Grants and
Program
Administrator

Jerome Foundation, founded in 1964 by artist and philanthropist Jerome Hill, supports early career artists in the creation, development and production of new original work. Our geographic funding focus is the state of Minnesota and the five boroughs of New York City. We focus our grantmaking through grants and fellowships to individual artists, grants to arts organizations, and broad field-building initiatives that support early career artists.

This is an important moment of transition at the Foundation. Eleanor Savage was named as president and CEO in April 2023, charged with furthering the organization’s commitment to innovative and flexible grantmaking programs for early career artists and arts ecosystems that focus on racial equity and the role artists and culture bearers play in societal change. The Foundation’s leadership, staff and board members are responsive and dynamic in their work with and advocacy for early career artists, guided by the values of equity, diversity, risk and innovation and humility.

The Foundation awards approximately $4 million in grants each year. In 2020, the Board of Directors agreed to increase this grants budget by an additional $8M over four years.

The Foundation currently has a full-time staff of 3, including a President, a NYC Program Officer and a Finance and Operation Manager (who most recently served as the Grants and Program Administrator). Additional contract staff include a contracted Accountant and a Controller. We are hiring a MN Program Officer and a Grants and Program Administrator.

For more information about the Foundation, see its Annual Report for the most recent fiscal year, and learn more about its programs, grantees, Staff, Board and Members.

The Jerome members, board and staff is made up of artists, arts and cultural leaders, and community members who are deeply committed to developing an inclusive and collaborative organizational culture and practices that promote equity and accessibility. All staff members contribute to a nurturing and supportive culture, internally and externally, as well as to the strategic direction of our work and the daily programmatic and administrative responsibilities. We foster a culture of belonging in service to artists and arts organizations. We are responsive, respectful, understanding of change and difference, and open to critical discourse and learning.

The Grants and Program Administrator is an essential coordinator for Jerome’s grant application and review process, managing communications related to application cycles, contracting, reporting, grant payments, and other administrative functions; maintaining databases and generating data analysis; and facilitating effective communication between the Foundation and its grantees.

This position is often a point of contact and provider of technical support for applicants and grantees related to the online application and reporting platform in Submittable. The GPA is also heavily involved in developing strategies to optimize the grant administration process to support evolving programmatic needs, will work closely and collaboratively with all Jerome staff, and will interact directly with grantees.

The Grants and Program Administrator job is an exempt position, including office hours Monday through Friday, with occasional weekend and evening meetings. This position has some flexibility but requires staff to prioritize based on program and board meeting timelines and deadlines. There will be specific times (including staff meetings, grant panel meetings, quarterly Board meetings, etc.) that will require mandatory attendance. There is occasional travel within state, as well as to New York City.

• Manage the entire grant life cycle, including developing and disseminating grant guidelines, applications, and the review process.
• Serve as a point of contact for grant-related inquiries, providing guidance and support to potential and current grantees.
• Assess eligibility and contribute to background research for program staff as needed.
• Contribute to creating written materials and reports for Board meetings, press releases, web articles and listings, etc.
• Create and distribute electronic communications, grantee surveys, etc., in collaboration with Program staff.
• Participate and work with Program staff to create materials for webinars, learning sessions, etc.
• Develop reports on grant statistics for internal and external communications to constituents.
• Assure the accuracy and integrity of the grants database.
• Coordinate with Finance and Operations Manager on tracking of grant award letters, contracts, and other necessary documentation and data entry.
• Work with Program staff to provide appropriate feedback to applicants.
• Track and proactively monitor grantee progress, ensuring timely reporting and compliance with grant requirements.
• Update images and text on Foundation website
• Work with Finance and Operations Manager to prepare yearly reports for Candid/GuideStar and other philanthropic efforts as requested.
• Maintain grant records in compliance with the Foundation’s retention policies.
• Assist Program staff in scheduling and hosting convenings and panel meetings
• Supervise temporary employees’ work on data entry and archiving.
• Develop, create, and seek new and better ways to improve grant administration functions.
• Set the tone for a professional, positive, responsive, and problem-solving-oriented work environment.
• Strive to make the grant administration processes as equitable, efficient, and effective as possible.
• Work collaboratively with staff, Board, contractors, and consultants.

The Jerome Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and diversity is a core value. We encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply.

The above list of responsibilities is not intended to encompass all functions of the position, rather, they are a general framework of the requirements of the position. Job incumbents may be required to perform other functions not specifically addressed in this description.

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of three to five years’ experience in nonprofit administration (a combination of education and relevant experience will also be considered).
• Experience with database management (and database software such as Filemaker, Access, Airtable, etc.) and a thorough understanding of data integrity methods and procedures.
• Advanced skills in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook (or Google Workspaces).
• Demonstrated ability and competency in the use of Mac computers and technology.
• Familiarity with hosting meetings and webinars via Zoom.
• Excellent written, interpersonal, and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear and concise reports and correspondence.
• Excellent attention to detail, strong project management and organization skills, and an ability to meet deadlines while managing multiple complex tasks.
• Proven problem-solving skills; solutions focused.
• Ability to work independently as well as collaboratively with president, staff and board members.
• Experience working with and respect for diverse cultures and communities and a strong demonstrated commitment to the Foundation values of equity, diversity, innovation/risk and humility and the Foundation’s overall mission and goals.
• Creative and self-motivated, enjoy bringing new ideas to the organization.
• Flexible working style, willing to give and take, willing to flex to the tasks needed. Comfortable in a small “everyone pitches in” office environment.
• Ability to handle confidential information with appropriate discretion.

• Direct administrative experience with grants management software (e.g., Submittable, Foundant, Fluxx, Salesforce, etc.).
• Experience with web publishing (Drupal or WordPress) and email marketing (Mailchimp, Contact Contact, etc.).
• Familiarity with the arts sector (including knowledge of artistic disciplines, funding trends, and emerging practices).
• Proven experience in grants administration, program management, or a similar role within an arts organization or foundation.
• Experience with arts grant management is a plus.

Interested candidates should note that Jerome employees are ineligible to apply for direct or indirect Jerome grants.

We value our employees and care about their well-being as part of the overall health of the organization. Benefits include:

• Stipend for monthly phone usage
• 90% subsidized medical and dental insurance monthly premiums for the employee and subsidized medical and dental insurance premiums for dependents
• 401k retirement savings plan with an employer match
• Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D), and Long Term Disability insurance – 100% subsidized monthly premiums
• Flexible work from home practices possible after employee is fully independent on all job responsibilities; Jerome’s practice for remote work is at least 60% in office and up to 40% remote.
• Paid time off for holidays, accrued vacation and sick time; paid family, medical leave and bereavement leave
• Support for professional development