Position status: Fundraising brings in the revenue to pay yourself. All Foundation and newsroom roles are currently pro bono; this specific role helps build the revenue that funds paid positions including its own and the Executive Director's. You will be helping us build the Foundation from the ground-up!
About the role
The Foundation for Local Journalism supports independent, public-interest journalism unique to Port Moody (and Tri-Cities readers) through the Inlet Current. The Foundation is a non-profit society, currently pursuing Registered Journalism Organization (RJO) status which will, in time, make contributions tax-receiptable.
The Fundraising & Grant Writing Coordinator leads the Foundation's fundraising: growing our community of supporters and donors, and building a pipeline of grant funding, so the Foundation can financially support local journalists and fund the staff roles that are currently unpaid.
The role runs two complementary tracks at once:
Near-term fundraising: reader memberships and recurring support, fundraising campaigns, community sponsorships, and events that bring in revenue quickly and grow our supporter base.
Grant funding: researching, writing, submitting, and reporting on grant applications (journalism-specific programs such as the Local Journalism Initiative, and community foundations).
Because these tracks move at different speeds, the priority in the early going is the fast channels (which also help fund this position becoming paid), while the grant pipeline is built in parallel from day one.
Job Overview
We are seeking a dynamic and detail-oriented Fundraising & Grant Writing Coordinator to join our foundation. This role is vital in supporting our mission by securing funding through effective grant proposals and fundraising initiatives. The ideal candidate will possess strong research skills, experience with fundraising databases, and a background in marketing and customer service. This position offers an opportunity to make a meaningful impact while developing professional skills in non-profit fundraising and development.
Responsibilities
Fundraising:
- Assist the Executive Director in developing and managing the Foundation's annual fundraising plan.
- Help design and launch the reader-membership and recurring-support fundraising programs.
- Plan and run fundraising campaigns, events, and outreach efforts, including limited "founding supporter" merchandise drops.
- Cultivate professional and responsive relationships with individual, major, and philanthropic/community supporters and stakeholders.
- Steward donors and supporters, including providing acknowledgements, updates, and reporting on impact.
- Use the Foundation's marketing properties (website, blog, newsletter, press releases, social media) to promote campaigns and encourage public support.
- Manage and maintain donor databases, ensuring accurate and up-to-date records of contributions and communications
Grant Writing:
- Research potential funding sources, including foundations, corporations, and government agencies, to identify grant opportunities aligned with foundation goals
- Write compelling grant proposals and applications that clearly articulate project needs, objectives, and outcomes
- Track grant deadlines, reporting requirements, and follow-up activities to ensure compliance and successful fund utilization
- Conduct research on industry trends, best practices, and new funding opportunities to continuously improve fundraising efforts
- Prioritize grants available to a non-profit society now, and prepare for programs that open once the Foundation obtains RJO / qualified-donee status.
General
- Collaborate with the Executive Director, board, staff, and volunteers.
- Contribute creative ideas for new fundraising opportunities.
- Track and report fundraising results to the board.
- Maintain fundraising records and donor-data practices that keep the Foundation grant-ready and RJO-ready.
Requirements
- Experience in grant writing, fundraising, or development roles within non-profit organizations
- Clear, persuasive writing; able to tell the Foundation's story and make the case for support.
- Strong research skills with the ability to identify new funding opportunities
- Experience working with CRM databases
- Knowledge of marketing principles to effectively promote fundraising campaigns
- Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills; outgoing, enthusiastic, and creative.
- Familiarity with managing grants from application through reporting phases
- Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with team members
- Strong organizational skills with attention to detail in managing multiple projects simultaneously
- A love of local news and Port Moody/Tri-Cities residency are strong assets.
How we work
Fundraising is for the Foundation. Commercial advertising and sponsored/native content are handled separately by the Inlet Current's Advertising & Partnerships Manager, through our affiliated company Story Monkey Productions Inc. This role coordinates with that work but does not overlap it: philanthropic support to the Foundation is distinct from buying advertising. You will not be conducting sales.
Fundraising never influences our journalism. No donor, grant, or sponsor shapes what the Inlet Current covers; our editorial independence policy protects that firewall.
Tax receipts: the Foundation is a non-profit society and cannot yet issue tax receipts for contributions; we are pursuing RJO status to change that. You will represent contributions accordingly.
Pay: From $20.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Flexible schedule
- Work from home
Experience:
- non-profit: 1 year (required)
- Fundraising: 1 year (required)
Work Location: Remote
