Thriving Communities Rural & Remote Outreach Director

General Overview 

This is a remote position that may be located anywhere in the ten state RE-AMP region, which covers Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.  

The RE-AMP Network is a collaborative network of more than 130 nonprofits and foundations across ten Midwestern states. RE-AMP works to equitably eliminate greenhouse gas emissions in the Midwest by 2050. 

Our mission is to set collective strategy and enable collaboration on climate solutions in the Midwest.  We envision a Midwest in which we all have access to the energy we need to live, move, work and play; and where we produce and use it in an equitable and just way that protects our health, wellbeing and environment.  We work to create a Midwest where those who are most impacted from energy production and consumption are centered in those decisions.

Position Overview 

The RE-AMP Network seeks a full-time Rural & Remote Outreach Director who will facilitate our coordination, outreach, and support for the EPA’s Region 5 Thriving Communities Grantmaker (TCGM) Program. The EPA Thriving Communities Grantmaker Program  aims to strengthen the capacity of underserved communities to address the environmental and public health challenges they have historically faced, as well as current and future challenges. In order to reduce barriers to the federal grant application process, the EPA has selected grantmakers across the nation to serve as intermediaries for this funding. RE-AMP and our partners have been chosen to administer the program in Region 5 of the EPA, an area that includes Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, and 35 tribal nations.   

RE-AMP’s role in the partnership will be focused on soliciting and supporting strong environmental justice proposals from rural and remote Midwestern communities. We’re seeking a highly collaborative team player who has experience working in and with rural communities who can help us refine our outreach plan and ensure that program resources reach a wide range of rural disadvantaged communities across the Midwest.  

 The Rural & Remote Outreach Director will report to RE-AMP's CEO, who will serve as the primary liaison with TCGM partners.  

Responsibilities include: 

• Identifying and prioritizing rural communities for outreach across the region 
• Developing and curating content (e.g. conducting presentations, providing updates) to RE-AMP members and Midwestern communities about the grantmaking program 
• Creating and distributing contractor requests for proposals for a competitive bidding process 
• Identifying and contracting with organizations to conduct outreach to rural communities across the six-state of EPA region five 
• Managing relationships and projects with contractors  
• Overseeing the development and distribution of communication materials for outreach purposes 
• Working with the Region 5 TCGM Program Director and other program partners to identify program successes and necessary refinements 
• Collecting evaluation data and synthesizing data into actionable refinements 
• Identifying potential grantees and enabling their ability to apply 
• Providing support for project implementation, financial management, and reporting for grantees in rural communities 
• Supervising and collaborating with RE-AMP’s Federal Funding Navigators who will be working with RE-AMP members and Midwestern communities to identify and access appropriate public grant funding opportunities 
• Identifying and highlighting success stories to share the impact of subgrants 
• Internal Network Support: Integration with the RE-AMP Staff team (participating in staff meetings, completing project reports, contributing and participating in RE-AMP programs and services). 
• Some travel is required, such as to regional meetings and some local travel (e.g. day-trips) to meet with partners and support contractors. 

Note: This is a three-year EPA grant-funded position.  After the expiration of the EPA Regional Grantmaker program, we are unable to guarantee the extension of this position. However, there may be additional/ alternative positions available at RE-AMP that may open up at that time.  

RE-AMP is a fiscally-sponsored project of the Minneapolis Foundation, which hosts all of our staff. This is a remote position that may be located anywhere in the ten state RE-AMP region, which covers Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.  

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Demonstrated commitment to racial equity 
• Understanding of environmental justice and key issues in rural areas 
• Project management experience, particularly experience developing and running new programs within an organization 
• Experience working in and with rural communities in the Midwest 
• Management experience  
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills 
• Strong organizational skills  
• Excellent collaboration and interpersonal skills  
• Ability to work independently within a team 
• Creative problem-solving 
• Love of learning 
• Experience working in the nonprofit sector  

 If interested, please send cover letter, resume, and a 1-2 page writing sample. (Writing samples can include excerpts of your own original research, campaign material, blogs, or anything else that demonstrates your professional written communication.) In your cover letter, please briefly explain your experience working in or with rural communities and describe a rural environmental justice issue that has significance for you. Deadline to apply is June 1, 2024.  

 RE-AMP is an equal opportunity employer, and we value having staff who come from communities that are most impacted by the issues we work on. We especially encourage Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color, LGBTQ people, transgender and gender non-conforming people, and people with disabilities to apply.