Institutional Giving & Grants Manager

Penland School of Craft is an international center for craft education offering residential workshops, residencies, community education programs, and exhibitions. Located on 420 acres in the NC Mountains, Penland has 16 teaching studios and 60 historic and contemporary buildings. We are an equal‑opportunity employer with a staff of 50+.

At Penland School of Craft, we believe that fostering a climate of equity, inclusion, diversity, and antiracism are essential to our work. We are committed to creating a campus community free of discrimination, and we welcome everyone who supports this commitment.

Black, Indigenous, Latine, Asian, and other people who identify as people of color or BIPOC individuals are encouraged to apply, as are people holding other marginalized identities related to gender, sexual orientation, ability, and class background.

The Institutional Giving & Grants Manager secures and stewards foundation, corporate, and government support for Penland’s operations, special projects, and strategic initiatives. The position manages all aspects of the institutional giving lifecycle, including prospect research, proposal development, sponsorship cultivation, reporting, and grants administration. This role manages a diversified portfolio of institutional funders and collaborates across departments to align funding opportunities with organizational priorities.

Prior experience in nonprofit grant writing and grants management is strongly preferred; experience in the arts is a plus. The successful candidate will demonstrate excellent written and verbal communication skills, strong attention to detail, and proficiency with relevant computer and database systems.

This position is responsible for managing and growing a portfolio of institutional support that contributes significantly to Penland’s annual operating, programmatic, and strategic fundraising goals. It will manage a portfolio of 35-50 funders and prospects and is expected to influence approximately $1M–$2M in annual philanthropic revenue.

This position reports to the Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) and serves on the development team, which includes 7 staff members. This is a full‑time, year‑round, exempt, benefits‑eligible position. The role requires on‑campus work due to team expectations.

• Research and identify corporate and foundation prospects and opportunities; assist the CAO and Executive Director (ED) in developing engagement strategies.
• Support strategic donor outreach and communications, and maintain regular correspondence with key funding representatives.
• Manage a portfolio of 35–50 active institutional funders and prospects; conduct and document 75–150 engagements annually, including proposals, reports, meetings, and strategic communications.
• Cultivate, solicit, and steward institutional funders through strategic engagement, including virtual and in‑person meetings, site visits, proposals, and stewardship activities.
• Prepare for and participate in annual legislative visits.
• Identify and pursue corporate sponsorship opportunities for programs, exhibitions, events, and initiatives; collaborate with events staff and other departments.
• Develop sponsorship packages and proposals in collaboration with advancement, programs, and marketing teams.
• Manage sponsor recognition, benefits fulfillment, and ongoing stewardship.
• Support campaign readiness and strategic fundraising initiatives through institutional prospect development and stewardship.

• Develop and manage a comprehensive grants strategy aligned with organizational goals and revenue targets.
• Build and sustain a pipeline of prospective institutional funders by researching new grant prospects.
• Serve as lead writer and coordinator for foundation, corporate, and select government grant proposals and reports.
• Manage the grant submission process, including data collection, proposal and budget completion, tracking, reporting, and corresponding with donors.
• Ensure timely submission of all grant reports, renewals, and compliance…