Program Associate, GreenLight Twin Cities

Program Associate, GreenLight Twin CitiesOrganization Overview 

Since its founding in 2004, GreenLight Fund has worked at the intersection of social innovation and community need. GreenLight Fund focuses on identifying the most urgent barriers to economic mobility for families and children with low-income and addressing them by selecting and bringing in the country’s best social innovations that have proven impact. We do this by running a process in our communities that bring together key local leaders and people with lived experiences to:

•  Identify critical, unmet needs
• Find and bring into the community innovative, entrepreneurial social programs that can have a significant, measurable impact addressing those needs, and
• Galvanize local support to help programs reach and sustain impact in the new city

We have successfully run this selection and importation process in our nine sites: Cincinnati, Boston, San Francisco Bay Area, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, Detroit, Charlotte, the Twin Cities and Kansas City.  

Collectively, portfolio organizations across our sites are reaching more than 325,000 individuals annually with proven, life-changing programs. This number is growing exponentially as we continue to add new sites and new portfolio organizations. 

To learn more about the GreenLight Fund, please visit www.greenlightfund.org 

Position Overview 

GreenLight Fund Twin Cities is seeking an entrepreneurial, organized and research-focused Associate who works independently and has a passion for racial justice, equity and economic mobility for historically under-resourced communities in Minneapolis and St. Paul.

This position will report to the Executive Director of GreenLight Fund Twin Cities, and work collaboratively across the GreenLight Fund national network of sites. 

You are a great fit for this role if you (1) take initiative and learn quickly (2) are highly organized and ready and willing to take on administrative and organizational tasks, (3) have a strong love of learning and research, (4) have strong written and oral communication skills (5) are a self-starter who is comfortable being behind the scenes, helping to make the “magic” happen. 

Key Areas of Responsibility

Administrative & Organizational Duties 

• Support/assist executive director with scheduling, tracking and follow-up of key meetings and site visits  
• Take the lead on preparation of presentations and supporting materials for all Selection Advisory Council meetings, including agendas, reports and research/diligence findings 
• Maintain internal management, data and reporting systems (experience with Salesforce, Apricot and Box is a plus, but not required)  
• Establish local office and related operations, including tracking of site expenses  
•  Work across national sites to identify effective internal practices to replicate and implement locally  
• Manage GreenLight Twin Cities interns and fellows, as needed  

Research 

• Research social issues and priorities facing historically underserved and marginalized children, youth and families in Minneapolis and St. Paul
• Conduct research/due diligence on prospective 501(c)(3) portfolio organizations, including financial evaluation and impact assessments
•  Attend meetings with key stakeholders and relevant local leaders with Executive Director to inform research and conduct local landscape analysis  
• Record, synthesize and produce reports and briefs based on analysis and key findings
• Conduct broad research on trends and national context of nonprofits and social innovation 

Communications and Investor Relations   

• Collaborate with Executive Director to execute annual communications plan for external audiences including investors
•  Maintain and contribute regularly to GreenLight Fund Twin Cities social media (twitter), and quarterly e-newsletters via Mailchimp
• Maintain the GreenLight Fund Twin Cities website pages and contribute to blog postings
• Lead planning and execution of fundraising and other events
• Maintain GreenLight Twin Cities investor database in Salesforce
• Support execution of GreenLight Twin Cities annual donor stewardship/investor relations plan, including investor outreach, cultivation, engagement and stewardship  
• Conduct prospect research on potential Twin Cities donors/investors, including individuals, corporations and foundations  
• Assist in writing grant proposals, requests, reports and end of year asks/payment reminders  

Culture and More

•  Articulates and applies historical context of systemic racism and understands the current reality of communities of color in order to support racial equity  
• Demonstrates a commitment to supporting diversity, equity and inclusion and serves as an advocate with colleagues, partners and communities 
• Travel (when safe to do so) to two national meetings per year (hosted by a GreenLight site) and approximately three site visits per year (meetings and site visit locations will vary) 
• Knowledge of the communities that make up the Twin Cities and the impact  

Qualifications 

• Two to three years of experience 
• Experience working in or deep knowledge of the Twin Cities - work in nonprofit or social justice-focused organization preferred but not required
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field preferred 
• Deep commitment to addressing deep-rooted disparities and creating systemic change in the Twin Cities for historically underserved communities
•  Outstanding research, writing and communication skills 
• Experience using CRM databases (e.g. Salesforce, Apricot) and Microsoft Excel 
•  Willingness to quickly learn and analyze data/new information 
• Independent thinker with ability to take initiative, think creatively and lead 
• Immutable belief in GreenLight Fund’s mission