Grants Management Assistant; 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 $1.7 billion and a 2018 grantmaking budget of $85 million.

A set of core values defined by the Barr Foundation’s founding trustees express beliefs about what constitutes effective philanthropy and guide 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.

Reporting to the Director of Grants Management, the Grants Management Assistant is responsible for assisting in the processing and tracking grants made by the Foundation, facilitating the grant payment and reporting processes, maintaining high-quality data in the grants management system, helping ensure quality and consistency across systems reporting on grants data, and supporting staff with their due diligence and navigation of the grants management system.

This person works collaboratively with the grants management team (two other members), program teams across the Foundation, IT, and accounting.

• New Applicants:
  • Conduct required due diligence for new organizations
• Assist in preparation of material for review
• Communicate grant approvals to Barr staff
• Assist in securing executed grant documents and payment information
• Ensure quality and integrity of data in grantmaking database
• Manage the Foundation’s grantmaking for its various membership organizations

Grant Reporting and Payments

• Reporting:
  • Support program teams in grant reporting and payment processes
  • Follow up with grantees for overdue grant reports
  • Close grants in grantmaking database once all required information has been received and reviewed
• Payments:
  • Manage grant extensions and grant payment adjustments
  • Work with Grants Manager on payout packets, including payment information and letters
• Provide weekly forecast report to internal financial teams

Matching Gifts Program

Under the supervision of the Grants Manager:
Manage the Foundation’s Matching Gifts Program

• Approvals
• Creation and dissemination of documents and payments

Grantee, Staff, and System Support

• Create and manage grantee portal user accounts
• Respond to relevant external inquiries
• Build expertise in and assist staff with grants management and relevant IT systems (Salesforce, Spring
  
  CM, or Domo) as issues and questions arise as well as assist with updates/improvements
• Manage calendar and note taking for team meetings

Other Responsibilities

• Serve as a back-up to Grants Manager
• Participate in the grants management affinity group
• Attend external and internal learning sessions around grant-making due diligence (legal, financial)
• Undertake special projects when necessary

• Two or more years of full-time administrative work experience; experience in nonprofit or philanthropic organizations is preferred
• Strong skill and experience with technology systems, particularly databases and Microsoft Office Suite
• Professional demeanor; strong interpersonal and communications skills
• Self-motivated, with strong problem-solving abilities, superior attention to detail, and commitment to continuous improvement
• Demonstrated exceptional organizational skills,…