About the Conrad Prebys Foundation
The mission of the Conrad Prebys Foundation is to create an inclusive, equitable, and dynamic future for all San Diegans.
The Foundation advances excellence and shared opportunity through investments in groundbreaking institutions, ideas, and people so that in San Diego more people are financially secure, healthy and empowered, communities are more uplifted and connected, and the institutions and systems that serve the region can offer equitable access to opportunity. The Foundation invests in four program areas: visual and performing arts, medical research, healthcare, and youth success, and also pays attention to the impact of its work on climate, the region’s character as a border region and advancing a shared vision for San Diego.
The Foundation is the largest independent private foundation in San Diego County, with $1B+ in assets. The Foundation gave $94 million in grants from 2020 – 2022. Over the next two years, the Foundation expects to grant a similar amount and pilot mission-driven impact investments of another $100 million over the next decade.
The Foundation is at a pivotal and exciting point in its evolution and has launched a new impact strategy. The strategy is designed as a three-year learning plan, during which time the Foundation will deepen its relationships in, and understanding of, community across its four program areas and clarify its role and approach to impact. The Foundation’s approach will therefore place a priority on learning and adaptation over the next three years. The Foundation will co-create grants with partners in the community that align with the Foundation’s issue area goals. This will entail an ongoing grantmaking process rather than set grant cycles. The Foundation will use many different grantmaking tools as appropriate, including open applications, requests for proposals, invitation-only processes, and community-led grantmaking.
The Foundation currently has a staff of 12, and, as it leans heavily into following the wisdom and expertise within San Diego communities, expects to grow to approximately 22 individuals by December. The organization is expanding its team to engage with the community based on the belief that the best grantmaking emerges from close partnerships and a commitment to shared learning. A robust and grounded team will make those partnerships thrive.
About the Opportunity
The Conrad Prebys Foundation seeks an energetic self-starter with an authentic understanding of the issues affecting San Diegans’ wellbeing and the ability to develop deep connections with community. The role requires self-direction and decisiveness combined with flexibility and a capacity to give and receive feedback graciously. The role requires an understanding of the levers of impact within place-based work and a clear understanding of the role of philanthropic capital in effecting change. The Community Weaver should also have superior interpersonal skills, a respectful attitude for the work of grantees, and a demonstrated ability to work effectively as part of a team.
Reporting to the Director of Programs, the Community Weaver will oversee the continued development and implementation of initiatives within the foundation’s four issue areas (Medical Research, Visual and Performing Arts, Health Care, and Youth Success) and three program areas (Democracy, Border Region, and Climate Change). They will be responsible for developing initiatives and managing them to fruition and impact.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Initiative development and management
● Develop the theory of investment for assigned initiatives in partnership with the community and engaging the Director of Programs and the Chief Impact Officer
● Synthesize and cull insights from research, including sector trends, landscape analyses, benchmarking and evidence. This can include quantitative and qualitative tools such as interviews, charrettes, community design sessions, as well as quantitative analysis.
● Identify and develop opportunities for investment, prioritize, plan and coordinate activities
● Lead meetings that relate to initiative development, growth and impact
● Oversee grant making within at least one, and up to three, initiatives, including adjusting grants and overall implementation design to ensure initiative success
● Identify critical issues and/or challenges to implementation and develop approaches to resolve them with grantees
● Leverage the evaluation and learning work of the Learning team to drive adaptations to strategy in collaboration with the Director of Programs
Community partnerships
● Act as a network weaver for nonprofit partners and other critical regional stakeholders (such as civic leaders, funders, private sector leaders)
● Develop and maintain meaningful and authentic relationships with a broad cross section of individuals and organizations in the community, including nonprofit organizations, community members, government officials, and other stakeholders
● Develop an ecosystem strategy and identify and bring on new partnerships and coalitions, including other funding partners
● Work with community partners and coalitions to develop and adapt initiative strategy, ensure effective implementation, and expand participation in, and other sources of funding for, the work
● Act as the Foundation representative, and speaker where needed, at civic, community, and philanthropic convenings or meetings as they relate to the initiatives
Grantmaking
● Oversee grant proposals, internal grantmaking documents, and progress reports
● Synthesize and translate grantee input while honoring community voice
● Conduct site visits to ongoing or potential partner sites and attending community or partnership meetings
● Provide advisory support, technical assistance, and capacity advising to grantees and partners working within the initiatives
● Assist grantees in developing and implementing funding strategies that lead to the achievement of initiative goals
Communications
● Aid in communications (including social media, web and print content) that share the Foundation’s point of view and program areas, and represent the Foundation to the public, media, and philanthropic community. Responsible for vetting and triaging blog, social media content, and website content updates
● Provide information and assistance as needed to Foundation senior staff and Board members
Evaluation and learning
● Work with Foundation learning partners, consultants, and grantees to implement and refine the Foundation’s evaluation and learning plan as it relates to the initiatives
● Support reporting to senior staff, Board, and community as needed.
● Establish and maintain relationships with individuals and organizations that can provide information and insight to enhance the organization’s effectiveness.
● Contribute to the Learning team’s efforts to develop and share deep knowledge of San Diego wellbeing.
Qualifications and Experience
- Experience in driving regional or place-based change through a variety of strategies including policy, advocacy, grantmaking, impact investing, community engagement, and more substantive and demonstrated knowledge of San Diego County
- A point of view on, and belief in, the role of philanthropic capital in effecting change
- Knowledge of the challenges and opportunities in racial and gender equity, and systemic issues facing all communities of color, preferably with lived experience
- Exceptional analysis, research, and writing skills including ability to produce succinct and informative communications (both oral and written)
- Experience with grants management systems or demonstrated technological savvy and ability to quickly master new software
- At least seven years of work experience in philanthropy or the nonprofit sector
- Cultural competence and excellent interpersonal skills; ability to work collaboratively with diverse constituencies to build trust and achieve common goals, both internally and externally
- Experience in project management, ideally in cross-functional teams and collaborative, multi-disciplinary projects
- Approachable, warm and open-minded, willing to explore ideas
- Unquestionable ethics and personal integrity
- Willingness to travel both locally (50%) and out of town (20%)
The Conrad Prebys Foundation anticipates a salary range of $118,000 - $124,000 for the Community Weaver with excellent benefits including a relocation stipend. Salary is competitive and commensurate with background and experience. Offers are based on the candidate's years of experience and the Foundation’s practice of upholding salary equity within the Foundation.
To apply visit www.moorephilanthropy.com/careers
The Conrad Prebys Foundation has retained Moore Philanthropy to lead this search. Moore Philanthropy, an S-corporation, is a Black-owned, Woman-led advisory firm bringing over 25 years of knowledge and experience to provide thoughtful, strategic and tailored philanthropic services to individuals, families, and private institutions. Founded in 2015, every decision we make as a firm to support the donors and communities we serve is grounded in principles around equity and inclusion.
The Conrad Prebys Foundation is committed to providing equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, ancestry, genetic information, disability, whistleblower status, or any other category protected by state or federal law. The Foundation strongly encourages people with traditionally marginalized identities to apply.