Essentia Health · 3 days ago
Program Director- Foundation Relations
Duluth, MN
Full-time
Hybrid
Lead/Staff, Director/Executive
$76K/yr - $114K/yr
3+ years expEssentia Health is a healthcare organization dedicated to providing high-quality, compassionate care in rural communities. They are seeking a Director of Foundation Relations to lead and grow a comprehensive foundation fundraising program, focusing on strategic grants and cultivating relationships with various foundations to align philanthropic opportunities with organizational priorities.
Health CareHospitalNon Profit
Responsibilities
Lead the implementation of Essentia’s Grants and Foundation Relations Plan, with clear milestones and metrics for success
Maintain an in-depth knowledge of institutional funding priorities, needs and accomplishments, collaborating with leadership to prioritize projects and build a system-wide pipeline of fundable initiatives
Identify, qualify, and cultivate relationships with local, regional, and national foundation funders aligned with Essentia’s mission (e.g., workforce development, rural health, behavioral health, innovation)
Build and manage a diverse portfolio of 40-60 active and high-potential foundations; ensure timely submission of letters of inquiry, proposals, and reports
Lead the development of customized, compelling proposal content in collaboration with clinical and administrative staff
Partner with Finance to ensure grant proposals and budgets are accurate, compliant, and aligned with financial systems
Serve as a liaison to clinical and operational leaders to surface project needs, align funding priorities, and communicate grant expectations
Oversee centralized tracking of grant deadlines, submissions, outcomes, and funder stewardship activities using a CRM or grant management platform
Implement quarterly reporting on performance, grant revenue, and portfolio diversification for internal stakeholders and the Essentia Health Leadership Team (EHLT)
Ensure compliance with grant terms and timely submission of required documentation and impact reports
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree
Minimum 3-5 years of experience in grant writing and institutional fundraising, with a successful track record of securing six- and seven-figure gifts
Demonstrated success cultivating and stewarding relationships with foundation program officers
Proven experience developing and executing strategic fundraising plans tied to measurable outcomes
Preferred
Deep understanding of the philanthropic landscape in healthcare, rural health, or public health preferred
Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) certification
Master's degree in public health, Public Policy, Nonprofit Management, or related field
Benefits
Medical
Dental
Vision
Life
Disability insurance
Supplemental options
401(k) plan with employer contributions
Professional development through training
Tuition reimbursement
Educational programs
Flexible scheduling
Generous time off
Wellness resources focused on your physical, mental, and emotional health
Company
Essentia Health
Essentia Health is a non-profit organization that offers integrated health care facilities to its patients.
10001+ employees
H1B Sponsorship
Essentia Health has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (2)
2024 (2)
2023 (7)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$0.23MKey Investors
Otto Bremer Trust
2022-08-11Grant· $0.23M
Leadership Team
David Herman
CEO
Douglas J. Arvin, CPA, MBA
West Market VP and CFO
Recent News
Government Technology US
2025-12-17
Duluth News Tribune
2025-10-30
2025-10-23
Company data provided by crunchbase