Director of Grantmaking

Main Street America

5h•$110,000 - $115,000•Remote

About The Position

The Director of Grantmaking is a leadership role at MSA, reporting to Hannah White, Chief Impact Officer. This individual will lead MSA’s grantmaking efforts, overseeing program design, operations, growth, and impact measurement while managing a team of two direct reports and collaborating with others across the team. This role is critical in scaling MSA’s grant programs, ensuring systems and processes are optimized, and fostering strong relationships with partners. Our grantmaking work started in 2021 with a $1 million grant program. In Fiscal Year 2026, MSA aims to grant over $14 million across 5 separate grant programs, continuing our trajectory of rapid growth. The Director of Grantmaking will ensure the success of these efforts while aligning grantmaking practices with MSA’s mission and strategic objectives. MSA’s grantmaking function is a new standalone department that recently moved to the Impact Division, reporting to the Chief Impact Officer. The Director of Grantmaking will help manage this transition and take on departmental leadership responsibilities.

Requirements

At least five years of demonstrated leadership experience in grantmaking or sub-granting, including budget management, system design, and impact measurement.
Strong orientation toward systems design and process improvement, with experience using grant management or project management software.
Direct fundraising and/or B2B sales experience.
Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in grantmaking practices.
Proven ability to lead and manage a team, fostering collaboration and accountability.
Experience with change management and leading teams through growth or transitions, and comfort with ambiguity.
Exceptional planning, adaptability, and relationship-building skills.
Experience aligning operations and systems to support revenue growth.
Eagerness to work in a fast-paced, dynamic, entrepreneurial environment.

Nice To Haves

Direct experience or familiarity with the Main Street program, community economic development, community preservation, or related fields.
Experience working with tech tools and platforms, including Salesforce, Submittable, and Airtable.
Experience working in a matrixed and geographically dispersed organization or institution.
Experience leading teams in a remote-first environment.
Participation in funders networks or holds relevant credentials or professional certificate in grantmaking or fundraising.
Comfort and experience working with Microsoft Suite tools

Responsibilities

Oversee development of departmental and programmatic budgets and closely monitor performance.
Develop and track departmental goals, ensuring alignment with MSA’s organizational strategic plan.
Manage and inspire a team of two direct reports, fostering collaboration and accountability.
Convene staff and coordinate work across an expanded group of internal stakeholders engaged in grantmaking or related functions.
Oversee and support management of five active sub-granting programs.
Provide coaching and professional development opportunities for team members, and manage their ongoing transitions to new, specialized Partnership Management and Revenue Operations roles on the team
Lead assessment of grantmaking platforms and implement improvements for efficiency and scalability.
Audit existing tools like Submittable, Docusign, Airtable, and Asana, ensuring alignment with program needs.
Design and refine systems to improve grant program management and impact measurement.
Support team in adoption of new CRM.
Develop and implement strategies to grow grant programs as a revenue source for MSA.
Monitor budget performance and revenue outcomes, identifying opportunities for optimization.
Align grant operations with long-term organizational goals and network value.
Advise on and help manage sub-granting programs housed within other MSA departments.
Oversee partner management strategy with funder partners, including corporate, philanthropic, and government stakeholders.
Along with members of the team, represent MSA in external engagements to strengthen partnerships and secure funding.
Collaborate across internal and external teams to reconcile partner priorities with MSA’s mission and capacity.