Organization Overview  
Girls Inc. inspires all girls to be strong, smart, and bold. Our comprehensive approach to whole girl development equips girls to navigate gender, economic, and social barriers and grow up healthy, educated, and independent. These positive outcomes are achieved through three core elements: people – trained staff and volunteers who build lasting, mentoring relationships; environment – girls-only, physically and emotionally safe, where there is a sisterhood of support, high expectations, and mutual respect; and programming – research-based, hands-on and minds-on, age-appropriate, meeting the needs of today’s girls. Informed by girls and their families, we also advocate for legislation and policies to increase opportunities for all girls and address the systemic barriers that impede girls’ success, particularly girls in low-income communities and girls of color. 

Position Overview:

Girls Inc. of Chicago is seeking a dynamic and highly motivated individual to join our nonprofit organization as a Development Specialist. This key role will focus on both fundraising and communications/marketing efforts, with a strong emphasis on grant writing, grant reporting, and supporting donor engagement and strategic communications. The ideal candidate will have proven experience in fundraising, including grant writing and reporting, and will support the implementation of communications strategies that elevate the organization’s visibility and engage diverse audiences. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, along with a passion for our mission, are essential. This role reports to the Director of Development. 

Primary Responsibilities:  

• Grant Writing: Prepare and submit grant proposals to various foundations, corporations, and government agencies to secure funding for the organization’s programs and initiatives. Collaborate with program and community engagement management and other stakeholders to gather necessary information and data for grant applications.  
• Grant Management: Track and monitor the status of submitted grant proposals, ensuring compliance with all grant requirements and deadlines. Prepare progress reports for grantors, detailing the use and impact of funds received. Collaborate with Programs, Community Engagement, and Finance and Operations departments to submit grant proposals and reporting. Additionally, identify and manage upcoming grant opportunities, ensuring timely submission of proposals. 
• Research and Prospect Identification: Conduct research to identify potential grant opportunities and individual, corporate, and foundation funding prospects. Stay informed about new funding opportunities and trends in the nonprofit sector. 
• Donor Prospecting, Cultivation, and Stewardship: Support donor database management, including gift entry, preparing donor acknowledgments, and maintaining accurate records. Assist in cultivating relationships with donors, sponsors, and partners through personalized engagement and stewardship efforts. 
• Communications Strategy: Assist in the creation and implementation of a comprehensive communications strategy to enhance visibility and support fundraising initiatives. This includes creating and distributing content via website, social media, newsletters, impact reports, and email campaigns, as well as crafting media advisories and press releases to showcase the impact of Girls Inc. of Chicago’s work. 
• Content Creation: Create compelling and persuasive content for grant applications, fundraising appeals, marketing materials, and other communication platforms. Utilize storytelling techniques to highlight the organization’s impact and success stories, tailoring messages to resonate with specific audiences. 
• Event Support: Assist with event marketing and communications, creation of talking points for speakers, and day-of coordination. Provide support in pre- and post-event communications and engagement. 
• Collaboration and Networking: Collaborate with various departments within the organization to gather information, statistics, and stories for grant proposals and communications. Build and maintain relationships with potential funders, partners, and community stakeholders.  
• Evaluation and Reporting: Participate in the evaluation and measurement of program outcomes and impact. Assist in preparing reports for internal use and external stakeholders, demonstrating the organization’s effectiveness in achieving its mission. 
• Outcome Measurement: Collaborate with each department lead and team to define and measure outcomes including the creation of pre and post assessments and other survey instruments to measure girls’ knowledge, acquisition, skill development, and behavior change 
• Data Quality Assurance: Notify Executive Leadership Team members of inconsistencies, missing data or challenges to data analyses. 
• Other Duties: Perform any other duties as needed to help drive our vision, fulfill our mission, and abide by our organization’s values. 

Qualifications:  

• Bachelor’s degree in nonprofit management, communications, English, journalism, or related field (master’s degree preferred).  
• Proven success in fundraising, particularly in grant writing and donor engagement for nonprofit organizations. 
• Knowledge of grant application processes and grant management best practices.  
• Strong research and analytical skills to identify and evaluate funding opportunities.  
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with attention to detail and the ability to convey impactful messages to diverse audiences. 
• Proficiency in creating and executing communication strategies across various platforms.  
• Familiarity with donor cultivation and stewardship best practices. 
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple projects, and meet deadlines.  
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders. 
• Experience working with diverse populations and a passion for the mission of Girls Inc. 

Highly Preferred:  

• Familiarity with DonorPerfect or similar fundraising software.  
• Experience with Canva and/or the Adobe Suite of design software including InDesign and Illustrator.  
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and email marketing platforms such as Constant Contact. 

Working Conditions:  

This position is based in our nonprofit organization’s office with opportunities for hybrid work. It may require occasional evening or weekend work during peak periods, such as grant deadlines or fundraising events.  

Girls Inc. of Chicago has a Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policy  

GIRLS INC. IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER