Director, Institutional Giving

At Fountain House, we believe in the power of community to transform the lives of individuals with serious mental illness. Every day, thousands of members choose to come to Fountain House to contribute their talents, learn new skills, access opportunities, and form friendships. Members and staff operate successful employment, education, wellness programs and work as partners to perform all the functions that keep our community going.

The Fountain House model has been replicated in more than 300 locations in 30 countries and 32 states and currently serves more than 100,000 people with mental illness worldwide. As originators of this approach, we provide leadership by constantly advancing the practice and by leading the conversation around mental health recovery. As a result, Fountain House has created a comprehensive Community System of Care.

This includes Clubhouses in Manhattan, the Bronx, Hollywood, California and Care Management, Home and Community-Based Services, and a large housing program ranging from 24-hour supervised residences to scattered-site supported apartments. We are committed to reducing social isolation, advocating for mental health policy change, and driving solutions that empower our members.

The Director, Institutional Giving at Fountain House will embody the values of the clubhouse model, demonstrating what we call our HERO characteristics: fierce optimism, professional curiosity, and a deeply communitarian approach to partnerships, leadership, and engagement.

The overall role of the Director of Institutional Giving position is to grow public and private funding revenue by identifying, securing, and stewarding grant opportunities for Fountain House from new funding sources, and to strengthen current relationships. This is a relationship-driven role. The Director is expected to know their portfolio well, be in front of funders regularly, and create the kind of ongoing engagement that turns a first gift into a multi-year partnership.

Writing is one part of this work, and a comparatively small part. The larger part is strategy, cultivation, stewardship, and presence. This position will cultivate relationships with private and public (city, state, and federal government) funders and other external partners to build support for Fountain House and its mission to help people living with serious mental illness overcome social isolation and build the community and the resilience needed to thrive in society.

The Director actively works to reduce cold submissions. Every proposal that goes out to a funder with no prior relationship represents a missed opportunity for cultivation. The Director is responsible for building a pipeline in which most asks are preceded by real engagement: meetings, site visits, informal check-ins, tailored updates, and the creative touchpoints that make Fountain House memorable to a program officer.

This position supervises and coaches development staff, including grant writers, and is accountable for their growth as well as their output.

Salary: $100k - $110,000

Minimum x2 days per week on-site (Hell's Kitchen)

During the 3-month onboarding period, a greater on-site presence may be required

• Own and actively steward a portfolio of current and prospective institutional funders, maintaining regular contact independent of proposal and reporting cycles.
• Design and execute creative, tailored touchpoints that keep Fountain House visible to funders between formal deliverables. This includes program updates timed to a funder’s interests, invitations to clubhouse events, connections to relevant Fountain House research, and introductions to leadership and members.
• Take the lead in funder meetings. The…