Program Associate

Thank you for your interest in joining the Coastal Community Foundation team. Coastal Community Foundation works to create communities rich in equity, opportunity, and well-being by uniting people and investing resources so that all community members have a pathway to achieve their goals. Established in 1974, it is the largest community foundation in South Carolina, serving the nine counties on the coast: Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Hampton, Horry, and Jasper counties. CCF manages more than 700 charitable funds established by individuals, families, and organizations and awards tens of millions of dollars in grants and scholarships each year.

Financial resources are among the many tools we employ in our purpose to create vibrant communities. Throughout our history, we have served as a community convener to bring residents and leaders together to tackle major structural challenges, such as housing shortages or inequitable school systems. We also have a long history of helping nonprofits build their capacity, and incubating grassroots causes to provide them with structural support so they grow into fully operational organizations. 

Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is an Equal Opportunity Employer with offices in North Charleston and Beaufort, as well as three affiliate foundations. 

Why Work for Us?

When you join Coastal Community Foundation, you join a dedicated staff and Board of Directors working to be the reason why education, housing, and access to opportunities are more equitable; working to be the reason why donors advance positive outcomes in their communities; and working to be the reason why our region thrives, together. 

This dedication from our team is one of the main reasons we’ve been successful in earning the trust of the communities we serve, and ensuring we adapt to their evolving needs. That is why we are deeply committed to supporting our staff members to ensure their success at work and outside of work. We offer a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package, including Paid Time Off, Holidays, Insurance (health, dental, vision, life, disability), 401(k), and training and development opportunities.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Statement 

Inclusion with equity is one of our four core values at Coastal Community Foundation, so we not only work to recruit diverse candidates, we work to ensure our team members have all the tools they need to be successful. Our purpose is most effectively fulfilled through proactively supporting the values of equity, inclusion, and diversity. Diversity may be measured by, but is not limited to, differences in age, ethnicity, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, economic circumstance, class, religion, disability, geography, and profession. We acknowledge and respect the many differences that comprise thriving communities and seek diversity in our staff to ensure that a range of perspectives, opinions and experiences are recognized and acted upon in achieving our purpose.

It is our intention to promote a fully equitable philanthropic sector that justly represents and serves all our constituencies. Therefore, we strongly encourage applications from candidates of color, of LGBTQ+ identity and of other historically marginalized communities.

About this Position 

The Program Associate provides programmatic and strategic planning support to the Grantmaking Program Team by managing a small portfolio of grant-making programs and assisting the Regional Scholarships & Grants Officer.  The Program Associate reports to the Regional Scholarships & Grants Officer and works collaboratively with the team to provide compassionate, equitable community-centered grantmaking.  Primary duties include grant application due diligence, evaluation metrics development and monitoring, and program-related research.     

The Program Associate will agree with and demonstrate respect for the Foundation’s belief that “diversity” means the active inclusion of the entire community as welcomed participants in all Foundation activities; support the Foundation’s practice of encouraging diversity, equity and inclusiveness as the cornerstones of all that the Foundation does. 

Essential Functions 

Grantmaking and Community Leadership Responsibilities  

• Manage annual grantmaking for the following programs (including volunteer management): 
• Realtors Housing Opportunities Fund (RHOF) - January and June Cycle 
• Griffith-Reyburn Artist of the Year Award 
• Lowcountry Unity Fund 
•  Provide substantial programmatic support and expertise to the following programs: 
• Neighborhoods Energized to Win (N.E.W.) Fund 
• General and Specialized Scholarship Program 
• Northern Lowcountry Regional Grants Program 
•  Provide support for competitive grantmaking and scholarship programs, to ensure smooth functioning of processes for staff and volunteers, and in keeping with established timelines. 
•  Perform Due Diligence on grants, including independent research, in-the-field site visits, and State and Federal verification. 
•  Support the creation and execution of learning strategies and programs, such as Results-Based Accountability (RBA), organization assessments, gathering feedback from grantees and recommending suggestions to enhance the learning process. 
•  Develop materials to support program needs including research on social issues, best practices, and model approaches. 
•  Provide rapid responses with a target of one working business day turn-around (or less) on all questions from the nonprofit community. 

  General Responsibilities 

• Conduct independent research in response to requests for program-related information or analysis from donors, non-profits, board and/or staff.      
•  Assist donors, board members, grantees, Professional Advisors, and the general public in a courteous, helpful, and respectful manner. 
•  Assume responsibility for special projects, as requested by the Program Officer 
• Respond to requests for Grantmaking & Community Leadership information from the community.  

 Required Skills/Abilities 

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills 
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail. 
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines. 
• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to think critically and creatively.  
• Ability to manage sensitive materials confidentially.  
• Ability to multi-task and function well in a high-paced and sometimes stressful environment.  
• Long-term commitment to the position. 
• Knowledge of Foundant C-Suite a plus. 
• Knowledge of nonprofit management or foundation grantmaking preferred. 
• Knowledge of Results Based Accountability or other program evaluation framework preferred. 
• Team-oriented approach, service focus, and the ability to think outside of the box with a sense of urgency. 

 Education and Experience 

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required. 
• Philanthropic or nonprofit experience preferred.  

Physical Requirements 

• Must be able to sit and work at a computer for long periods of time. 
• Needs to occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc. and lift small items (less than 20 pounds). 
• Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity equipment, such as a calculator, copy machine, and computer printer. 
• Frequently communicates with colleagues and the public. Must be able to exchange accurate information.