The Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) is a national, nonpartisan, anti-poverty organization advancing policy solutions that work for people with low incomes and people of color. We advocate for public policies and programs at the federal, state, and local levels that reduce poverty, improve the lives of people with low incomes, and advance racial and economic justice. Our solutions directly address the barriers individuals and families face because of race, ethnicity, low income, and immigration status.

For more than 50 years, we have kept our vision alive through trusted expertise on policy and strategy, knowledgeable and committed staff, partnerships with directly impacted people and grassroots leaders, and approaches to economic and racial justice that are bold, innovative, and inclusive.

CLASP is organized around five policy teams: Child Care and Early Education; Education, Labor & Worker Justice; Income and Work Supports; Immigration and Immigrant Families; and Youth Policy. The Youth Policy team houses two cross-cutting bodies of work focused on the justice system and mental health.

CLASP Values for Racial Equity

We understand that inclusion is only the first step toward fostering sustainable racial equity, in our society and organizational culture. At CLASP, we value the importance of including multiple perspectives in shaping our organizational culture and engaging in our policy and advocacy efforts. However, we also know that to move beyond inclusion and achieve true racial equity, we must be intentional in centering and prioritizing the voices, perspectives, and lived experiences of people of color. For true and sustainable change to happen in our country, historically white-founded and led policy and advocacy organizations must commit to full and immersive racial equity.

About CLASP’s Development Team

The development team at CLASP is a high-performing team responsible for securing the organizational annual revenue of $11.1 million. The team engages in strategic fundraising and communications efforts with its diverse network of institutional and individual supporters, facilitates individual giving and institutional funder relations, leads grants management—including grant proposals and reports writing—and plays a lead role in coordinating organization-wide fundraising and development activities at all levels, including with the board of trustees. The Director of Development oversees CLASP’s overall fundraising strategy. Additionally, the development team manages the production of our annual impact report and special events targeting our network of funders and current and former prospects. All the team’s efforts are coordinated with the executive leadership and directors and staff engaged in fundraising at CLASP.

We are seeking a Foundation Relations Manager to manage relationships with and produce deliverables for our foundation and corporate funders. This role will also provide overall strategic support around ongoing organizational fundraising activities with individual donors, as needed. This position will also advance cross-team and inter-departmental collaboration related to institutional fundraising activities, including working closely with the executive director on grants-related activities and with the finance team in developing grant financial reports. 

This position will work closely with and provide guidance to other members of the team, as needed. This role will also provide strategic support to program staff engaged in fundraising and development in coordination with the Director of Development. The Foundation Relations Manager will report directly to the Director of Development.

This position is based in the Washington, D.C., office. CLASP is currently working under a hybrid office model, with the expectation that staff work in person four days a month. The development team will prioritize in-person workdays that align around the team’s shared schedules and offer meaningful opportunities to engage and collaborate with co-workers.

• Four to six years of institutional fundraising and development-related experience. In addition, candidates with some combination of college and/or work experience who can clearly demonstrate proficiency in the skills outlined in this announcement may be considered.
• Familiarity with CLASP policy priorities and work is a plus.
• Work experience liaising with institutional funders.
• Strong writing skills, with an emphasis on grant writing for public policy advocacy. Demonstrated experience translating complicated, jargon-laden topics into clear, easy-to-understand language.
• Familiarity with AP Style and the Chicago Manual of Style, which serve as the basis for CLASP’s style guide.
• Experience working in policy/advocacy communications in the nonprofit policy arena and a team-oriented and highly collaborative environment is preferred.
• Detail-oriented and deadline driven.
• Ability to engage in cross-team and inter-departmental collaboration needed to succeed in this role, while building working knowledge and relationships.
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to multi-task and manage several projects at once.
• Proficiency with communications technology and tools like Microsoft Office, Excel, and Google Suite.
• Familiarity with donor database systems like EveryAction or equivalent.
• Commitment to CLASP’s vision and mission around anti-poverty, economic justice, and racial equity.

Key Responsibilities

• Project manage the grants proposal process and draft all proposals, in coordination with relevant CLASP program leads (Final drafts reviewed by Development Director and/or Deputy ED for Policy, and the Executive Director, as needed).
• In coordination with program team leads, draft concept notes and one-pagers to share with prospects and current funders (with final drafts reviewed by team leads and Director of Development).
• Draft policy-related content for CLASP’s annual impact report.
• Project manage annual impact report content generation, editing, and publishing.
• Regularly meet with team leads to stay up to date on each policy team’s work, including attending policy team meetings, as needed, as a representative of the development team.
• Draft proposal budgets and expenditure reports for funders in coordination with the finance team.
• Lead and facilitate development team meetings.
• Lead prospecting research for a portfolio of CLASP’s work.
• Review and copy edit, in coordination with appropriate program leads, all grant reports to funders.
• Co-lead quarterly development planning check-ins with policy teams.
• Lead monthly foundation strategy conversations with Director of Development, ED, and Deputy ED for Policy.
• Share responsibility with Foundation Relations Associate to track funder correspondence and manage following up with program officers.
• Coordinate funder meeting prep calls, set agenda, and facilitate preparation (co-lead or draw in institutional knowledge and assistance from Director of Development, as needed).
• Provide strategic support to the Director of Development around board-related fundraising reporting, as needed.
• Draft email correspondence to funders on behalf of the Executive Director.
• Occasionally produce written materials for CLASP’s website, utilizing research, writing, and data analysis skills as relevant.
• Provide oversight on grants management process in coordination with the Foundation Relations Associate.
• Support other members of the development team, as needed, in planning and executing donor cultivation events.

COVID Requirements:

Full COVID-19 vaccinations are required for new hires effective February 2022 or a required weekly negative COVID test (for non-vaccinated employees) with documentation shared with Human Resources.

Compensation:

Salary range $66 -$77,000 (Salary is commensurate with experience).

CLASP offers exceptional benefits, including several health insurance options (most that currently require no employee-paid premiums). In addition, we provide the following benefits that currently require no employee-paid premiums: dental and vision insurance, life insurance, short- and long-term disability insurance, and long-term care insurance. Additionally, we offer a 403(b) retirement program with employer contributions, flexible spending accounts, and a no-cost gym onsite at our D.C. office. Finally, we provide generous vacation (4 weeks in the first year), paid sick leave (3 weeks annually), two personal days a year, paid family and medical leave, and holiday schedules.

Application Process:

Please send a cover letter explaining your interest in CLASP’s mission and why you are the best candidate for this position, along with your resume.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.
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Incomplete applications will not be considered. You must send all requested materials and follow the outline above to be considered. No phone calls, please.

CLASP is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.