Please consider applying.
ARROWHEAD REGIONAL ARTS COUNCIL
Position Announcement: Grants Manager
Background: The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council (ARAC) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to facilitate and encourage local arts development. This mission statement grows from a conviction that the arts improve the quality of life in the region. ARAC achieves its mission in three ways:

– As a grant maker for arts activities initiated by regional arts organizations with budgets under $160,000 and regional artists,
– As a source of non-grant programs and training services, and
– As an advocate for the arts.

The Arrowhead Regional Arts Council serves the seven counties in northeastern Minnesota that include Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, and St. Louis. ARAC administers eight grant programs for non-profit arts organizations and individual artists and presents the annual Arrowhead Arts Awards which recognize the important contributions of individuals to the arts in the Arrowhead Region. ARAC awarded just over $490,000 to regional artists and arts organizations in FY2013. This funding is made possible through appropriations from the Minnesota State Legislature, the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund, and The McKnight
Foundation. ARAC is one of eleven regional arts councils in the state which work in partnership with the Minnesota State Arts Board. The Council is the primary funder of arts activities in the Arrowhead Region. For more information about ARAC, visit its website at www.aracouncil.org.

Position: Grants Manager
Reports to: Executive Director
Status: 1.00 FTE

Position Description
The Grants Manager will be responsible for the development, delivery, and evaluation of grant programs, and services for arts organizations and individual artists throughout the seven-county Arrowhead Region.
The Grants Manager is accountable for working with the Executive Director in assessing needs and delivering programs and services. Specific program accountability areas change from year to year depending on constituent and organizational needs and may include special projects or isolated initiatives.

Principle Responsibilities
Grant Program and Service Delivery:
– Become acquainted with small arts organizations, community groups, and individual artists involved in, or interested in initiating arts programming throughout the seven-county area.
– Organize, publicize and deliver grant writing and technical assistance workshops in at least seven communities outside of Duluth each fiscal year.
– Plan, deliver, administer and evaluate services based on identified needs.
– Maintain communication with constituents and potential applicants through in-person contact, email, phone, social media, etc.
– Work with the Operations/Systems Manager and Executive Director to implement and administrate the on-line grant application process.
– Identify and nurture relationships with potential constituents and applicants.
– Assist constituents and potential applicants in fully utilizing ARAC’s grant programs and services.
– Facilitate connections between community resources and constituents in ways that will enhance constituent growth, leadership and organizational capacity.
– Oversee all aspects of the granting program including, but not limited to:
1. Review and publish the grant program guidelines.
2. Outreach and marketing of ARAC grant programs.
3. Organization and delivery of grant writing workshops.
4. Review of applications for eligibility and completeness.
5. Recruitment and orientation for ARAC review panels.
6. Facilitation and support for ARAC review panels.
7. Respond to applicant requests for panel feedback.
8. Review and approve final reports for completed ARAC funded projects.
9. Prepare grant round activity reports for Executive Director and board of directors.

Program Development and Administration:
The Grants Manager will work as part of a staff team to ensure that grant programs and services are planned and implemented to achieve ARAC’s mission and organizational goals. Specific responsibilities include:

– Working with the Executive Director in the oversight of grant-making policies and procedures.
– Understanding the developmental, organizational and programmatic needs of constituents and assist in translating those needs into effective ARAC programs and services.
– Participating in ARAC’s annual and biennial planning process with the board and Executive Director, to establish goals and work plan for the coming fiscal year or biennium.
– Conducting ongoing evaluation of programs through use of final reports and constituent/applicant feedback.
– Maintaining an awareness of arts activity in the region, sharing this information with staff when it has potential to impact ARAC programming or service to constituents.

Advocacy and Education:

– Support advocacy initiatives such as Arts Advocacy Day.
– Educate ARAC constituents about the importance of communicating the public value of the arts as well as the importance of their involvement in local arts advocacy efforts.

Essential Qualifications and Skills:
The ideal candidate will have professional experience working in the arts and have grant administration experience. A candidate will demonstrate excellent interpersonal relationship skills. Other specific qualifications and skills include:

– Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.
– Experience working in a grant making organization.
– Attention to detail; strong logic and analytical thinking; and creative problem solving.
– Ability to manage multiple tasks.
– Excellent verbal and written communication skills and the ability to interact professionally and respectfully with other staff, the board of directors, and individuals representing diverse applicant groups.
– Excellent project management skills.
– Good sense of humor.

Salary range: $33,000 to $40,000 plus benefits…Health insurance and retirement plan. Salary is commensurate with work experience.

Individuals interested in the Council’s Grants Manager position need to submit a cover letter and resume to:

The Personnel Committee
Arrowhead Regional Arts Council
Marshall Professional Building
1301 Rice Lake Road, Suite 120
Duluth, MN 55811
or email your application information to [email protected].

Applications accepted through March 21, 2014. ARAC plans to fill this position by April 15, 2014.