Director, Foundation Relations Writer

How many people can answer the question, "What do you do for a living?" with the answer, "I help find cures for cancer." At Blood Cancer United, employees take our mission seriously. Whether you work in one of our regions, are an accountant at the national
office or a specialist in our Information Resource Center, you work each day on making our bold goal a reality: to enable patients with blood cancer to gain more than one million years of life by 2040. Join us and give new meaning to the word, "job."

Summary:

As part of a mission centric, locally delivered and nationally powered organization, the Director, Foundation Relations Writer is responsible for developing high quality written materials in support of foundation fundraising efforts, with a focus on private and family foundations with the capacity to make six-figure and larger grants. Working in close partnership with Advancement as well as Mission staff, this role will lead and support the preparation of compelling foundation grant proposals, grant applications and related materials, including letters of intent, progress and final reports, funder correspondence, and strategic outreach communications with foundations that are being cultivated, solicited and/or stewarded by or in partnership with the Foundation Relations team. The position will also contribute to broader Foundation Relations writing needs.

The ideal candidate is a strong, versatile writer with demonstrated experience in foundation grant writing—preferably in a health, science, or medical related field—who can translate complex programs and scientific research into clear, persuasive narratives tailored to diverse funders.

Key Relationships

Supervises: Individual Contributor
Leads: Territory and Region Advancement staff in the context of writing activities and output relating to foundations being led by or in partnership with the Foundation Relations team

Duties & Responsibilities

Grant Writing & Foundation Communications
• Write, edit, and coordinate persuasive foundation grant proposals and applications, letters of intent (LOIs), concept papers, and related materials to support cultivation and solicitation of foundations.
• Prepare impactful, data-driven progress reports and final reports, and personalized acknowledgements and correspondence for foundation funders.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the organization to gather information, develop budgets and narratives, and ensure proposals meet funder guidelines and deadlines.
• Maintain and regularly update the Foundation Resource Hub, including Foundation Master document, which serves as a centralized, go to resource of approved language and sample responses to common grant application questions. Ensure the Foundation Master document reflects current programs, strategy, and messaging and supports efficient, high quality proposal development across the organization.
Strategic Writing & Outreach
• Draft and edit a range of written communications, including outreach to foundations, overviews of funding opportunities, briefing documents, one-pagers, and internal summaries.
• Develop talking points, meeting plans, and background materials for meetings with foundation donors and prospects.
• Support cultivation and stewardship efforts through clear, donor centered messaging.

Collaboration & Quality Control
• Review and edit materials, including grant proposals and LOIs, prepared by Regional Advancement colleagues to ensure clarity, consistency, accuracy, and alignment with organizational voice and messaging.
• Strategize as needed with Foundation Relations team and other Advancement colleagues on foundation cultivation and approach, including articulating how Blood Cancer United’s mission and programs fit each foundation’s focus areas.
• Maintain organized records of proposals, reports, and related materials, and ensure final documents are uploaded into our CRM (Salesforce), in coordination with the Foundation Relations team.
• Collaborate with and contribute to other projects of the Foundation Relations team as needed.

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Education & Experience Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, English, Science, or a related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in foundation grant writing or proposal writing, with experience in health, medical, or scientific research-focused organizations preferred.
• Demonstrated success developing persuasive foundation grant proposals and communications that illustrate alignment between the organization’s mission/programs and the foundation’s giving priorities, effectively share stories, and make a compelling case for support.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills, with the ability to adapt tone and style for a range of differen