Website The Solutions Project
About The Solutions Project
Less than 2% of climate philanthropy supports climate justice organizations doing work on the ground. The Solutions Project (TSP) funds and amplifies Black, Indigenous, Immigrant, and other people of color or women-led organizations across the United States who are creating and scaling climate justice solutions. Through the funding of neighborhood level innovations aimed at solving multiple problems at once, from poor air quality and housing insecurity to exposure to extreme climate disasters, these organizations go well beyond reducing climate emissions to transforming the health, economic, and social outcomes of entire communities. We seek to understand and strengthen pre-existing movement networks and currently grant to over 140 organizations. In 2023, the organization will award $10M through its core grantmaking program and move approximately $5M through its collaborative movement pass-through Funds.
The Solutions Project has been recognized by Fast Company as one of the world’s most innovative nonprofits and its CEO, Gloria Walton, and co-Founder Mark Ruffalo were recently recognized in TIME Magazine’s 2023 Earth Awards in the context of the organization’s trailblazing vision and growing impact.
The Solutions Project is at the forefront of Solidarity Philanthropy, which builds on the foundation of trust-based Philanthropy with practices defined by grassroots organizers and racially-conscious movement work.
Position Description
The Managing Director of Grantmaking & Programs leads all grantmaking at The Solutions Project. Working closely with philanthropic partners, external stakeholders, and grantees. The MD of Grantmaking & Programs is a critical leader in the achievement of TSP’s work in solidarity philanthropy as an intermediary funder that is integrated and intersectional in its approach. The position is responsible for implementing grants and collaborative funds that allow grantees to accelerate climate justice and work with urgency and impact. This role reports directly to the Chief Program and Operations Officer. The MD of Grantmaking & Programs leads a small staff and consultant team, and works closely with the narrative team and development, operations and finance staff.
What We Value
Be bold. We are aspirational, creative, and always proactive. Those at the frontlines of pollution, extraction, and the shared urgency of climate change deserve nothing less.
Be inclusive. We shine the light and invite everyone we can onto the path to a regenerative economy. We follow the leadership of those rooted in frontline communities who are showing the way.
Be movement accountable. We aim to be accountable to the grassroots organizations that we fund and amplify. We leverage and strengthen the field, connecting dots and resourcing others, as needed, seeking input on what we do well, and how we can improve.
Advance equity. We center equity-rooted strategies, community benefits, diverse leadership, and just transitions. The transition to a regenerative economy must center and directly benefit those people most impacted by pollution, extraction, and climate change.
Key Responsibilities
Grantmaking & Programs Leadership
Lead the development of a coherent grantmaking and programs strategy centered on ambitious impact and ecosystem targets and grounded in solidarity philanthropy
Working as an advisor and thought partner to executive leadership, recommend adjustments in and innovations to TSP’s grantmaking approach inclusive of ‘grants plus’ services and offerings that can accelerate grassroots climate justice movements
Advise on and lead evolutions in the organization’s grantee sourcing and selection strategies
Lead the engagement of the organization’s Philanthropic Trustees in the grantmaking process
Strengthen evaluation strategy and capacity to ensure that TSP is able to articulate the aggregate impact of its work, developing grantee evaluation and reporting guidelines that align with the philosophy of Solidarity Philanthropy
Contribute to the development of the TSP strategic plan and fundraising
Foster TSP’s efforts to build an inclusive culture and advance equitable internal policies and external outcomes
Grantmaking Implementation
Manage a small team of staff and consultants to oversee and implement grantmaking
Oversee all organizational grantmaking and the administration of collaborative funds
Ensure robust use of Salesforce – including accurate and up-to-date records and reports – in support of grantmaking
Lead the establishment and management of relationships with grantees
Ensure grantees receive support to identify opportunities, solve problems, and build program capacity and effectiveness
Lead the monitoring and evaluation of program grants
Monitor implementation of grantmaking and collaborative fund performance on a monthly basis to ensure progress toward goals and overall advancement of annual plans and contribute to organizational performance trackers
Collaboration & Movement Strengthening
Partner with the Narrative and Communications team to maximize the impact and effectiveness of the Solutions Project’s narrative and communications services to grantee partners
Partner effectively with peer funders to build awareness of TSP’s strategy, identify ways to support each other, and elevate promising grantees to attract additional funding
Work with executive, development, and communications staff to package, budget for, and frame the development of major grant initiatives and “big bets”
Develop and maintain an extensive and diverse network of partnerships across non-profit, philanthropic, public, and private sectors including in adjacent spaces e.g. feminist philanthropy, women’s funds, mainstream climate philanthropy, global grassroots climate justice movements
Qualifications
10+ years of professional grantmaking experience, ideally inclusive of social justice, racial justice and/ or climate justice fields, including managing, developing and evaluating grantmaking
Deep understanding of and passion for trust-based (solidarity) philanthropy
Experience using online grantmaking tools and databases, ideally including fluency in Salesforce
Experience developing and evaluating strategic philanthropic and programmatic initiatives, including working with colleagues to develop associated budgets and fundraising plans
Solid quantitative skills including fluency in Excel
Good writing skills including experience writing reports and proposals
Comfort operating in a ‘startup’ high growth environment with high levels of ambiguity, combined with high potential for initiative and creativity
Strong people management leading through collaboration and shared accountability
Strong presenter and meeting facilitator
Committed to working with diverse communities and to finding shared goals amongst varying experiences and perspectives
Expertise in collecting and analyzing data to measure grantee and grantmaking success
Experience successfully and independently working and leading in a remote team setting
Compensation and Benefits:
The salary range for this position is $145,000 – 160,000
TriNet medical, dental, and vision insurance plans are fully covered for employees, spouses, and dependents
Full time employees receive 13 paid holidays, 120 hours of flexible PTO, and 10 days of paid sick leave annually with increasing PTO allowance for tenured employees
Employees are eligible for 8 weeks of paid parental leave, with up to 6 months of total leave
Full time employees are eligible for a fully paid, 2-month sabbatical after five years of continuous, full time employment
After nine months of employment, employees have access to a $5,000 annual life-long learning fund that can be used for on-the-job up-skilling, career development and leadership activities, and non-work related lifelong learning activities
Fully remote, with occasional need for travel
To Apply:
The Solutions Project is partnering with RCG Talent Solutions to find our next Managing Director of Grantmaking & Programs. Please use this link to submit your application and direct all questions to openroles@rcgtalent.com.