Sewall seeks to hire a Community Partner with experience in grassroots efforts, community engagement, and advocacy work. Equally important, experience with and a commitment to climate and racial justice are essential for this role. These complimentary skillsets and experience will lead and support the work of the Keystone and Lewiston-Auburn program areas at Sewall. The Keystone program area is currently being refined to be more focused on supporting grassroots and community-led efforts around climate and racial justice. The Lewiston-Auburn program area is transitioning from a pilot period to a body of work extending over a longer term.

This new Community Partner will be an integral member of our dedicated team that administers the philanthropic programs of the Foundation. Sewall seeks to be a good partner to community organizations by supporting community priorities through grants, capacity building and technical assistance, convening, shared learning, and impact investment. Generally, we support mission-aligned work that is focused on collective wellbeing, community culture and community building, and resourcing across communities. The ideal candidate will share a deep commitment to the Foundation’s mission and values.

Community Partners at Sewall apply a trust-based philanthropy approach to their work by building trusting relationships with organizations and communities related to the Foundation’s mission and program priorities. They listen to the needs and solutions of community leaders, serve as thought partners, and guide the Foundation’s programmatic decisions – including grantmaking, impact investing, capacity building, policy and advocacy, as well as community engagement and internal and external process development and implementation.

The Community Partner will have the opportunity to work collaboratively in a team approach through pods – small groupings of staff – organized around specific functions or tools (ex. impact investing, communications, grants), bringing their skills and experience to multiple aspects of Sewall’s work. Each pod has a staff lead and all pod members bring experience and voice to the work. The pod structure supports shared power, leadership, and decision-making.

The primary focus of this Community Partner’s position will be the Lewiston-Auburn and the Keystone program areas. The Lewiston-Auburn (L-A) program area supports a continuing community engagement process involving dozens of organizations working together to create a more resilient and vibrant community. In 2025, the Community Partner will also oversee and work in partnership with a selected contractor who will provide additional support for the community engagement process in L-A. The Keystone program prioritizes grassroots advocacy and community-led efforts as key strategies for advancing climate and racial justice. Sewall’s approach deeply values grassroots initiatives and community-driven solutions. We believe that those most affected by climate change and racial injustice are best equipped to lead necessary advocacy and social change efforts at the local level and beyond.

The overarching purpose of this role is to deepen relationships, cultivate responsiveness, and provide support to grantee partners and communities in both focus areas, while proactively deepening collaboration with other Sewall program areas and peer funders in Maine and beyond. The ideal candidate will be relational, creative, curious, and committed to working towards equity in a power-aware way that centers the priorities of the communities we serve.

We seek self-motivated employees who value independent and collaborative work approaches in equal measure in a collaborative, supportive, and warm environment. A commitment to supporting organizations and communities in ways that align with the organization’s values and mission is critical. A good sense of humor and love for companion animals are appreciated. Sewall offers a flexible hybrid work environment with 1 to 2 days in person in the office in Freeport and the rest of the week working remotely.

This is a full-time, exempt position.

Organization Overview

The Elmina B. Sewall Foundation (Sewall) is a private foundation with a long-term commitment to improving the well-being of people, animals, and the environment in Maine while fostering equity and centering community voices. The Foundation is committed to supporting efforts that promote healthy and whole lives for all people; protect and enhance the environment; ensure the humane treatment of animals; and stimulate long-term development while building local opportunity.

Since 2011, Sewall has awarded approximately $135 million in grants to support communities and organizations working to empower, advance and protect Maine’s most crucial resources – people, animals, and their environments. Over the past few years, Sewall has gone through an intentional transformation to ensure that all internal and external efforts are mission- and values-aligned. This new position is part of this intentional transformation.

Position Requirements and Qualifications

Required

Experience working within the nonprofit sector, grassroots, and/or community-led efforts.
Experience with advocacy and policy work, especially at the grassroots level.
Experience working with and overseeing contractors who work to support and extend program impact.
Excellent organizational skills and ability to take initiative.
Exceptional relationship-building skills, with the ability to develop productive working relationships and make connections across a diverse spectrum of stakeholders (including policymakers, business-owners, grassroots groups, and researchers)
Experience working cross-culturally
Collaborative approach to designing and implementing programs and solutions.
Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
Ability to thrive in a fluid environment.
Strong communication skills.
Ability to listen for and support community-based solutions.
Commitment to Sewall’s values and practices, including Sewall’s community practices of curiosity, learning, inclusivity, listening, respecting time, dignity, sharing ideas, and supporting each other.
Comfort using Microsoft Office and Outlook, and willingness to learn how to use grants management system and database to document and process grants.
Ability and willingness to learn new concepts of philanthropy (especially, trust-based philanthropy)
Ability and willingness to engage in strategic and systems-level thinking and analysis.

Preferred (not required)

Community organizing experience
Facilitation skills
Undergraduate college degree in relevant field

Primary Functions

Grantmaking

Play a lead role in shaping and refining the Keystone focus area while providing ongoing support, coordination, and grant review for the Lewiston-Auburn focus area.
Be responsive and proactive in providing information and guidance on grantmaking and other support inquiries.
As part of a team, engage in continuous refinement of grantmaking strategies, approaches, and structures to meet the evolving needs of communities in support of Foundation’s mission and goals.
Participate in grant review, due diligence, and ongoing support to staff, board, consultants and contractors, and nonprofit partners as needed.
Work with Sewall staff and community partners to develop appropriate grant reporting approaches.
Provide support to applicants to assess their alignment with Sewall’s mission and values and help grantees best leverage Sewall’s full suite of resources.
Use grants management database to process and track grants in both program areas.

Relationship and Field-building

Willingness and ability to travel around the state and occasionally outside of Maine.
Build authentic relationships with nonprofit and grassroots partners and other key stakeholders.
Deepen Sewall’s understanding of the internal and external context of our nonprofit partners and key stakeholders, inclusive of policy and systems impacts.
Connect partners to resources and contacts, inside and outside of Sewall, that help them advance their missions or leverage existing investments, capacity, and assets.
Support skill-building, leadership development, convenings, exchanges/trips, conferences or trainings, and technical assistance opportunities for grantee and community partners.
Participate in events and meetings as a representative of Sewall, for learning, relationship-building, and collaboration.

Learning and Evaluation

Work with partners to identify data and research needs and gaps that inform decision-making, policy/advocacy, strategic planning/initiatives, or investments and facilitate the connection of community partners to appropriate resources and expertise.
Engage in data collection as needed in support of Sewall’s learning and evaluation efforts.
Support nonprofit partners to develop and fully resource their own learning and evaluation efforts to assess impacts, identify leverage opportunities, and course correct as needed.
Research effective philanthropic models and initiatives, as needed, for use in ongoing program design.

Communications

Clearly communicate Sewall’s interests, mission, and values to external audiences.
Elevate stories, key learnings, and investible opportunities in our focus areas.
Support implementation of Sewall’s theory of change.
Provide regular storytelling and general updates on grantees within program areas to Sewall staff, board, consultants, and external audiences as appropriate.
Communicate with other grant makers and private donors about how their missions and priorities might align with grant and non-grant related opportunities in our focus areas.

Operations and Culture

Uphold Sewall values in all aspects of work.
Commit to continuous personal growth and learning as it relates to Sewall’s mission, values, and programs.
Work as part of a cohesive, collaborative team emphasizing trust-building and transparency.
Actively participate and take leadership within Sewall’s internal pod structure, with a focus on collaboration.
Be detail-oriented and timely with internal due dates, requests for input and content.
Provide staff support to the board and board committees as needed, helping to plan and prepare for meetings and carry out work as needed between meetings in coordination with staff and board members.

Attributes and mindset

Empathy, patience, and ability to engage with complexity.
Willingness and commitment to ongoing learning
Commitment to mission and organizational values
Willingness and ability to engage conflict constructively and with compassion.
Collaborative and team-based approaches
Demonstrated interest in philanthropic or community-serving fields of practice.
Flexibility and comfort navigating ambiguity.
High level of intellectual curiosity
Sense of humor
Values-based judgement

Compensation and Benefits

Compensation and application process

Salary range: $75,000 – $85,000 (contingent on experience)
Excellent employee and dependent health and dental insurance
Paid time off: generous ETO, sick leave; family leave and holidays
Life insurance, short- and long-term disability insurance
Retirement (Simplified Employee Pension Individual Retirement Arrangement—SEP IRA)

Nondiscrimination

Cultivating a diverse and inclusive team is an essential component of Elmina B. Sewall Foundation’s commitment to advancing equity internally and externally. Candidates of all backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply.

How to Apply

We encourage interested parties to review Sewall’s website, particularly our Approach and Programs page, before applying for this job. Please submit your resume providing a complete overview of your work experience (paid and unpaid) and a cover letter expressing your interest in this position and why you believe you would be a good fit for this role via email to communications@sewallfoundation.org.

Priority will be given to applications submitted by September 6, 2024, although the position will remain open until filled. If the position is posted on our website, we will still accept applications. You will receive an automated acknowledgement that your application has been received after you have submitted your materials.