Director of Foundation Relations
Who we are At Crisis Text Line we believe that every person in crisis deserves to be heard, understood, and supported. Our mission is carried forward by people who lead with empathy, integrity, and a deep sense of responsibility to one another and the communities we serve. Crisis Text Line provides free, 24/7, confidential mental health support via text, delivering crisis intervention and prevention when it’s needed most. We pair human connection with scalable technology, research, and partnerships to strengthen mental health systems and drive lasting change. We support individuals, communities, and populations, working in partnership with NGOs, foundations, corporations, and government and intergovernmental agencies to scale impact globally. Our Development team sits at the heart of Crisis Text Line fueling the philanthropic partnerships that make our mission sustainable and scalable. We work with a growing portfolio of foundations that share our belief in the power of technology and human connection to reach people in their most vulnerable moments — securing both unrestricted operating support and targeted funding for the programs, innovation, and research that define our impact. Role Summary The Director of Foundation Relations is a newly created position on the Advancement team. Reporting to the Vice President of Philanthropy, this role will own the full arc of foundation fundraising — from prospect identification and cultivation through proposal development, solicitation, and stewardship. The current established foundation portfolio with meaningful partnerships within grasp. This person will manage the Senior Grants Manager and will collaborate closely with the CEO, senior leadership, and finance and program staff to develop and execute a comprehensive institutional giving strategy.
Key Responsibilities
Build a robust pipeline of foundations with the capacity to make 5-7+ figure gifts. Develop and execute a comprehensive institutional giving strategy aligned with Crisis Text Line's mission, priorities, and annual revenue goals. Identify and prioritize a diverse mix of private and family foundations, building a prospecting process that moves opportunities from research to cultivation to solicitation with urgency and discipline. Take the lead on cultivating and stewarding funder relationships. Serve as a primary contact with program officers, foundation trustees, and community partners. Bring creativity to engagement — from virtual coffee chats to webinars and co-branded content — and ensure every funder experiences Crisis Text Line as an attentive, mission-driven partner. Oversee high-quality grant writing and reporting. Own all aspects of grant writing and editing activity, including letters of inquiry, full proposals, reports, and stewardship communications. Manage the foundation calendar to ensure timely, high-quality submissions across the portfolio. Leverage and develop a Senior Grants Manager, reviewing and editing their work to maintain a consistently compelling voice. Bring rigor and a high attention to detail to moves management. Take ownership of advancing prospects through the donor lifecycle by developing tailored engagement strategies, creating clear action plans, and maintaining consistent outreach and stewardship. Build on the organization's strong brand and leadership access to cultivate meaningful relationships and accelerate the path from relationship to close. Shepherd internal stakeholders’ involvement. Serve as a skilled project manager across the grant lifecycle. Coordinate input from program leaders and C-suite executives. Structure meetings with clear agendas and follow-up, drive accountability on deliverables and timelines, and ensure that internal collaborators have what they need to contribute effectively. Ensure operational excellence in back-end processes. Maintain accurate, up-to-date records in Salesforce, including moves management, proposal tracking, and a grant content library. Build reporting structures that give leadership clear visibility into pipeline health, revenue projections, and portfolio status. Work in partnership with the finance team on budget alignment and grant compliance. Activate the board as true partners. Engage the Board's new Development Committee as appropriate, helping to identify connections, surface warm introductions, and build board members' confidence and involvement in foundation fundraising.
Minimum Qualifications
A genuine believer in the mission. You are moved by Crisis Text Line's work at the intersection of mental health, technology, and equity. You are energized by the urgency of what we do, and you bring that energy into your relationships, your writing, and your results. An experienced and accomplished foundation fundraiser. You bring at least 7 years of fundraising experience, with a focus on foundation relations and institutional giving. You have a proven track record of securing 5-7+ figure grants, have managed a robust portfo Apply tot his job Apply To this Job