Grant Manager

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION

The Parthenon and Centennial Park have been essential parts of Nashville’s fabric for more than a century. Over 3 million people visit the Park and Parthenon annually, and as a nonprofit support organization working in partnership with Metro Parks, Centennial Park Conservancy is committed to our mission of preserving, enhancing, and sharing these Nashville treasures to serve current and future generations. The organization is responsible for a variety of initiatives focused on caring for the Park and maintaining its vibrancy. Centennial Park Conservancy has several areas of focus, including: 

• Centennial Park Revitalization - a public and private partnership with Metro Parks to revitalize Nashville’s central park to serve our residents and visitors; achieved through capital improvement projects, the Centennial Park Beautification Fund, Sylvia Rapoport Future Fund, and Parthenon Preservation Fund 

• The Parthenon -  a full-scale replica of the Grecian monument that operates as an engaging museum, presenting humanities exhibitions and educational programming for over 300K visitors annually

• Musicians Corner - an outdoor music series attended by 80K people annually that presents free, diverse, and accessible live music for all

• Kidsville - an educational program that serves over 70K children (ages 2-12) annually and provides free activities in the Parthenon, and Metro Parks Community Centers across the city

• Nashville Earth Day - the city’s official event attended by 12K people to celebrate and protect our environment. The program also provides grants for 10+ environmental projects annually 

ABOUT THE POSITION

Centennial Park Conservancy (CPC) is in the midst of a 7-year strategic plan to significantly expand support of the Park and Parthenon. We are hiring a Grant Manager to implement Centennial Park Conservancy’s foundation fundraising efforts. 

The Grant Manager is responsible for identifying, writing, submitting, securing, and stewarding foundations that support the organization’s goals and objectives. Grant revenue is one of the highest revenue sources (27%) for CPC, supporting the organization’s operating budget as well as restricted projects for the Centennial Park Revitalization and the Parthenon. Successful candidates will have excellent persuasive writing skills, a proven project management track record, and the ability to present effectively. The Grant Manager serves as an essential member of the Development Team, aligning grant applications with the organization’s development plan, programmatic goals, and revitalization efforts.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Identify, research, and solicit funding from foundations and grant-making institutions;

• Maintain CPC’s existing portfolio of grant relationships, ensuring annual renewal of operational funding. 

• Cultivate new grantor relationships, ensuring an active pipeline of prospective grantors; 

• Identify and qualify new leads through research, demonstrated affinity, discussion with staff & Board, and other resources;

• Establish an annual plan of revenues and expenditures that links to overall Development team goals;

• Compose requests through letters of intent, long-form narrative proposals, and visually compelling supplemental materials that leverage the value and community reach of the organization as well as its arts & educational programs;

• Development Google Slides presentations to enhance requests through visual narratives. 

• Assist Programming Team in identifying funding needs and developing proposal and evaluation tools;

• Achieve grant revenue goals, currently $700-$800K for operating and $200k+ for capital projects. 

• Expand the organization’s network of corporate grant-making contacts through personal one-to-one outreach, professional networking events, and community engagements;

• Work collaboratively with the Parthenon team as well as the organization’s Programming and Marketing teams to ensure proper fulfillment and grant requirements;

• Maintain grant records, track due dates for applications and reports; serve as the main point of contact for grant compliance, assessing if programs are meeting expectations and the timelines of grant awards

• Provide prompt responses to internal and external information inquiries of the organization, via phone, email, or in person

• Participate in Development Committee meetings and collaborate with volunteers and Board members on foundation solicitations. 

• Work with Director of Finance to collect grant payments and facilitate financial reports

• Steward relationships with grantors, express gratitude for their support of the organization, and strive to maintain long-term partnerships

• Maintain meticulous records of grant opportunities, pledges, contacts, and stewardship activities in CPC’s SalesForce CRM. 

• Assist with key donor engagement events including Centennial Circle Dinner, the Leadership Circle Reception, Donor & Member Appreciation Day, Gratitude Gathering, and the ECHO Chamber Music events as needed. 

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Proven expertise in writing and securing grants for a nonprofit organization, for a minimum of 3-5 years, preferably with local Nashville experience 

• Excellent written communication, verbal, presentation, and research skills.

• Strong organizational and project management skills; exceptional accuracy and attention to detail

• Ability to organize workload, exercise independent judgment, and maintain self- motivated and self-directed schedule

• Capable of addressing and prioritizing multiple projects in time-sensitive manner, taking initiative and remaining flexible to ensure objectives are met accurately and timely

• Team player who works collaboratively to achieve mutual goals 

• Committed to maintaining the integrity of confidential communications and/or activities

• Professional, courteous, cooperative, and positive in interactions with colleagues, partners, stakeholders, and others

• Strong knowledge of computers, including Apple programs, Google WorkSpace, Google Docs, Google Slides, and CRM systems 

• Availability to work occasional evenings and weekends, as needed for select events

• Ability and lift up to 40 pounds

• Bachelors or Masters in English, the Humanities, or a field of study that requires composition and research is desirable  

• Nonprofit greenspace and arts industry experience a plus

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• Resume

• Writing sample(s) of a recent grant application you have written. Include any collateral or supplemental materials that demonstrate the excellence of your work.

REPORTS TO
Vice President of Development & Park Partnerships

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

• Compensation commensurate with experience

• 12 paid Metro Holidays