Program Associate, Education; BF

The Barr Foundation’s mission is to invest in human, natural, and creative potential, serving as thoughtful stewards and catalysts. As stewards, Barr nurtures and enhances vital community assets. As catalysts, the Foundation cultivates and advances the breakthrough ideas that will shape our collective future. Barr focuses on achieving impact as a constructive partner, willing to exercise leadership.

Based in Boston, the Foundation focuses regionally, and selectively engages nationally, working in partnership with nonprofits, foundations, the public sector, and civic and business leaders to elevate the arts and creative expression, advance solutions for climate change, and expand educational opportunity. Barr is one of the largest private foundations in New England with assets of more than $1.9 billion and a 2019 grantmaking budget of $90 million.

A set of core values defined by the Barr Foundation’s founding trustees expresses beliefs about what constitutes effective philanthropy and guides how the Foundation carries out its philanthropic mission. The Foundation is committed to strive for excellence, act with humility, adopt a long-term perspective, and embrace risk. Additionally, while each program is guided by distinct priorities and goals, Barr embraces a common set of approaches in all aspects of its work, namely flexibility and nimbleness, a broad range of tools, knowledge and learning, openness and transparency, and active collaboration.

Since its inception, the Barr Foundation has prioritized education as a principal area of funding. Since 2015, the program has worked across the New England region to support more students to achieve college and career readiness. While we work across the entire region, we prioritize areas with high concentrations of high needs students. Our program focuses on three strategic levers to transform the high school experience for students:

Catalyze New Models
:
Fuel fresh designs that fit local contexts and transform the high school experience, to put success within reach of all students

Build Public Will
:
Engage parents and students, educators and civic leaders, and all residents as informed advocates for high-quality schools.

Invest in Educators
:
Develop the pipeline of diverse, skilled, effective teachers and school leaders who bring new educational models to life for their students.

The Barr Foundation is seeking a program associate to provide programmatic and administrative support to members of the Education team. The Education team members manage the grantmaking, external relationships, research and convening required to advance the strategic goals of the program. In addition, the director manages the budget and operations of the team. This position reports to the senior program officer for the catalyze new models portfolio and collaborates closely with the portfolio’s program officer.

The ideal candidate must be highly organized and self-motivated, with attention to detail and the ability to prioritize workload. Proven written, computer, and interpersonal skills to manage relationships with a broad range of people and organizations are essential. This is a full-time position with a generous benefits package.

Grantmaking Support

• Work with the senior program officer to review inquiries and proposals in the program area.
• Under the direction of the senior program officer, support the senior program officer and program officer in reviewing new proposals and conducting the appropriate due diligence. Review proposal budgets, workplans and anticipated project outcomes as related to proposal goals and institutional capability.
• Draft grant recommendations needed for the board book for team review.
• Under the guidance of the senior program officer, monitor grant activities and follow up with grantees as needed, providing technical assistance as appropriate.
• Assist program officers with reviewing grant reports and evaluations and track required grantee documentation.
• Conduct research and analysis on grant proposals, potential funding initiatives, or special projects.
• Work with the team to evaluate grants or grant clusters in…