Institutional Giving Officer

Who We Are

The Mountaineers is a community of outdoor recreationists and conservationists founded in 1906 to explore the peaks and waterways of the Pacific Northwest. Today, we have more than 17,000 members and seven branches across Western Washington, where we deliver most of our outdoor education programming. Thanks to the work of generations of volunteers and our internationally-recognized publishing division, we continue to enjoy an outstanding reputation in the fields of outdoor education, recreation, and public lands conservation and advocacy.

Our dedicated volunteers and staff get people outside to experience the power of the natural world. We advocate for access to and protection of recreational lands so that future generations can enjoy these places as well. Our core value of community reflects our belief that a diverse and inclusive outdoors inspires unity, respect, and passion for the places we love. Our 60 staff, divided between our program centers and our nonprofit publishing division, Mountaineers Books, and 3,000+ volunteers work together to achieve our mission to enrich lives by helping people explore, conserve, learn about, and enjoy the lands and waters of the Pacific Northwest and beyond.

Visit mountaineers.org to learn more.

Position Overview

The Mountaineers is seeking a results, relationship, and community-oriented Institutional Giving Officer to lead and grow the institutional giving program with a strategic focus on foundation and corporate funding. Joining a growing Community Engagement Team, you’ll play a key role in achieving the organization’s annual $3M combined membership and philanthropy goal – building toward $4M over the next three years. To help our team reach this shared goal, you will be responsible for securing funding through grant proposals, building and maintaining relationships with funders, research and prospecting, and refining and maintaining our impact evaluation criteria, while ensuring organizational compliance with relevant regulations and requirements.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Advancement , you’ll help define and implement the strategy for institutional funding for the organization, including identifying and driving opportunities and collaborating with department leads and key volunteers to seek funding for general operating support, special programs, capital improvements, capacity building, and other related initiatives.

This position requires strong strategic thinking skills with a keen eye for detail, results-orientation, exceptional writing skills, and a passion for outdoor education, nonprofit publishing, youth development programs, and conservation. You will be responsible for managing the organization’s institutional funding through a combined portfolio of both foundation and corporate funders. Your primary duties will be funder prospect research, proposal submission, final reporting, and grantor stewardship. You will also lead the post-award process, collaborating across departments to ensure that grantor requirements are fulfilled and that a foundation for strong ongoing relationships with funders are maintained.

Objectives and Key Results

• Achieve annual Institutional funding goals, growing from approximately $300K in FY26 to $500K by FY29.
• Increase the number of grant proposals submitted: In FY26, submit an average of 10 grant proposals per quarter while consistently identifying new prospective funders to pursue.
• Explore research and prospect identification expansion through the use of technology tools such as AI.
• Maintain a shared tracking system to build a pipeline and deliver on-time grant applications, reporting and requirements, providing key reviewers at least five business days to review.
• Strengthen relationships with current and prospective funders by conducting strategic meetings and check-ins at key points throughout the fiscal year—ensuring consistent engagement with existing funders while actively building and advancing new relationships.
• Maintain up-to-date organizational profiles on key platforms including Guidestar, Charity Navigator, SAM, and SAW bi-annually.
• Work to build institutional giving capabilities in support of Mountaineers Books and Skipstone, allocating ~30% of annual efforts in grant submissions, prospecting, and relationships with funders focused on arts and culture activities.

You will love this job if you:

• Are energized by interacting and communicating with a wide range of community members including other staff, volunteers, donors, and Board.
• Are results-driven, have a bias for action, and are excited by high-growth objectives with demonstrated ability to set and achieve ambitious goals.
• Have a knack for turning long-lead times into near term actions.
• Love turning ideas into action, building systems and structure to improve accountability and support fundraising at scale.
• Believe that time outside empowers people to lead healthier, happier lives, and are excited to be part of a fun-loving team that makes outdoor recreation more accessible and sustainable.

Key Responsibilities

Fundraising through Proposal Writing and Management (60%)

Oversee The Mountaineers annual institutional fundraising calendar of 35-40 applications in the first year to Foundations and Corporations to achieve at least $275,000 in revenue, including scheduling, writing proposals, tracking grant progress and budgets, writing reports, and ensuring grant compliance. This will include facilitating proposal submissions through partnerships with the CEO, Publisher, Senior Leadership Team, the Board and other organizational leaders. You will also work collaboratively and cooperatively with all departments to ensure consistent, comprehensive, and accurate representation of programs, services, accomplishments, participation, etc., both in crafting proposals and in submitting any required reporting on grant and sponsorship-funded activities.

• Research potential grant opportunities from foundations, corporations, and government agencies aligned with The Mountaineers mission and programs. Develop pipeline opportunities that focus on the following impact areas, in priority order: unrestricted, publishing, conservation & advocacy, youth partner programs, and other impact areas at the direction of the Director of Community Engagement and CEO.
• Write and guide the development of compelling grant proposals, applications, and reports in collaboration with program staff and organizational leadership.
• Expand organizational capacity for grant writing by providing grant writing training and guidance to program staff and volunteers.
• Maintain an internal grants tracking calendar to manage grant application process from start to finish, tracking prospects, proposals, awards, and visits necessary to support grant funding efforts.
• Document all outreach, conversations, and commitments in Salesforce.
• Lead a monthly meeting to advise and collaborate with other fundraisers to maximize potential of current grant prospects.
• Work across departments to solicit, collect, and maintain complex internal qualitative and quantitative data, including stories of impact, testimonials, and impact data; serve as a resource to others by presenting this information as needed.
• Support the Senior Director of Advancement to build a three-year roadmap to grow grants contribution as part of a mix of funding strategies to achieve philanthropic target of $2M, and growing contributed revenue to $3M by 2029.

Compliance Oversight: Grant Tracking and Organizational Reporting (25%)

• Keep staff and Board leadership up-to-date on grant regulations, compliance requirements, and best practices in nonprofit fundraising.
• Work with the Finance and Accounting team to ensure that grant awards received are accounted for correctly.
• Partner with internal department leads, to ensure compliance with grant requirements and metrics for funder reporting.
• Ensure all grant activities adhere to legal and ethical standards, including financial reporting, recordkeeping, and donor stewardship.
• Conduct annual audits across government databases and charity assessment tools, completing all paperwork to update online profiles. This includes, but is not limited to: Guidestar, Charity Navigator, System of Award Management (SAM), Secure Access Washington (SAW), etc.
• Find, add, update, edit, and report on constituent data or information regularly in the donor database.
• Lead post-award grant administration to ensure that budgeting and administrative policies, procedures, activity tracking, reporting, recognition fulfillment, and any other grantor requirements are followed.

Community Engagement (10%)

• Collaborate with the Senior Director of Advancement and other team members to integrate grant strategies into broader fundraising initiatives and campaigns.
• Coordinate and collaborate with the Associate Director of Events and Partnerships to ensure clear and consistent management of a shared corporate portfolio.
• Partner with Senior Leadership and key programs staff to manage institutional funding relationships, ensuring strong cultivation and stewardship of all funders.
• Communicate effectively with donors, grantors, and external partners to steward relationships and demonstrate impact.
• Represent The Mountaineers at signature events, conferences, and networking opportunities to promote our mission and fundraising goals.
• Assist in creating and implementing engagement campaigns to increase donations from institutional and corporate partners.
• Help create, edit, and deliver philanthropic communications in multiple formats including: emailed and mailed donor and member communication packages, direct mail solicitations, e-newsletters, online ads, onsite collateral, newsletter stories, annual report highlights, etc.

Other / Admin (5%)

• Maintain and conduct periodic updates on a library of Mountaineers reference documentation, including such information as grantor requirements and forms, financials, awards, reference literature, etc.
• Collaborate and work as a member of the Community Engagement team, encouraging philanthropic actions and efforts across the organization.
• Participate in outdoor programs to connect directly with The Mountaineers impact story.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Minimum of five years fundraising experience in institutional fundraising roles or equivalent experience in nonprofit management, communications, or a related field.
• Strong professional relationship-building skills and proven track record of securing grants from foundations, government agencies, and other funding sources.
• Knowledge of PNW foundations and grant agencies.
• Strong understanding of nonprofit compliance regulations and best practices.
• Experience in developing project budgets and communicating financial information to general audiences.
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills with the ability to engage a wide range of audiences through proposals, letters, reports, and other written materials.
• Ability to work independently and well under pressure with tight deadlines, changing priorities and inputs from multiple stakeholders.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to details, and commitment to accuracy.
• Proficiency with word processing, presentation, spreadsheet, database, email, virtual meeting, and calendaring applications.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and relationship-management software such as Salesforce, Raiser’s Edge, or other similar CRM databases.
• Proficiency with emerging AI tools to help drive productivity.
• Cultural humility and ability to work with people of all races, ages, genders, abilities, and economic backgrounds.
• High ethical standards and a commitment to the confidentiality of donor records.
• Passion for outdoor education, publishing, conservation, and environmental stewardship.
• Ability to pass a national criminal background and sex offender check.

Desired Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and/or 5-7 years equivalent experience in nonprofit management, communications, or a related field.
• Experience working in publishing, environmental, education, or nonprofit organizations.
• Familiarity with the local philanthropic landscape, as well as state and national arts and outdoors funders and an existing network of contacts.
• Demonstrate commitment to supporting The Mountaineers Strategic Plan to lead innovation in outdoor education, engage a vibrant community of outdoor enthusiasts, and advocate on behalf of the natural world.

Cultivating an inclusive staff is central to The Mountaineers focus on advancing equity and achieving a sense of belonging. Our core values are Adventure, Advocacy, Community, Education, and Volunteerism, and we believe a diverse and inclusive environment inspires unity, respect, and passion for our work and one another. We’re interested in hearing from people who can work with colleagues of varied experience and backgrounds. The Mountaineers is an equal-opportunity employer, and candidates from all backgrounds are considered, and as an organization that values equity and inclusion, we highly encourage people of color, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, and veterans to apply.

Work Environment

This role is based in Seattle, WA, at The Mountaineers program center in Magnuson Park. This position is expected to have a regular presence in our Seattle-based program center, with opportunities for a partial remote work schedule. The Mountaineers will provide a laptop computer for remote access. For remote work, the Institutional Giving Officer is expected to have a suitable remote work environment, including broadband internet access, to accomplish their job duties.

Physical Demands

• Ability to work evening and weekend hours, as necessary for Board meetings and events.
• Must have regular and reliable transportation for local travel and willing to travel when necessary. Occasional local travel expected for donor meetings and volunteer working groups.
• On events days (to attend event and network with guests):
  • Ability to be active and mobile for 4 or more hours continuously.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Benefits include medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance, and paid sick, vacation, volunteer, and holiday time. 401(k) retirement plan available after three months.

PTO benefit package for current staff and new hires as of Jan 1, 2024 include:

• 15 paid days vacation in first year, with additional accrual based on tenure
• 4 paid volunteer days
• 12 paid holidays
• Paid sick leave according to Seattle's Paid Sick and Safe Time Ordinance

Additional benefits include:

• Flexible working environment, with up to 40% remote work for most employees
• Mountaineers Family membership, including member access to our three mountain lodges
• Opportunities to advance your outdoor skills with $1,000 toward Mountaineers courses each year
• Two free tickets to many Mountaineers events
• Free copy of each newly published Mountaineers Books title
• Access to outdoor industry discounts (prodeals)
• Four on-site climbing and bouldering walls
• Bring your dog to work days
• Free parking for your bike or car, and an office located right on a bus line, with alternative transportation reimbursement (up to $100 per month for full time employees)
• In-office shower for midday run, climbing session, or morning commute