Community Leadership Officer, Hamilton County Community Foundation- This position represents the Foundation to the broad community, grantees, donors, and board members, serving as liaison between nonprofit organizations, the community, advising on Hamilton County grantmaking and community issues.
 

What We Do: 

Hamilton County Community Foundation was established in 1991 to address the specific needs of Hamilton County. The Foundation, then called Legacy Fund, provided a broader opportunity for Hamilton County residents to create a living legacy and make an impact during their lifetimes, directly in their neighborhood.

In 1997, Hamilton County Community Foundation partnered with The Indianapolis Foundation to create Central Indiana Community Foundation (CICF). This partnership has led to a regional approach to grantmaking initiatives in Central Indiana and provides a more comprehensive suite of services to fundholders. CICF, The Indianapolis Foundation, Hamilton County Community Foundation and Women’s Fund of Central Indiana are a $1 billion collective of philanthropic organizations committed to making Central Indiana a community where all individuals have equitable opportunity to reach their full potential – no matter place, race or identity. While CICF is a strategic and synergistic partnership, Hamilton County Community Foundation and The Indianapolis Foundation continue to serve the unique needs of their individual communities.

We help people invest in the causes that matter most to them, award grants to effective not-for-profit organizations, and provide leadership to build a better, more beautiful, more equitable community. Our values include anti-racism, authentic relationships, inclusivity, leadership, effectiveness and sustainability.

What We’re Looking For: 

This position represents the Foundation to the broad community, grantees, donors, and board members, serving as liaison between nonprofit organizations, the community, advising on Hamilton County grantmaking and community issues. This position also provides guidance to organizations applying for grants and to individuals conducting grantmaking. This person is responsible for managing a portfolio of activities in the grantmaking and community engagement process, serving as a convener for community issues and facilitator for Foundation supported community initiatives in Hamilton County. This person must maintain high standards of ethics and confidentiality.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

The following functions are essential for the successful performance of this position:

1. Public Liaison and Community Outreach: Act as the Foundation’s representative by meeting with nonprofit organizations to evaluate their effectiveness. Educate nonprofits about the Foundation’s mission and funding opportunities, attend community events, and give presentations on topics such as grant seeking and philanthropy.
2. Grantmaking Guidance: Help nonprofit organizations understand and meet the Foundation’s grantmaking criteria. Assess their governance, financial health, and collaboration with others. Review proposals and provide feedback to ensure they align with Foundation priorities.
3. Evaluation and Recommendations: Prepare evaluations of grant applications, making recommendations for approval. Ensure grantees align with the Foundation’s mission. Monitor grant performance through site visits and reports, using insights to guide future funding decisions.
4. Community Leadership Initiatives: Lead and manage community leadership projects. This includes organizing internal and external meetings, guiding communications about the Foundation’s role, and collaborating with other community organizations. Oversee scholarship program and competitive grantmaking for family foundations.
5. Research and Analysis: Conduct research to identify community needs and trends that can inform the Foundation’s grantmaking. Explore national funding opportunities and develop strategies to address specific funding goals.
6. Donor Engagement: Serve as a resource for fund advisors and work with the donor engagement officer to encourage co-investment in the Foundation’s community initiatives.
7. Other Duties as Assigned: Perform additional tasks as needed to support the Foundation’s work.

Required Skills and Qualifications:

The following are the qualifications and minimum requirements necessary for a person to perform this job:

• Ability to perform the essential functions of the position.
• Minimum of three years experience in the nonprofit or public sector is required; experience in grantmaking, project management, and task group management is preferred.
• Familiarity with Hamilton County, its communities, critical issues, key organizations, civic leaders and resources required.
• Ability to effectively interact and communicate with others in an appropriate manner. This includes excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to discuss and present multiple concepts with others.
• Excellent conceptual, analytical and strategic planning skills.
• Strong organizational, time management and workload prioritizing skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team and independently with little supervision.
• Ability to organize, facilitate, and manage projects and meetings in an efficient and effective manner.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends as necessary.
• Ability to travel between multiple office locations and attend off-site events, such as community events and meetings.

Working Conditions: Flexible hybrid office environment (in office three days a week). Home base–English Foundation Building in downtown Indianapolis, plus additional space and expectation of presence in Hamilton County Community Foundation’s Fishers office.

What You Get:

• $60,000 salary plus generous benefits, including:
• Employer-provided health, dental, vision 
• 7% percent employer discretionary 403b contribution
• Potential for an annual bonus based on organizational and individual performance
• 10.5 paid holidays, including MLK Day and Juneteenth
• Flexible, hybrid work arrangement - Work from home on Mondays and Fridays
• Homebase–Newly renovated office space in Fishers, just off I-69 and 116th St. 
• An opportunity to do meaningful, results-driven work with a passionate, diverse team, supporting organizations that are committed to building and maintaining a strong, equitable and supportive culture for our team of changemakers.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYMENT:  

Central Indiana Community Foundation, The Indianapolis Foundation, Hamilton County Community Foundation and Women’s Fund of Central Indiana are equal opportunity employers that seek to recruit persons of diverse backgrounds and to support their retention and advancement. Justice is one of our core values, and we are committed to fostering a workplace culture inclusive of people with respect to their race, ethnicity, national origin, gender/gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, veteran status, marital status, age, disabilities, political affiliation, religious beliefs or any other characteristic. Our commitment to justice and diversity also means providing a work environment that is welcoming, respectful, and engaging. 

Our mission is to mobilize people, ideas and investments to make Central Indiana a community where all individuals have equitable opportunity to reach their full potential—no matter place, race or identity. 

Racism deeply impacts the well-being of our communities, compounding existing disparities and creating intersectional barriers. We strive to name and address these barriers through community engagement and assessment, relevant and effective policy creation, and organizational accountability methods. We support initiatives that address all forms of oppression, however, maintaining an explicit focus on race is essential to advancing equity across our communities. Improving outcomes for people of color will improve outcomes for everyone.