposals, providing review and approval prior to submission and contributing to proposal development as needed.
• Partner with the Chief Advancement Officer and CFO to establish annual institutional funding goals, develop revenue forecasts, and identify opportunities to diversify and grow multi-year funding.
• Monitor grant pipeline performance, portfolio metrics, and funding risks, providing regular updates and strategic recommendations to the Chief Advancement Officer, CFO, and CEO.

Note: This job description outlines primary responsibilities but is not exhaustive. Duties may evolve in response to organizational needs, and flexibility will be required.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, business administration, public administration, finance, or a related field required.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in grants management, institutional giving, or grants operations, including experience managing government and private foundation grants.
• Demonstrated experience supervising or leading teams, including performance management, staff development, and operational oversight.
• Experience managing complex grant portfolios, including compliance requirements, reporting obligations, and cross-functional coordination.
• Demonstrated experience implementing or optimizing Salesforce or a comparable CRM or grants management system, including supporting cross-functional adoption.

Skills and Knowledge

• Strong knowledge of government and private institutional grant administration, including compliance requirements, allowable costs, restricted funding, reporting obligations, and audit preparation.
• Proficiency with Salesforce or comparable grants management systems, including reporting, dashboards, data integrity, and translating business needs into system requirements.
• Strong process improvement and change management skills, including developing standard operating procedures, implementing organizational workflows, and driving cross-functional adoption.
• Financial and analytical acumen, including grant revenue forecasting, portfolio performance monitoring, budget oversight, and identification of funding risks.
• Excellent communication, relationship management, and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders and establish accountability across departments.
• Strong organizational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, meet deadlines, and exercise sound professional judgment.

Bonus Points For

• Master's degree in business administration, public administration, nonprofit management, or a related field.
• Certified Fund-Raising Executive (CFRE) or Grant Professional Certified (GPC) credential.
• Experience managing institutional funding portfolios within complex, multi-program nonprofit organizations.

Physical Demands

• Must be able to perform work involving prolonged periods of sitting, standing, and computer use.
• Must be able to attend meetings, donor engagements, and organizational events in various settings.

Environment and Scheduling

• Standard business hours, Monday through Friday (9:00 am - 5:00 pm), with flexibility to work additional hours as necessary.
• Occasional evening or weekend availability may be required to support fundraising events, donor engagement activities, and organizational initiatives.
• Work arrangement will be determined based on organizational and departmental needs, with onsite attendance required for meetings, events, and other business activities as appropriate.

Compensation & Benefits

• This position offers a salary range of $95,000 - $110,000 annually, reflective of experience and qualifications.
• Join CASL and unlock a comprehensive benefits package designed to support you and your loved ones. As a full-time employee, you'll enjoy a range of options tailored to your needs.

CASL’s comprehensive benefits package includes

Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage