Institutional Giving & Grants Manager

Make lives meaningful through making.

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+. Penland operates with a $54 million endowment and an annual operating budget of $8.4 million.

We are located about an hour northeast of Asheville, NC.

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.

This position contributes to advancement planning and institutional fundraising strategy across foundation, corporate, and government funding sources. 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. This position is well‑structured and is expected to manage and influence approximately $1 M–$2 M 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. We are looking for an individual willing to work at our Penland campus due to on‑campus and team expectations. Penland is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, an hour from Asheville, NC. It is a vibrant, artistic rural community.

• Institutional Giving Stewardship and Solicitation
• Grants Writing and Management
• Data Management
• Department Support

• Bachelor’s degree required; equivalent combination of education and relevant experience will be considered.
• Minimum of 4–6 years of nonprofit grant writing and grants management experience, with demonstrated success securing foundation and/or corporate funding.
• Proven ability to manage a portfolio of institutional funders and meet revenue goals.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain professional relationships with institutional funders and community partners.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to craft compelling proposals and reports.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and complex submission calendars.
• Experience working with donor database systems (Raiser’s Edge or similar CRM preferred). Strong computer skills.
• Ability to interpret and collaborate on program budgets and financial information.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across departments.
• Commitment to confidentiality and professional discretion.
• A sense of humor…