Grants and Prospect Research Coordinator

Grants and Prospect Research Coordinator Job Summary

The Grants and Prospect Research Coordinator has a critical role in reaching the fundraising goals of Millsaps College by combining grant strategy and writing with prospect research and analysis. In this way, the Coordinator facilitates the growth of external support from foundations, corporations, and individual philanthropists. With support from the department’s senior leaders, this integrated position identifies funding opportunities, develops compelling proposals, provides strategic insights into donor interests, capacity, and inclination, and oversees the full grant lifecycle from proposal development and submission to final reporting.

This position reports to the Associate Vice President for Development Operations.

This is a full-time position that works on-site in Jackson, MS with regular office hours from 8:00am – 4:30pm with a one-hour unpaid lunch break. Evening and weekend work is occasionally required to support major events and initiatives.

Grant Strategy, Writing & Submission Management

• Independently draft, edit and assemble high-quality grant / major gift proposals aligning institutional priorities with donor interests and priorities and determining the most competitive approach for each proposal.
• Ensure institutional policies, procedures, processes, and resources for grants management are in place and followed.
• Manage proposal calendars, workflow, review, editing, and approval processes to ensure that deadlines are met.
• Develop detailed budgets that are compliant with Millsaps policies and procedures and meet all grant guidelines.

Post-Award Management & Reporting

• Monitor grant award requirements and deadlines, ensuring compliance with funder and institutional guidelines.
• Prepare and submit timely interim and final reports to funders.
• Collaborate with Donor Relations on donor recognition and stewardship.

Data Management, Tracking and Communication

• Maintain a comprehensive grants calendar.
• Ensure accurate CRM records are maintained.
• Provide monthly updates to AVP.
• Support workflow improvements and reporting.

Prospect Research and Donor Intelligence

• Use databases, screenings, and public records to identify and evaluate potential major donors, assessing wealth, giving history, and philanthropic interests / motivations.
• Analyze financial data, affiliations, and interests to provide actionable insights to frontline fundraisers.
• Prepare concise, user-friendly prospect profiles, briefings, and reports for gift officers and fundraising leadership.
• Assist in developing prospect cultivation strategies and portfolio priorities for frontline fundraisers.
• Coordinate the workflow of research requests.
• Ensure accuracy, consistency, and completeness of prospect data within the constituent database.
• Monitors local, national, and business news and events for individual donor prospects.
• Keeps up to date with effective prospect research and prospect management techniques as well as trends in the prospect research profession and the advancement/fundraising field.
• Work closely with Development Officers, administrators, and faculty/staff as needed.
• Partner with Donor Relations and Communications.

• Bachelor’s degree in English, Communications, or relevant field.
• One to three years’ experience in grant writing, prospect research, fundraising operations, nonprofit development, or related analytical/research work
• Ability to use prospect research and fundraising intelligence tools (e.g., Donor Search, Wealth Engine, iWave, Foundation Directory Online) to gather and analyze donor information.
• Strong research and analytical skills with attention to detail.
• Excellent writing, editing, proofreading, and verbal communication skills.
• Outstanding listener who can ask questions to make a concise and compelling case for support.
• Proficiency with research tools, MS Office suite, CRM, virtual meeting tools.
• Understanding of ethical research guidelines and data confidentiality.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work collaboratively with development and grant implementation teams.
• Higher education fundraising experience a plus.
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