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Foundation Program Officer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Tauck Family Foundation

PROGRAM OFFICER

Wilton, CT

The Tauck Family Foundation (TFF) is a multi-generational, private family foundation founded in ... We are seeking a thoughtful and strategic Program Officer to join our expanding team during an ...

Bezos Earth Fund

Program Officer, Brazil

Washington, DC · On-site

Program Officer, Brazil Summary The Bezos Earth Fund seeks a strategic and agile Program Officer to ... Building on this foundation, the Fund is scaling its Amazon portfolio to accelerate protection ...

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Foundation Program Officer information

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$33.5K

$100.4K

$155.5K

How much do foundation program officer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 7, 2026, the average yearly pay for foundation program officer in the United States is $100,365.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $71,500.00 and $132,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some typical challenges a Foundation Program Officer faces when managing multiple grant portfolios?

Foundation Program Officers often juggle several grant portfolios simultaneously, each with unique objectives, timelines, and stakeholders. A common challenge is balancing the need to maintain close relationships with grantees while ensuring compliance with the foundation’s guidelines and strategic priorities. Effective time management, strong communication skills, and adaptability are essential for tracking progress, evaluating outcomes, and reporting to leadership. Additionally, officers must frequently collaborate with colleagues across departments to align program efforts and maximize impact.

What are Foundation Program Officers?

Foundation Program Officers are professionals who oversee grantmaking programs at philanthropic foundations. They are responsible for researching, evaluating, and recommending grants, as well as managing relationships with grantees and ensuring that funded projects align with the foundation's mission. Program Officers often monitor the progress of funded initiatives and assess their impact. Their role is critical in helping foundations make strategic decisions and maximize their positive social impact.

What is the difference between Foundation Program Officer vs Grant Coordinator?

AspectFoundation Program OfficerGrant Coordinator
Required CredentialsBachelor's degree; experience in nonprofit or grant managementBachelor's degree; experience in grants or project coordination
Work EnvironmentNonprofit organizations, foundations, grant-making entitiesNonprofits, educational institutions, government agencies
Employer & Industry UsagePrimarily in foundations and philanthropic sectorsAcross various sectors including nonprofits and government
Common Search & ComparisonYesYes

The Foundation Program Officer and Grant Coordinator roles both involve managing grants and supporting nonprofit initiatives. However, the Foundation Program Officer typically oversees grant programs, develops funding strategies, and builds relationships with grantees, while the Grant Coordinator focuses on the administrative aspects of grant processing, application review, and compliance. Both roles require similar educational backgrounds and are found in nonprofit and foundation settings, but the Program Officer has a broader strategic and relationship management focus.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Foundation Program Officer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Foundation Program Officer, you typically need a background in nonprofit management, grantmaking, or a related field, often supported by a bachelor's or master's degree. Familiarity with grant management software, CRM systems, and evaluation tools is essential for tracking funding and measuring impact. Strong communication, relationship-building, and analytical skills help you collaborate with partners and assess program effectiveness. These capabilities ensure effective resource allocation, successful program outcomes, and positive stakeholder engagement.

What Does a Foundation Program Officer Do?

A foundation program officer researches funding proposals and decides who receives grants from the foundation. In this position, you work with nonprofit organizations to get information about their charity projects and other forms of philanthropy. You read proposals, perform additional research on projects and organizations, and make decisions about which grant request to fund. Some foundations focus on a specific cause, such as community development, while others grant funding to projects that the program officer thinks could have the most significant impact. Some foundations award academic scholarships instead of financing charitable projects. Program officers also get donor input to help make their funding decisions.

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Foundation Program Officer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Foundation Program Officer job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 97% Full Time, 1% Part Time, and 1% Temporary. Highlights an 95% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $100,365 per year, or $48.3 per hour.
Cross-Foundation Program Officer

Cross-Foundation Program Officer

MacArthur Foundation

Chicago, IL • On-site

$120K/yr

Full-time

Posted 26 days ago

Job description

Job Description
Summary:
The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation supports creative people, effective institutions, and influential networks building a more just, verdant, and peaceful world. MacArthur invests in solving some of the world's most pressing social challenges, including advancing global climate solutions, promoting local justice reform in the U.S., revitalizing local news, expanding who creates, uses, and benefits from artificial intelligence, and strengthening the well-being of Native communities. In addition to the MacArthur Fellows Program and the global 100&Change competition, the Foundation continues its historic commitments to the role of journalism in a responsive democracy as well as the vitality of our headquarters city, Chicago. The Foundation also maintains offices in Nigeria and India.
The Foundation is seeking a Cross-Foundation Program Officer to provide programmatic support to multiple areas of work on an as-needed basis as back-up for, or in addition to, current program staff. This Program Officer is one of a team of three and will apply their expertise across multiple subject areas to develop and implement grantmaking strategies. In this role, the Program Officer will be called upon to deliver under pressure, and consistently produce high-quality work; build effective peer relationships throughout the Foundation; work with other departments proactively; anticipate potential issues and propose solutions; offer assistance and service to colleagues; and present ideas for improvement and be able to create a project plan to execute these improvements.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
  • Participate in the design, implementation, refinement and adaptation of grantmaking strategies and in planning future program strategies, as needed
  • Assist in the design of new initiatives
  • Identify prospective grant recipients and work with prospective grantees to develop proposals that advance grantmaking strategies
  • Review and evaluate proposals
  • Conduct background research and due diligence, prepare grant recommendations for administrative and Board consideration, and respond to unsuccessful proposals
  • Monitor the performance of grants and the implementation of grant strategies
  • Manage a caseload of active grants, review periodic reports and maintain accurate records and constructive contact with grantees
  • Organize meetings of prospective grantees, grantees, program advisors, and others in relevant fields
  • Keep abreast of current events, developments and issues in the field to maintain a balanced and objective perspective and approach to grantmaking.
  • Write extensively for internal purposes
  • Build and sustain relationships with colleagues across the Foundation, and with leaders, actors and organizations in relevant fields, including the public and commercial sectors
  • Represent the Foundation at conferences and other public events, including as speaker or panel participant

Other Duties and Responsibilities:
  • Serve on internal Foundation committees as appropriate
  • Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications:
  • Graduate training and at least five years' experience working as a policy professional, researcher or practitioner in a relevant nonprofit or academic field preferred; previous grantmaking or grant seeking experience is desirable
  • Seasoned generalist with the ability to work across multiple subject areas
  • Solid grounding in the theory, history and trends in a relevant area of work; a strong grasp of relevant empirical research and theoretical literature; and a good understanding of the substance and dynamics of public policies relevant to the work of the program(s)
  • Able to make effective connections among research, policy and practice and to work productively with government, community-based organizations, and academic institutions, and working knowledge of relevant government policies and programs
  • Excellent analytical and communications skills, including writing and public speaking
  • Self-confident, collegial, and diplomatic, with an appreciation of the role of a grantmaking institution
  • Computer literate, with a high level of comfort with new applications.
  • Other essential skills include: effectiveness in interpersonal relations with a proven ability to work as part of a team; the ability to organize and convey problems and issues clearly and succinctly; ease with and openness to people who hold diverse views; and a talent for managing multiple tasks with significant initiative

The Program Officer must be willing to travel occasionally.
The position is currently hybrid and based in Chicago, Illinois.
Annual salary for this role will start at $120,700. We offer a generous total compensation package that emphasizes both base salary and a comprehensive benefits package to support your life, health, and well-being.
Physical Requirements and Work Environment:
The work environment is an office setting. Intermittent physical activities will include bending, reaching, sitting, and moving around the office during working hours. Requests for reasonable accommodations will be considered to enable a person with disabilities to perform the job. Reasonable accommodations are also available during the interview process.

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