Program Associate, National Fund for Sacred Places

Partners for Sacred Places seeks candidates for the full-time position of Program Associate of the National Fund for Sacred Places. Program Associates (3 total) will work in close collaboration with the Director and Associate Director to oversee the annual application process as well as the management of active grantees. Each Program Associate will be assigned a focus area (planning grants or capital grant review, for example) and will assist with administrative tasks as well.

The National Fund, which is a program of Partners for Sacred Places in collaboration with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, is a grant-making program that provides capital grants ranging from $50,000 to $500,000+ as well as wrap-around support services to congregations undertaking significant capital projects. This program, supported by the Lilly Endowment, has served over 100 congregations to date; and is funded through 2028. There are several grants under the umbrella of the National Fund, including a planning grant and an emergency grant.

Key Responsibilities

• Use marketing tools such as Constant Contact to distribute information regarding the program.
• Respond to inquiries from congregations with questions about the program.
• Prepare presentation materials for annual informational webinar, advisory committee meeting, and training.
• Work with senior staff to plan and coordinate the annual training, which is offered each November to new grantees – including hotel, venue, and catering arrangements.
• Provide guidance and technical support to congregations completing the LOI and application.
• Read and evaluate LOIs and applications.
• Meet one-on-one with grantees quarterly and provide support throughout the program. On average, it takes a congregation two to three years to move through the program.
• Use grant management and project tracking software - including Foundant and Monday.com - to participate in the application process (Foundant) and to track the progress of grantees as they move through the program (Monday.com).
• Review construction documents, specifications, contractor bids, etc. to ensure compliance with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards.
• Review completed work via final site visits (the goal of the final site visit is to showcase the work that's been completed; to discuss the impact that the project has had on the congregation and community; and reflect on the experience of being part of the program).
• Represent the program at conferences and events as needed.

Skills

• Ability to work independently and in a variety of small and large group contexts.
• Comfortable working with folks from various sectors, including: religious leaders and congregational staff (preferably across a range of denominations and faith traditions), architects, preservationists, etc.
• Write and speak clearly and persuasively.
• Detail-oriented.
• Able to multi-task and provide support to multiple congregations.
• Confidently facilitate small group meetings and one-on-one conversations.
• Able to prepare presentation materials, eg., working with PowerPoint.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree; Preference for a Master’s degree in Historic Preservation, Architecture, Divinity, Nonprofit Management, or a related field.
• At least three (3) years' work experience.
• Experience working in a small to midsize nonprofit organization.
• Reside in, or willingness to move to, Philadelphia.
• Willing and able to travel domestically, monthly or sometimes more, and to work weekends and evenings to deliver Fund-related services on occasion.
• Fluency in Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Cloud, and Constant Contact; Willingness to learn how to use Foundant and Monday.com

Preferred

• Experience in managing grant and technical assistance programs.
• Familiarity with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation.
• Experience in delivering training and/or consulting services, especially to religious congregations.