Grants & Development Manager

Job Title: Grants & Development Manager

Employment Status: Full-Time, Salary | Exempt

Location: Omaha Children’s Museum | On-site | In-Person

Department: Development

Reports To: Senior Vice President of Development

We value a diverse workforce and inclusive culture. OCM encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status, disability, or veteran status.

Mission: To engage the imagination and create excitement about learning.

Who We Are: Omaha Children's Museum (OCM) is a mission-driven non-profit that has positively influenced the lives of children for more than 50 years. OCM recognizes that behind every great organization, there are great people. We welcome and encourage all qualified applicants who share our vision, as we want to engage all those who can contribute to our work and this mission.

OCM is a dynamic, interactive space designed to ignite the curiosity and creativity of children through engaging exhibits, workshops, and events. We are dedicated to providing an inclusive, educational, and fun environment that supports the learning and growth of all children. Our mission extends beyond our walls as we strive to be a community hub for early childhood development, connecting with childcare providers, teens, young parents, and early childhood advocates.

Position Summary:

The Grants & Development Manager supports the Museum’s fundraising goals, with a primary focus on researching, pursuing, and managing institutional grant opportunities. This position oversees the grant process from prospect research and solicitation planning through proposal development, submission, award tracking, and reporting. The role also leads the annual appeal and supports other fundraising initiatives while maintaining accurate grant information and reporting in the development database in partnership with the Database Coordinator.

The ideal candidate is a detail-oriented, organized, and analytical professional with strong writing, research, and project management skills. This individual works primarily behind the scenes, collaborating with internal departments and Development leadership to identify funding opportunities, prepare compelling proposals, and strengthen the Museum’s overall fundraising capacity.

Key Responsibilities:

Grants Management & Reporting

• Research and identify grant opportunities aligned with the Museum’s mission, programs, and funding priorities.
• Evaluate prospective funders, including eligibility, giving history, priorities, deadlines, and award potential.
• Develop and maintain a strategic grants solicitation plan to pursue new and existing funding opportunities.
• Write and submit grant proposals, letters of inquiry, applications, and supporting materials.
• Collaborate with internal departments to gather program information, budgets, and outcomes for grant submissions.
• Manage the annual grants calendar, tracking applications, awards, funding restrictions, deliverables, and reporting deadlines.
• Prepare grant budgets and reports, maintain grant documentation, and monitor outcomes to inform future solicitations.
• Maintain accurate grant information and reporting within the development database, collaborating with the Database Coordinator on grant records and acknowledgments.

Development Operations & Fundraising Support

• Lead the annual appeal, coordinating campaign planning, timelines, materials, implementation, and performance tracking.
• Coordinate with the Database Coordinator to ensure accurate grant acknowledgments and related records.
• Prepare fundraising materials, presentations, and internal reports as needed.
• Collaborate with internal departments on projects and initiatives that advance fundraising priorities.
• Maintain development calendars, files, and tracking tools to support departmental organization and efficiency.
• Provide occasional support for community events and fundraising activities alongside the Development team.

Additional Responsibilities

• Support the development department’s overall fundraising initiatives.
• Assist with donor cultivation and stewardship events as needed.
• Maintain strong cross-departmental communication with Marketing, Education, Guest Services, Finance and Operations.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred in nonprofit management, communications, business administration, or related field.
• Minimum of three years of experience in nonprofit development, grants management, fundraising operations, or database administration.
• Demonstrated experience writing successful grant proposals and managing grant-reporting processes.
• Experience managing donor databases or CRM systems (Blackbaud Altru, Raiser’s Edge, Salesforce, or similar preferred).
• Strong analytical skills with experience developing reports, dashboards, and data analysis.
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across departments.
• Ability to handle confidential donor information with discretion and integrity.

Physical Qualification:

• Stand and walk for extended periods to engage with visitors and program participants
• Navigate different areas of the Museum to assist visitors and ensure a positive experience
• Bend, stoop, and reach to conduct inventory
• Perform repetitive tasks, including administrative work and designing resources using computer software programs
• Push or pull equipment, such as a small flatbed and wheeled cases
• Lift and carry items up to 20 pounds, including educational materials, art-making supplies, and cleaning products, as needed

Compensation:

Qualifications and experience will be considered in the compensation for this position.

Reasonable accommodations will be provided to qualified individuals in accordance with the applicable federal, state, and local law. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the hiring process, to perform the essential functions of the job, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact HR@ocm.org.

To Apply

Please follow the application steps on our website or submit your cover letter and resume via email to HR@ocm.org, and include the job role in the subject line.

Writing Sample Requirement:

Applicants will be asked to provide a relevant professional writing sample, such as a grant proposal, letter of inquiry, or fundraising appeal, to demonstrate their written communication skills. Samples may be redacted to protect confidential or proprietary information.