Curationist Seeks a Grants & Fundraising Director

National Cash Register Company, American, founded 1884, Cash register used by The Chicago Defender, mid 20th Century, National Museum of African American History and Culture, Smithsonian Institution. CC0.
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THIS POSITION HAS BEEN FILLED.
Curationist is building a free, open-access digital archive that helps people around the world connect to art, culture, and history—with equity and justice at the core.
We’re looking for a Grants & Fundraising Director who knows how to open doors. You’ll lead our fundraising strategy, build and nurture relationships with funders and champions of the arts & humanities , and craft compelling proposals that bring in the resources to power cultural change.
You’ll thrive in this role if you:
- Have a strong network—or the savvy to build one—in the GLAM, philanthropy, or cultural sectors
- Know how to match bold ideas with aligned funding
- Can write proposals that move funders to action
- Care about decolonial approaches, equity in heritage, and digital openness
- Love working independently, across teams, and toward big goals
Join us if you believe access to culture can change the world.
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Grants & Fundraising Director
Employment Type: Remote, Part-time Contractor
Time Commitment: 70 hours per month, billed to actuals worked
Hourly Rate: $75.00US per hour
Reports to: Executive Director
Proposed Start Date: Immediate
Position Overview:
We are seeking a talented and experienced Grants & Fundraising Director to join our dynamic team. The Grants & Fundraising Director works across all areas of the Curationist.org’s programs and offerings with a focus of finding funding opportunities. The Grants Director will be the lead in researching, writing, and submitting grant proposals to secure funding ranging for the Foundation itself to particular programs or projects. This role requires excellent writing skills, specific working knowledge and contacts in the Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM) sector with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and the ability to translate complex technical information into clear and compelling narratives.
This position requires the ability to work on multiple projects with a range of partners, collaborators, and stakeholders, simultaneously.
About Curationist:
Curationist.org is an emergent free-knowledge ecosystem made for curating and sharing global art and cultural heritage. Our goal is to deepen cultural awareness by creating accessible and equitable content about art and cultural heritage.
Curationist is developing a free digital archive of art and cultural heritage images culled from
leading institutions from around the world. We are a non-profit organization dedicated to
producing educational content that responsibly and respectfully updates and challenges the historical record. All of the digital works on our site are open access, and in the public domain. We aim to help people learn about cultural heritage in fun, engaging, and inclusive ways. We envision an open collaborative platform where people can situate themselves in an artistically and culturally diverse, dynamic, and expanding world.
Curationist is dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment. We are guided by our commitment to geographic diversity, anti-colonial, anti-racist, feminist, and queer practices in building our team, delivering content, and cultivating community. Transformation and innovation occur when varied ideas, perspectives, and backgrounds emerge as a collective voice.
Responsibilities:
Research and Identify Funding Opportunities:
- Conduct thorough research to identify relevant grant opportunities from government, organizations and private sources.
- Stay updated on changes in funding guidelines, policies, and program requirements.
Relationship Building
- Be the key point of contact for the organization's sponsors and donors. Cultivating these relationships, ensuring their satisfaction, and retaining their support are crucial for continuous fundraising.
- Build relationships with donors, oversee fundraising events, and collaborate with other departments to maximize fundraising efforts.
- Keep major donors and companies informed of the impact of their donations and key milestones.
- Raise awareness of the organization's work with donors and communicate with potential donors.
- Create marketing and promotional materials to support fundraising efforts and enhance donor engagement.
Donation Strategy Development:
- Work with the Platform and Community Directors to define overall strategy for donations and funding for Curationist from private and public organizations.
- Advise on unexplored areas of opportunity for solicitation and grant development.
Grant Proposal Development:
- Collaborate with Platform and Community Directors to understand their projects and funding needs.
- Write compelling and persuasive grant proposals, ensuring they align with funding requirements and criteria.
- Develop timelines, and other supporting documents required for grant submissions.
Grant Calendar Management:
- Manage the entire grant application process, including coordinating with Curationist internal teams to gather necessary information and documentation.
- Track and report on the status of all grant applications, ensuring deadlines are met.
- Provide post-submission follow-up, including responding to funders' inquiries and submitting additional information as needed.
Documentation and Compliance:
- Ensure all grant proposals are thoroughly documented and compliant with funders' guidelines.
- Maintain accurate records of all grant submissions and outcomes.
Communication and Support:
- Act as the primary point of contact for the team throughout the grant application process.
- Provide regular updates and reports to the team on the status of the applications.
Qualifications and Strengths:
- Proven experience in community outreach or development in the arts or GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives, and museums) or similar sectors across and outside of North America.
- Proven track record of securing grants from government and private sources.
- Demonstrate a thorough understanding and professional commitment to social justice through anti-racist and decolonial work in GLAM spaces, open education and “copyleft” movements in digital spaces, and knowledge parity between Indigenous knowledge holders and institutional authorities.
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in communications, development, grant writing, external communications, and project management.
- Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills with attention to detail.
- Strong research and analytical skills.
- Ability to translate complex technical information into clear and compelling narratives.
- Excellent project management and organizational skills.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and grant management software.
- Track record of taking initiative, working independently, and being resourceful.
- Approaches challenges with creativity, pragmatism and innovation.
- Capable and confident in building collaborative and effective working relationships with a wide range of internal stakeholders.
- Strong problem-solving skills.
- Adaptability and flexibility.
- Education or Related Experience could include; Bachelor's degree in English, Communications, Business, or a related field. Or proven experience in successful fundraising and grant submissions.
Where:
This is remote work, via Zoom, Slack, Google Drive, etc., with weekly synchronous meetings and co-working sessions to be set by the team.
Sounds Like a Good Fit?
Send your cover letter and resume to jobs@curationist.org. with the subject line: Grants & Fundraising Director.
Let us know about you, your applicable experience, relevant skills, how you connect with this job posting, and your interests in arts and culture.
Please put the title of the position you are applying for in the subject line.