Senior Engaged Philanthropy Officer

Why join The Denver Foundation?

At The Denver Foundation , you'll be part of an organization dedicated to inspiring people and mobilizing resources to strengthen our community. Guided by a vision of a Metro Denver where leadership, prosperity, and culture are shaped by racial equity, we are committed to creating meaningful and lasting change.

As a proactive, collaborative, and resolute leader in reducing racial disparities, we bring together donors, community partners, and changemakers to address the region's most pressing challenges. Joining our team means contributing to impactful work that advances equity, strengthens communities, and helps build a more inclusive future for all.

For more information about The Denver Foundation, visit

What We Offer:

❤️ Medical, Life, and Disability Insurance

Paid Time Off

Retirement Contributions

Tuition Assistance

Position Purpose:

The Senior Engaged Philanthropy Officer is a frontline fundraising and community engagement position, responsible for managing a portfolio of current and prospective donors and grantees. You will work with donors and nonprofits to achieve the foundation’s annual revenue goals, execute on annual grantmaking goals, and integrate the two for optimum community impact.

This role will be heavily focused on three key elements:

Fundraising and Donor Services

• Steward a portfolio of donor-advised fundholders with significant philanthropic engagement and fund activity to provide excellent customer service and hands-on, personalized support in their philanthropy to drive the foundation’s revenue, endowment, and co-investment goals. Manage complex donor relationships and serve as a strategic philanthropic advisor to high-capacity donors and fundholders
• Identify and cultivate new donors and gifts of all types to the foundation, elevating the foundation’s value proposition for engaged philanthropy through personalized services, impactful products, and donor/grantee connections
• Promote giving to and through The Denver Foundation via personal consulting with donors, including sharing the importance of permanent and flexible funds with a racial equity focus, that are collaborative and provide community-based solutions.
• Work with Impact Group colleagues to provide multi-point donor contact and support for donors and planned giving donors, and prospects.

Grantmaking and Nonprofit Relationship Management

• Steward and support applicants through funding cycles, ensuring clear communication, responsive guidance, and effective process management. This includes, but is not limited to, responding to grant cycle inquiries, proposal review, follow-up discernment, providing funding recommendations, and coordination of approval and declination
• Nonprofit/grantee relationship management. This includes, but is not limited to, maintaining relationships with grantees and assessing annual progress
• Conduct due diligence on applicants, including review and analysis of the grant proposal and, if appropriate, a site visit by phone, virtually, or in person. Develop and produce written summaries and recommendations
• Participate with Impact Group colleagues to refine protocols for grant review, including developing, documenting, and maintaining internal systems for the grants portfolio under purview
• Grantee relationship management. This includes but is not limited to maintaining relationships with grantees, assessing annual progress, and making recommendations, when needed, on course correction.

*Donor and grantee portfolio distribution will vary to align with the skills of the relationship management team.

Departmental Collaboration and Engagement

• Contribute to building and sustaining a positive departmental culture that supports commitment to team goals and core values, and that fosters development of individual leadership, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Work in collaboration with other impact group colleagues and communications staff to tell stories of impact for the community, and for donor-specific reporting.
• Participate with Impact Group colleagues to identify opportunities for co-investment and donor/nonprofit collaboration.
• Work with Impact Group colleagues and communication staff to produce events, convenings, and other opportunities for donor engagement and donor/grantee connection.
• Leverage grantmaking expertise and work with other impact group colleagues to provide content for donor research requests.

✨To thrive in this role, you’ll bring the following qualifications and strengths:

• Minimum of seven years of experience in fundraising and/or donor service, including experience in major gifts, portfolio management, and donor relationship development.
• In-depth knowledge and understanding of the local nonprofit sector.
• Has a learning orientation that’s focused on building a continuous improvement and learning culture through assessment of outcomes and promoting organizational change.
• Skilled in Structural & Cultural/Racial Equity Analysis: Fluency in social, political, structural, and historical factors contributing to inequities.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and a service-oriented mindset.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Highly organized and resourceful, with strong critical-thinking skills and the ability to manage time and priorities effectively.
• Upholds the highest standards of confidentiality and professionalism.
• An unwavering commitment to racial equity.
• Belief in the model of community foundations.
• Commitment to the philosophy of the Impact Group, bringing together all philanthropy at the Foundation.
• Demonstrated skill in cultivating relationships with individuals from varied backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives.

The following would be a plus:

• Experience in major gifts, donor-advised funds, planned gifts and/or complex assets, and/or advising donors on philanthropic strategies.
• Planned giving and/or charitable gift planning experience.
• Experience with committee facilitation and management for grantmaking or impact programming.
• Experience with grantmaking and grant administration.
• Knowledge of CommunitySuite, CSuite, and/or other CRM software for moves management purposes.

Physical Requirements:

• Daily communication via phone.
• Frequent extended hours in front of a computer screen with or without accommodation.
• Regular group and public speaking engagements, and occasional activities occurring outdoors.

The Denver Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers, selection of vendors, and provision of services.

The Denver Foundation practices and champions inclusiveness in our community. We honor the diverse strengths, needs, voices, and backgrounds of all members of our community. Candidates from traditionally marginalized communities are especially encouraged to apply .

Build Relationships. Inspire Giving. Advance a Mission.

If you're a relationship-driven fundraising professional who thrives on connecting donors with purpose and impact, this could be the perfect opportunity for you. Apply today!