About us

Rainbow Railroad was founded in 2006 to provide an additional solution to address the global refugee crisis, to which LGBTQI+ persons are uniquely vulnerable. Rainbow Railroad’s mission is to at-risk LGBTQI+ individuals get to safety as they seek a safe haven from state-enabled harassment and violence.

Rainbow Railroad is a registered Canadian charity and a USA 501(c)(3) organization with its headquarters in Toronto, Canada and an office in New York City, USA.

Since 2006, Rainbow Railroad supporters have helped more than 5,500 at-risk LGBTQI+ individuals get to safety.

THE ROLE

The Development Officer, Institutional Giving will be responsible for achieving revenue targets and growth in Rainbow Railroad’s foundation and government portfolios. Reporting to the Director of Partnerships, this role will play a leading role in the identification of new funding opportunities, and then be the central writer in this process, working with teams to support content.  This role will be the primary point of contact for private and public foundations and government departments that support Rainbow Railroad, liaising with key funding contacts, ensuring these important relationships are stewarded, and ensuring impact reporting occurs consistently, effectively, and regularly. to drive multi-year commitments.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Institutional & Government Grant Revenue Generation

• Lead the creation of major foundation and government grants, proposals and letters of interest, in collaboration with the Director of Partnerships, the programs and the impact teams; prepare external budgets, work plans, and deliverables for grant applications and proposals.
• Monitor and execute grant administration: oversee timelines, deliverables, reporting and recognition requirements
• Forge strong relationships with organizational stakeholders, including members of the management team, to proactively identify opportunities for funding matching external and government funding programs
• Ensure reporting and impact metrics are shared with funding partners, and strategic partner stewardship is at the forefront of our partner relations
• Work with the Impact team to support government relations activities that are tied to revenue generation opportunities and government stakeholder stewardship

Institutional  Giving & Prospect Management

• Through prospect research, identification, and cultivation, maintain a list of 30-50 high-level foundation and government funders and prospects with the goal of driving multi-year funding commitments
• Manage the research and identification of new foundation grant opportunities
• Develop an organizational ‘grant readiness’ toolkit, ensuring that core organizational documents, annual budgets, board listings, and case messaging are at the ready to streamline grant development process
• Lead in generating impact reporting and stewardship material for foundation prospects, supporters and donors
• Support the identification of corporate foundation prospects, and support the grant writing, impact reporting, and stewardship of corporate foundations

QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

• 3-5 years of development experience preferably, focused on Individual and Foundation philanthropy audiences, or in successful government grant writing.
• A university degree or college diploma (with a focus on fundraising, communications, or other related field), or equivalent combination of education and work experience is an asset
• Demonstrated success in the preparation of, writing of, and administration of foundation, institutional, and/or government grants
• Experienced with donor recognition and stewardship practices, with a keen understanding of and respect for the donor cycle, journey, and experience
• Fundraising donor systems experience with the ability to pull reports, manage, and track major gift activity.
• A “storyteller” with outstanding communication skills, incorporating written, verbal, public speaking, and tailored messaging
• A skilled project manager, with the ability to oversee complex projects and deliverables with multiple stakeholders
• Meticulous attention to detail and organizational skills
• Ability to manage multiple competing priorities while producing high-quality deliverables
• Extensive knowledge of issues facing 2SLGBTQI communities, including LGBTQI+ refugees, preferably gained through lived experience.
• Passionate about Rainbow Railroad’s mission and vision

Application Deadline – January 23, 2023 @ 5:00pm

Length of Contract – Full-Time, Permanent

Hiring Salary – $60,000-$72,000 CAD/year plus competitive benefits package.

Location – Will work out of our Toronto or New York City Office (Hybrid model)

Please forward your cover letter and resume to hire@rainbowrailroad.org. Include the exact job title in the subject line of your email or complete the form here through our website.

We thank all applicants for their interest in this position however we will only be contacting those selected for interviews.

Rainbow Railroad is dedicated to building an organization that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. This includes diversity in languages spoken, culture, race, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

In accordance with Ontario Human Rights Code, Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, accommodation will be provided in all parts of the hiring process. Applicants need to make their needs known in advance.