Position Title:    Grants and Foundations Manager 

Office Location: Position will be assigned to CDTC’s Golden, CO office. CDTC allows for a hybrid work-at-home office with regular “in-office hours” to conduct and support regular business operations.

Status:               Full Time, Salary, Exempt            

Supervisor:        Director of Development

Starting Salary:  $60,000 - $63,000 DOE

Start Date:          July 15 - August 1, 2026

POSITION SUMMARY

CDTC’s Development program strives to create innovative, engaging, and diverse strategies to support the growing needs of the organization. The person in this position will play a critical role in CDTC’s Development Team and will help directly support all of CDTC’s programs and operations along the 3,100-mile-long Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT).

Working under the direct supervision of CDTC’s Director of Development and in collaboration with other team members, the Grants and Foundations Manager will coordinate CDTC’s institutional fundraising efforts. This role supports organizational revenue goals through strategic grant development, institutional partnership management, and relationship-based engagement with foundation and grant partners. This individual will serve as an integral member of CDTC’s Development team, coordinating the full lifecycle of CDTC’s institutional funding efforts and strengthening relationships with grant and foundation partners. A successful Grants & Foundations Manager understands that strong institutional funding emerges from strong institutional relationships, collaborative internal planning, and strategic alignment across teams. As part of a collaborative Development team, this role may contribute to broader fundraising initiatives and organizational campaigns as needed. This role requires strong organizational and time management skills, including the ability to effectively prioritize competing responsibilities and deadlines. This role succeeds through strong cross-functional collaboration and the ability to synthesize programmatic, operational, financial, and strategic perspectives into compelling and achievable funding opportunities.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Grants and Foundations Manager will need to function in a highly dynamic and evolving space, and implement a variety of fundraising efforts to support CDTC’s programs and organizational goals. The following list of competencies will be important aspects of this position’s work, though this list may not be comprehensive, and other responsibilities may arise.

Grants Management

Collaborate and coordinate the preparation, submission, and management of $2+ million in grant requests annually. Serve as a core contributor to annual development planning and institutional fundraising strategies that support organizational revenue growth goals

• Coordinate cross-functional grant development processes by synthesizing programmatic, financial, operational, and strategic inputs into compelling and achievable funding proposals and reports
• Develop grant budgets in coordination with program staff and finance staff
• Strategically leverage matching funds and multi-source financing to strengthen competitive grant proposals
• Develop systems and workflows that strengthen grant management and streamline organizational information-sharing
• Manage and ensure grant agreement compliance with reporting deadlines. This includes collaborating with CDTC staff
• Manage and ensure foundation acknowledgement and stewardship processes
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date grant pipeline tracking, funding calendars, proposal statuses, and institutional prospect records
• Collaborate closely with program staff to understand evolving programmatic priorities, identify and communicate aligned funding opportunities, and advise on grant eligibility, funding strategies, and proposal development needs
• Create more robust grant-writing SOPs and boilerplate materials; provide regular training to other CDTC staff members on best practices for grant writing and management

Foundation Program Management

• Strategically manage a portfolio of foundations and build relationship plans
• Development of annual foundation program goals for inclusion in annual development plan
• Identify new foundation and grant prospects, and oversee the coordination of meetings and preparation of materials for prospective foundation partners
• Cultivate and steward authentic, long-term relationships with foundation partners through thoughtful communication, strategic engagement, and shared commitment to conservation, stewardship, and community impact goals

Donor Relationships

• Continuing to improve CDTC donor retention with analytics review and strategies for increasing retention annually

General Responsibilities

• As part of the development team, coordinate the implementation and maintenance of CDTC’s annual Development Plan and Development Calendar.
• Lead the development and distribution of customized institutional partner impact reports in collaboration with communications staff
• Coordinate and support fundraising events, activities, and campaigns as needed and when opportunities arise. At times, this may also include serving as point person for an event
• Support and strengthen a collaborative culture of philanthropy across staff, leadership, and Board engagement
• As part of the development team, contribute to the overall success of the development program through collaborative development operations and projects as needed
• Use CDTC’s project management tool, Monday.com, for grant management, as well as NeonOne (CRM) for record keeping for grants and other needs as determined

QUALIFICATIONS & PREFERRED SKILLS 

EDUCATION 

A Bachelor’s Degree is desired and a minimum of three years of relevant professional experience in Fundraising, Grant Writing and other Development areas, or five years of comparable experience and/or education in natural resource or environmental management, outdoor recreation management, history, grassroots organizing, planning, public administration, environmental studies, geography, landscape architecture, environmental education or related fields will be viewed positively.  Advanced study in these areas or training in specific areas through agency or professional training programs is welcomed. 

REQUIRED SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated ability to build authentic, trust-based relationships with foundation and grant partners
• Outstanding written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including the ability to engage effectively across diverse internal and external stakeholders
• Experience developing and managing a range of institutional funding proposals, including single-program requests, multi-year initiatives, collaborative funding opportunities, and complex grant partnerships
• Demonstrated experience managing state and local government grant compliance, reporting requirements, and cross-functional coordination processes
• Demonstrated success in identifying and researching prospective institutional funding partners and successfully cultivating and stewarding those relationships over the long term
• Demonstrated ability to build productive working relationships across programmatic, financial, and communications teams
• Ability to think strategically and develop systems, workflows, and collaborative processes that strengthen organizational grant management and institutional fundraising efforts
• Ability to synthesize diverse organizational inputs into cohesive and compelling funding narratives and strategies
• Knowledge of relationship-based fundraising principles and nonprofit development best practices
• Exceptional organizational skills with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple complex projects and deadlines simultaneously
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a highly cross-functional organizational environment
• Strong listening, facilitation, and collaborative problem-solving skills
• Ability to navigate evolving organizational priorities and funding opportunities with flexibility, professionalism, and strategic judgment
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office products, Monday.com or similar project management tool, Neon or similar CRM, Zoom and other communication management systems required
• Ability to ensure personal behavior is consistent with the AFP’s Code of Ethical Standards, AFP Donor Bill of Rights, and the values of the organization
• Familiarity with the National Trails System and/or the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail
• Ability to translate complex conservation, stewardship, and community engagement initiatives into compelling communications for institutional funding partners
• Enthusiasm and interest in outdoor conservation
• Commitment to supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion in the outdoors

DESIRABLE SKILLS

• Experience with special event planning and management, both in person and virtual
• Direct experience with large-scale fundraising efforts
• Training in justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) or the willingness to learn
• Additional certifications in fundraising best practices from the Association for Fundraising Professionals (AFP) or other similar institutions are welcome but not required

SUPERVISION AND WORK ENVIRONMENT

The Grants and Foundations Manager will work under the direct supervision of the Director of Development in a hybrid-remote work setting with regular “in office hours” at the Golden, CO office to conduct and support regular business operations and aid integrating the position with the organization-wide work. The Grants and Foundations Manager will work with other CDTC staff members to achieve successful deliverables and to gain a broad understanding of the breadth of work associated with CDTC’s mission.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

Starting annual salary of $60,000.00 - $63,000.00, depending on experience. CDTC provides a benefits package including $475 per month towards a company-sponsored health insurance, $50 monthly cell phone reimbursement, $75 monthly 403(b) retirement plan contributions, and a starting annual time off package of 29 days in addition to 14-16 paid holidays per year.

EOE STATEMENT

The CDTC provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetics, or other protected status. For information about the CDTC, please visit our website at Continental Divide Trail Coalition.