Brandon Dinshaw

Foundation Coordinator
ChildServe

Job Description: As Foundation Coordinator, I lead grant funding requests of $10,000 and under while partnering with finance and clinical programmatic staff to ensure compliance with grant parameters and reporting obligations. I also support fundraising efforts through prospect research, which includes identifying new prospective donors, and uncover high-potential prospects within our database. In addition, I assist with gift processing, pledge management, and other database administration functions to help maintain accurate donor records and support the Foundation's operations.

 

Key Responsibilities:

  • Grant writing 
  • Prospect reasearch 
  • Grant expense processing and tracking
  • Gift processing 
  • Pledge management 

Frequently Used Skills:

  • Problem-solving 
  • Teamwork
  • Time management 
  • Project management 
  • Data analysis

How did the Enterprise Leadership major contribute to your career?

"A common assignment throughout the Enterprise Leadership program was developing a business idea, creating a plan, and presenting a compelling case for its success. This experience directly translates to grant writing, where you must clearly communicate a nonprofit's needs, impact, and outcomes in a compelling way that demonstrates value to potential funders. Funders want confidence that their investment will make a meaningful difference, and the Enterprise Leadership program helped me develop strategic thinking and communication skills that have aided me in my grant writing. Additionally, the program's emphasis on collaboration, teamwork, and learning across a wide range of disciplines has been highly transferable to my role, where I regularly work with colleagues from finance, clinical programs, and development to achieve shared goals."

 

What advice would you give to a student interested in pursuing a job or career field like yours?

"The best advice I can give is to become a well-rounded generalist. Be willing to step outside your comfort zone, explore new areas, and learn about a variety of fields and topics. Stay curious, ask questions, and never stop learning. I never expected to become a grant writer, but the diverse experiences I gained by taking on different responsibilities within our Foundation helped prepare me for the role. Some of the most valuable skills in nonprofit fundraising, such as communication, relationship-building, research, and strategic thinking, are developed through exposure to many different types of work and perspectives."


 

More info on similar careers: https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/11-2033.00 

Brandon Dinshaw
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brandon-dinshaw-57479b144/
BA in Enterprise Leadership - 2018