Director, Foundation & Government Funding

Director, Foundation & Government Funding

Chicago Zoological Society | Brookfield Zoo, 3300 Golf Rd, Brookfield, Illinois, United States of America

Posted Friday, May 8, 2026 at 5:00 AM | Expires Tuesday, June 23, 2026 at 4:59 AM

Join the PRIDE and Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s mission to ignite emotional connections with wildlife that spark conservation action while leading vital programs to protect endangered species. Our beautiful 235‑acre campus offers a living classroom that is home to over 3,500 animals representing 500 species. Brookfield Zoo Chicago is embarking on a groundbreaking, ambitious Next Century Plan to achieve our vision. It is the beginning of an exciting transformative journey!

Are you a master storyteller and strategic grant‑maker? Do you thrive on turning innovative ideas into funded reality? We are seeking a creative, proactive Director of Foundation & Government Funding to champion our mission and secure the necessary resources for our future.

Working closely with our executive leadership, program teams, and development staff, you won’t just write grants—you will craft compelling cases for support, build lasting partnerships, and directly drive our organization’s sustainability.

This is a non‑union full‑time salaried position, grade 10 with an expected hiring range of $89,583 to $98,541 annually. Please see Compensation and Benefits Summary section below the job description information.

Similar terminology:
Director of Grants, Grants Director, Grants Manager, Grants Administrator, Grants Planning and Development, Government Grants Manager, Grant Writer, Grant Administrator, Philanthropic Giving, Institutional Giving, Government Funding, Foundation Funding.

This Director, Foundation & Government Funding contributes to the success of Brookfield Zoo Chicago (“BZC”) by designing and directing efforts to secure philanthropic support for the organization, working closely with program staff, Development leadership, the Executive Management Team, and the Development Team to achieve and exceed fundraising goals to ensure a sustainable future for the organization.

• Seek funding from local, regional, and national foundations, corporate foundations, and government agencies to support strategic initiatives, programs, and projects aligned with institutional goals. Collaborate with program staff to develop fundable projects, exhibits, and programs, and implement communication strategies for effective cultivation and solicitation.
• Build, cultivate, and maintain relationships with key foundation, corporate foundation, and government agency leadership and staff to advance philanthropic partnerships, and assist other institutional senior staff in building and maintaining their own professional relationships.
• Work closely with research staff, other development staff, and appropriate Society staff to proactively and creatively identify new foundation and government grant funders.
• Provide strategic writing support to senior development leaders, including writing and editing grant proposals, solicitation letters, and programmatic updates for donors.
• Work closely with VP Senior Director Development Operations to utilize the CRM to enhance the portfolio and track proposals, grants, reports, site visits, and stewardship.
• Maintain a thorough knowledge of issues and trends that may impact the Zoo’s funding and prepare briefing documents as requested by the VP.
• Ensure representation of foundation and government agency participation in events and prepare required briefing materials.
• Other related duties as assigned.

• Bachelor’s degree in arts, sciences, or another relevant business‑related field or equivalent of eight years’ combination of training and experience. High school diploma or equivalent required.
• Three years of directly relevant development, foundation or competitive government funding experience. Experience developing and executing strategic funding plans and programs, managing budgets, and producing quality deliverables within specific time frames. Proven track record securing major foundation and government funding.
• Creative…