Development Associate - Museum jobs in Connecticut

The Children’s Museum main offices, museum and preschool have recently moved across town to a new location at 180 Mohegan Drive in West Hartford CT. We continue to offer hands-on fun with STEM/STEAM exploration for children and families, school and community groups, and home schooled children. At the Museum, Nature Center, and Preschool and in classrooms throughout Connecticut, we encourage children to become creative thinkers and lifelong learners. All the while, supporting families and the community in their role in our children’s advancement. The Children engage in our interactive labs, workshops, multi-sensory exhibits and demonstrations, a live wildlife sanctuary, vacation camps, birthday parties, scout activities, and special events. Our unique Children’s Museum Preschool, co-located with our West Hartford Museum, integrates science experiences into early childhood learning and a play based curriculum. Our nearby Roaring Brook Nature Center in Canton offers environmental exhibits, nature programs, concerts and acres of outdoor hiking, bird watching, and winter cross-country skiing.

The Children’s Museum Group will inspire life-long learning among children and their caregivers by providing experiential learning programs covering STEAM/STEM, health, nature, and the environment. Entertaining, stimulating, and unique to the area, our programs will assist the development of curious, confident, and innovative children creating the basis for successful adults. In so doing, The Children’s Museum will continue to be a valued asset and partner in the community.

Grants Development Coordinator

The Children’s Museum Group in West Hartford CT seeks to fill a full-time Grants Coordinator position. This position works with the Development Team as a key team member working alongside lead staff and museum management to engage in fund development functions with an emphasis on providing research, grant writing and reporting for programs and projects that are funded or sponsored, by Federal, State, corporate and private individual grants.

Essential Functions:

• Write and submit grant proposals in a timely manner.
• Research and find new funding opportunities.
• Maintain a current database of active, future, and possible funding opportunities; keep them in good standing, report and monitor any changes.
• Provide stewardship to existing funders. Develop and manage relationships with leaders within funding sources as well as arrange for meetings, tours, and introductions to staff, trustees, and museum leadership as needed.
• Work with museum staff and leadership to develop budgets, reports, and ancillary materials needed to create and support grant proposals and the grant reporting process.
• Provide detailed reports to funders, museum leadership, and trustees with respect to progress toward funding goals and implementation.
• Communicate effectively with museum leaders and staff to identify and prioritize programs and projects that need funded support.
• Take photos of museum programs or events to help with marketing and grants.
• Assist with other related projects as requested.

Essential Skills:

• Demonstrates effective and productive writing, communication, and organizational skills.
• Knowledge of basic fundraising models and strategies.
• Must possess strong networking skills and be comfortable with reaching out to prospective funders and supporters via e-mail, phone, written correspondence, and through attendance at community events and in-person meetings.
• Ability to prioritize projects, meet deadlines, and produce quality results within appropriate timeframe.
• Must show excellent computer skills with all Microsoft Office programs including Word and Excel.
• Must have efficient and strong time and record-keeping management skills.
• The ability to quickly immerse oneself in the organization’s culture and mission and demonstrate an understanding of the overall business and organizational objectives.
• Ability to foster a team approach and work collaboratively to move agenda.
• Experience with database tracking and management.

Qualifications:

• Multi-year experience in grant writing with a record of accomplishment for successfully raising money from contributed sources.
• Prior experience with not-for-profit fundraising.
• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree preferred.

This position is full-time at 40 hours per week and is non-exempt. Insurance and PTO benefits are available.

Salary range: $22 to $26 per hour, dependent on experience and prior demonstrated funding successes

This position reports to the Development Director and works collaboratively with staff at the West Hartford Museum and Preschool and the Canton Nature Center locations.

To apply and to be considered, please email a cover letter, resume, writing sample, references, and salary expectations to HR@thechildrensmuseumct.org. Applications will not be considered without a supporting documentation and a list of references, pre-authorized for contact.

Or mail to:

The Children’s Museum Group

Attn: Human Resources

The Children’s Museum Inc.

180 Mohegan Drive

West Hartford CT 06117

(No phone calls please)

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $22.00 - $26.00 per hour

Expected hours: 40 per week

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Employee discount
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift
• Monday to Friday

Education:

• Bachelor's (Preferred)

Experience:

• Grant writing: 3 years (Required)
• Not-for-Profit Fundraising: 3 years (Required)
• Microsoft Office: 5 years (Preferred)
• Microsoft Excel: 5 years (Preferred)
• Graphic design: 3 years (Preferred)
• Data entry: 1 year (Preferred)

Work Location: In person