Program Analyst

In 2009, after more than 60 years of family grant-making under the name Arie and Ida Crown Memorial, Crown Family Philanthropies (CFP) was developed to represent an array of family grant-making practices.

Our program areas include the Arts, Civic Affairs, Education, Environmental, Health, Human Services and Jewish causes.

Crown Family Philanthropies seeks an exceptional professional to provide programmatic and administrative support for one of its committee-directed grantmaking portfolios: Education, Arts & Culture, and Civic Affairs (EACCA). This portfolio is currently staffed by a team of two: the Program Analyst position, and a Program Director, to whom the Program Analyst reports. In addition to program related support, the position requires a significant amount of grant administration (up to 50% of the workload) to support the committee’s grantmaking and grants management process. A keen interest in the field of education is highly desired, with experience in the Chicago education sector a plus.

Grant cycle management and grant administration support:

• Manage development and production of EACCA Committee materials for grantmaking and strategy meetings, involving Grants Management team as required
• Assist in project and grant cycle planning
• Manage multiple deadlines in the proposal review and meeting preparation process
• Communicate grant cycle process requirements to multiple grantees and applicants, responding to inquiries as needed
• Review grantee progress reports and work with Program Director to determine if grant requirements have been met
• Ensure consistency and efficiency in effective grant review practices across program areas, participating in foundation program team meetings and as an active member of a peer team
• Attend grantmaking and strategy meetings to take minutes for record-keeping and provide input as requested on funding recommendations and strategic priorities

Grantmaking analysis:

• Assist with proposal review, site visits and vetting of proposals
• Analyze nonprofit financial statements, program data, operational conditions and alignment with EACCA committee funding priorities to determine organizational strength and effectiveness in consultation with Program Director
• Generate grant reports from foundation database and files
• Participate in tactical and strategic internal discussions to shape grantmaking approaches
• Assist with preparation of grant write-ups and other materials needed for foundation review of funding requests
• Attend community, grantee and funder meetings and discussions as a foundation representative

Research and writing:

• Research issues relevant to the portfolio and prepare memoranda outlining primary findings and relationships to the foundation’s areas of interest
• Prepare summaries of news events related to the Foundation’s EACCA portfolio, as needed, with brief analysis of the significance to the foundation’s goals

Family member giving:

• Based on family member interests, support Program Director in identifying appropriate giving opportunities, researching organizational strength, preparing memoranda and suggesting appropriate gift ranges

• Knowledge and understanding of issues related to the foundation’s education program areas
• Ability to analyze complex and controversial issues with objectivity and to discuss and write about such issues in a neutral, balanced, and thorough manner
• Acute attention to detail Proficient with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel, and advanced skills in Microsoft Word
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Excellent oral and written communications skills, including ability to listen and synthesize multiple inputs from diverse stakeholders with sensitivity and professionalism
• Strong organizational skills, including ability to prioritize and execute multiple tasks and manage conflicting needs
• Able to work well under pressure, respond to ambiguity and unexpected changes with flexibility
• Excellent judgment, discretion and professionalism