Grantmaking and Community Engagement Manager

Grantmaking and Community Engagement Manager 

Status: Full-Time, Exempt

Reports To: Strategic Officer

About the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia 

CFNOVA has been the premier charitable partner trusted by thousands of generous Northern Virginians since 1978. Our mission is to advance equity through philanthropy and community engagement. CFNOVA serves the entire region, including Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William Counties and the Cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas Park. 

Position Summary

The Grantmaking and Community Engagement Manager is a hands-on role responsible for supporting CFNOVA’s grantmaking, scholarship administration, and nonprofit and community engagement. This position combines operational execution with relationship-based work, ensuring that grantmaking activities are delivered accurately, efficiently, and in alignment with CFNOVA’s mission, vision, and values.

Working closely with the Strategic Officer and the Grants and Scholarships Manager, this role supports discretionary grant cycles, scholarships, significant donor-advised funds, giving circles, and related community engagement activities. The Grantmaking and Community Engagement Manager is expected to be actively engaged in the daily processing and administration of grants and scholarships, ensuring work is carried out accurately and efficiently.

Key Responsibilities

Grantmaking Operations and CRM (Customer Relationship Management)

• Perform day-to-day grantmaking and scholarship operations, including application setup, data entry, processing, approvals, and record maintenance.
• Maintain accurate records, processing grants and scholarships, and producing standard and ad hoc reports.
• Coordinate with Finance and Donor Services to support timely grant payments, reconciliation, and compliance, maintaining complete and audit-ready documentation aligned with National Standards for Community Foundations.

Discretionary Grantmaking and Scholarships

• Coordinate the planning, implementation, and evaluation of discretionary grant cycles and scholarship funds.
• Manage application timelines, selection committee coordination, review processes, and award notifications.
• Provide technical assistance to applicants, including guidance during the application process and constructive feedback when funding is not awarded.
• Ensure grantmaking and scholarship activities comply with legal, regulatory, and Foundation requirements.
• Support donor-advised fundholders by identifying and sharing relevant community funding opportunities.
• Manage capacity building grants, nonprofit training, and learning opportunities.

Nonprofit and Community Engagement

• Build and maintain strong working relationships with regional nonprofit leaders, funders, community partners, volunteers, and advisors.
• Represent CFNOVA in community meetings, site visits, collaborations, and convenings as appropriate.
• Support giving circles and donor-advised initiatives through coordination, communication, and grantmaking support.
• Support community convenings and events, including the Shape of the Region Conference and other engagement activities.
• Remain informed of national and regional philanthropic and nonprofit trends, including legislation and collaboration opportunities. 

Community Impact and Learning

• Monitor outputs, outcomes, and written summaries along with participation data related to grantmaking and community engagement efforts.
• Support evaluation and learning by organizing data, summarizing results, identifying trends, and providing written summaries.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Communications to contribute to impact stories, reports, and learning materials.
• Stay informed about nonprofit capacity challenges, community needs, and emerging issues across Northern Virginia.

Collaboration and Team Support

• Collaborate closely with the Grants and Scholarships Manager to ensure smooth day-to-day operations and workload coverage.
• Support and coordinate volunteers, selection committees, interns, and temporary staff as applicable.
• Work cross-functionally with Finance, Donor Services, Development, and Communications teams to ensure aligned and effective grantmaking and engagement efforts.
• Meet with current and potential donors to discuss foundation grantmaking processes and opportunities.
• Identify operational challenges and bring forward recommendations for process improvements.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree is required. 
• 3 – 5 years of experience in nonprofit grantmaking, community engagement, philanthropy, or related field.
• Experience in using a grants management or CRM system required; Foundant Community Suite experience is strongly preferred.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple workflows simultaneously.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Knowledge of and experience working in the Northern Virginia community is strongly preferred.

Work Environment and Expectations

• Hybrid work environment with a combination of in-office and remote work.
• Regular local travel to nonprofit and community partner sites.
• Occasional evening or early morning availability to support community events, convenings, and meetings.

Compensation and Benefits

• Salary starting at $74,500, with final compensation commensurate with experience and qualifications.
• 401(k) retirement plan.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Paid holidays, paid volunteer day, and PTO.

CFNOVA is an Equal Opportunity Employer and values diversity and inclusion. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to protected characteristics under applicable law.

Interested candidates should submit a resume and cover letter outlining their qualifications and interest in the role to careers@cfnova.org. 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled. We appreciate all applications; however, only candidates selected for interviews will be contacted.