Program Officer; WA

Wellspring Advisors, a private philanthropic organization, seeks a Program Officer to join its Civil Society Program (CS). CS seeks to help build a fully representative electorate, robustly engaged in the democratic process. Strategies include non-partisan voter engagement (registration, mobilization and education); grassroots, issue and constituency organizing; statewide coalition and issue campaign strategies; and programs addressing research, data and technology, leadership development, voting rights and election administration.

The Civil Society Program’s focus is on historically under- represented constituencies, often known as the New American Majority, and in particular on communities of color. The Civil Society strategy holds that states are an essential arena for change, and that making change is a long-term project – therefore CS invests in supporting sophisticated, multi- faceted, multi-year strategies for bringing change and grassroots empowerment to states.

Under the direction of the Program Director, the Program Officer will focus on the voter engagement, grassroots and community organizing, and state-by-state strategy elements within the Civil Society Program.

The work of the Program Officer will consist of staying abreast of relevant issues, trends, techniques and innovations in voter engagement and organizing strategies; building and maintaining close relationships with grantee organizations; soliciting and reviewing proposals, and recommending and evaluating grants; and participating in funder collaboratives. The Program Officer will be expected to maintain in- depth knowledge about politics and conditions in states where CS is engaged, about the major players and issues, and about strategies and potential strategies for change.

The Program Officer will be expected to focus not just on individual organizations but on networks, coalitions and the broader ecosystem for change, and to invest themselves creatively and effectively in promoting collaboration and coordination to achieve long-term impact at ever-increasing scale. Wellspring places a high priority upon humility and discretion in the conduct of its grantmakers. But with those caveats and within those constraints, the Program Officer will be expected to be an active participant in the strategic conversations and debates within the field, and over time, as appropriate, to exert field leadership.

• Under the guidance of the Program Director, develop grantmaking priorities and strategic approaches, and proactively explore and describe grantmaking opportunities and challenges.
• Monitor developments in the field to identify emerging needs, gaps, and opportunities.
• Write strategy and background papers to present and explain sets of proposed grantees and levels of funding.
• Work to integrate measurement and evaluation as well as capacity‑building and technical assistance throughout the program, internally and among grantees.
• Partner with staff from other Wellspring program areas to share strategic thinking and field knowledge, and pursue mutual beneficial collaboration.

• Undertake initial screening of potential grantees; manage grantee relationships; analyze and assess background information; conduct site visits; solicit and develop funding proposals; determine appropriate funding levels (in compliance with Wellspring guidelines and CS priorities); and prepare grant recommendations.
• Review progress reports, conduct evaluations of grantee programs, and monitor use of grant funds.
• Ensure adherence to internal grantmaking processes via appropriate documentation, grant budgeting, and reporting.
• Stay abreast of new developments and trends and provide analyses to synthesize implications for the program.

• With other team members, create annual work plans, annual reports, and undertake other activities to educate donors and clients on issues related to the Civil Society Program.
• Exercise leadership through active engagement with peer funders and civil society organizations working in fields integral to or relevant to the Civil Society Program.
• Engage in creative use of convenings, co-funding,…