Institutional Giving Manager

About The Auditorium The Auditorium is a National Historic Landmark and a leading performing arts venue committed to presenting the finest in international, cultural, community, and educational programming. We are dedicated to fostering artistic excellence, expanding access to the arts, and supporting the vibrant cultural landscape of Chicago. Our team is passionate, mission-driven, and united in the belief that the performing arts can transform communities. ________________________________________ Position Summary The Institutional Giving Manager is a key member of the Development team and is responsible for driving all foundation, government, and corporate fundraising efforts. This individual manages the full lifecycle of institutional giving—from research and prospecting to proposal development, grant reporting, stewardship, and relationship management. The ideal candidate is a superb writer, a strategic thinker, highly organized, and adept at building and sustaining institutional partnerships. This role requires strong cross-departmental collaboration to ensure that proposals and reports accurately reflect program activities, artistic initiatives, and organizational priorities. The Institutional Giving Manager reports to the Senior Director of Development and collaborates closely with the Finance, Programming, Creative Engagement, Operations, and Individual Giving teams. ________________________________________

Key Responsibilities

Grant & Proposal Management

• Research, write, and manage all foundation, government, and corporate grant proposals, reports, and letters of inquiry.
• Maintain a comprehensive grants calendar, ensuring timely submission of applications and required reporting.
• Develop compelling narratives, budgets, and supplemental materials that reflect program, artistic, and operational needs.

Institutional Relationship Building

• Manage relationships with foundation program officers, government agency staff, and corporate partners.
• Conduct regular funder updates, coordinate site visits, and support leadership in donor-facing meetings.
• Provide exceptional stewardship and maintain compliance with all funding requirements and grant agreements.

Corporate Partnerships

• Develop and refine corporate sponsorship packages tailored to performances, programs, education initiatives, and special events.
• Produce polished wrap-up/impact reports for corporate sponsors demonstrating ROI and community impact.
• Support recognition and activation for corporate sponsors for presented and creative engagement programming

Prospecting & Pipeline Development

• Research and identify new institutional funders across foundations, corporations, and government entities.
• Track and evaluate prospect alignment with organizational priorities and future programmatic opportunities.

Cross-Departmental Collaboration

• Partner with Programming and Creative Engagement teams to gather accurate information on past and future performances, community engagement, and other initiatives.
• Work with Finance to prepare accurate project and organizational budgets for proposals and reports.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Events teams to coordinate institutional recognition, branding, and engagement opportunities.
• Meet with Operations to understand long-term goals regarding capital improvements and request timely updates and materials to support capital grant reporting

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Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree; 3–5 years of experience in nonprofit development, grant writing, or institutional fundraising (government grant management preferred)
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills, with the ability to translate artistic and programmatic content into compelling cases for support.
• Strong organization and project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple deadlines simultaneously.
• Demonstrated success securing foundation, government, and/or corporate support.
• Ability to cultivate and steward professional relationships with funders and partners.
• Comfort working both independently and collaboratively in a multi-faceted environment.
• Experience working with CRM or fundraising databases (Salesforce preferred).
• Performing arts or cultural sector experience preferred

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