Best Of
The Cape Cod Foundation - Program Officer, Cohorts and Collaborations
INTRODUCTION:
The mission of The Cape Cod Foundation is to strengthen Cape Cod for current and future generations through thoughtful community leadership and strategic philanthropy. The Cape Cod Foundation makes a measurable difference in the community by being a source of solutions for donors, providing leadership, and leveraging resources. The Foundation is
known as a proactive, high-quality grant maker that uses its knowledge to support strategic investments that result in meaningful impact and meet the unmet needs of the community.
The Foundation Board of Directors has adopted a strategic framework for 2026-2028. Essential to the success of plan implementation and the overall goal of advancing our role as a transformational community leader and grant maker is continuing to build and promote a high-performance culture among staff, Board, and volunteers. To this end, while we
effectively utilize the individual contributions and skills of each team member, we stress a collaborative, multi-departmental approach to achieving our goals and expanding collective impact.
At The Cape Cod Foundation, the role of Officer is responsible for research, assessment, decision-making and execution of core projects or work areas aligned with the Foundation’s mission. Officers assume responsibility for meeting targets set collaboratively with a director or VP. Program Officers meet independently with stakeholders and can represent their area of
work to the community on behalf of the Foundation. Officers are expected to demonstrate strong critical thinking and communication skills and relevant subject-area or industry knowledge. Specifically, the Program Officer is highly organized and ethical, builds deep connections with grantees, keeps up with and incorporates new ideas from the field, addresses questions and challenges, and brings a collaborative and learning mindset to the work. Specifically, the Program Officer, Cohorts & Collaborations, works on projects that involve shared learning, cohorts, or collaborative actions.
Lead:
• Yearly grantmaking including but not limited to:
• Grant programs and Specific Fund grants
• Special grants as outlined in the Grants Workplan for each year.
• Small group cohort-based work for the Catalyst Grants, or other efforts. This may include agenda development,
scheduling, planning, and follow up /assessment. Lead cohorts with an eye to the goal of strengthening nonprofits.
• Maintenance of nonprofit and community relationships,
• Development of sector-specific briefing information for use of the entire team.
• Development and participation in webinars/info-session about grant opportunities
• Designing and convening of community meetings, as needed
• Coordination of Youth in Philanthropy project and identification of opportunities to expand its impact
• Identification of themes/needs from nonprofit partners, as well as new opportunities for the Foundation.
• Tracking of key metrics and reporting on trends, learnings and implications. Responding to grant-related phone calls and emails
• Serving as an admirable representative of the Foundation in all endeavors
Collaborate:
• With Foundation staff, Board, and committees on assessment and evaluation of impact across all our program related activities, including regarding our overall objective of “strengthening nonprofits”
• With Foundation staff to maximize understanding and utilization of our grantmaking database/software, ensuring accurate records, understanding best practices, and suggesting new processes or adjustments as required
• With Foundation staff to achieve marketing deadlines and goals
• With Foundation staff on cross-team and cross-organization projects as needed
• With Foundation staff to identify and pursue opportunities for professional development and share relevant learnings
Support:
• Ongoing processes of the Program Team, as assigned
• As a staff evaluator for scholarship or grant processes
• Take on new projects as assigned
• Represent the Foundation at community events as needed
• Attend and represent the organization on external working groups/committees as assigned
QUALIFICATIONS:
The successful candidate will come to this role with a background in program or nonprofit management, community organizing or grantmaking and bring strong relationship-building, communication, and critical thinking skills to the work.
3-5 years’ experience in a nonprofit or similar work setting is required. Demonstrated experience with convening and leading small groups is required. A knowledge of Cape Cod and local nonprofit landscape is a plus.
Additional qualifications include:
• Detail-oriented, responsible, energetic, personable, self-directed
• Excellent organizational skills; ability to plan workflows, handle multiple tasks simultaneously, manage details, problem solve, and meet deadlines
• Strong oral, written and interpersonal skills
• High degree of personal and professional integrity including absolute need to maintain confidentiality on behalf of donors and applicants
• Proficient at meeting facilitation
• Highly proficient with technology; strong computer skills with specific software (MS Word, Excel, and Windows), database management systems and use of the Internet, and willingness to learn customized foundation software
• Comfortable working with diverse groups of people
• Committed to ongoing professional development
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience is preferred.
The Cape Cod Foundation follows an equal opportunity employment policy and employs personnel without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, citizenship, age, religion, creed, disability, familial status, military status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local law.
To apply: Please send a cover letter expressing your interest and qualifications AND a copy of your current resume by email to: info@capecodfoundation.org. Salary range is $38-41 per hour. Applications will be accepted until position is filled. No phone calls please.
https://www.capecodfoundation.org/who-we-are-job-opportunities/
Compass has officially reached 6000 members! 🎉
Thank you to everyone who helped us grow from 5000 to 6000! Your engagement continues to shape this community and keep it thriving.
Today we are recognizing the top members who have been especially active since we reached 5000. Your contributions and consistency make a real impact, and we appreciate everything you bring to Compass. Congratulations to:
- @AndreaGerhard (264 points)
- @SaraNickels (229 points)
- @JoleneWillis (178 points)
- @SusieLotreck (126 points)
- @PaulaMendes (121 points)
Here’s to continued growth and many more milestones together!
Peak 2026
Attending PEAK? RSVP for our happy hour!
Space is limited, so please be sure to RSVP as soon as possible!
After a day of learning and connections at PEAK, we’re excited to continue the conversation and bring our united Foundant, SmartSimple, and GivingData user communities together.
Date: March 25, 2026
Time: 5:30–7:00 PM
Location: Trust (401 Pine Street, St. Louis, MO 63102)
Join us to connect with fellow funders — see old friends, make new ones, and celebrate the good you're bringing into the world.
2025 Year in Review
Happy New Year! Scroll through our 2025 Compass Year in Review to see everything we accomplished together. Thanks for contributing, connecting, and being such an important part of our growing community!
In 2025 we had….
654 New members
368 New discussions
734 New comments
285 Contributors
88 Questions answered
134,325 Visits
Top 20 Members of 2025 (totaling 1,878 points)
- @AndreaGerhard
- @SaraNickels
- @JoleneWillis
- @KatieDecker
- @MariusDereskevicius
- @LyndseyThompson
- @MeganDeHoog
- @AndrewBusch
- @SusieLotreck
- @MeghanBaylor
- @TeriKleckner
- @ConnerPeckham
- @DebbieStanton
- @AustinSchroeder
- @MarkBejcek
- @LenoraLaVictoire
- @RobinForemanWheeler
- @jillfreese
- @SydneyMurrell
- @AmandaHester
Top Searches (2,342 in total)
- Grant
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- Fund
- Scholarship
- Report
Top Reactions from the Compass Community
- 859 Likes
- 540 Awesomes
- 236 Vote Ups
- 152 Insightfuls
- 111 Agrees
- 12 LOLs
Members Who Earned a Caramel for Comments Badge
- @SusieLotreck
- @AndreaGerhard
- @SydneyMurrell
- @elizabethmesserli
- @KatieDecker
- @AaronSpevacek
- @DanaJeffery
I am looking forward to even more contributions in 2026!
Re: How does your organization break down fund groups, subgroups, divisions, and segments?
I think our set up is fairly similar!
Group - Fund type; we have quite a few so this area is pretty drilled down & specific. EX. DAF - Legacy - Endowed; DAF - Legacy Fixed Advice; DAF - Express - Nonendowed; etc.
Subgroup - We use this as more of an umbrella grouping EX. all Endowed, Nonendowed, Legacy, Field of Interest, Designated, permanent funds, scholarships, DAFs, CGAs, Trusts, etc.
Divisions are more so used for separating entities that require a different income tax process.
Segment is used for separating out how a fund is invested. Ex. equity pool, growth pool, general pool, etc.
October's Top 10 Compass Members!
Happy November! 🍂🍁🦃
Congrats to our Top 10 community members who lit up Compass with their engagement and dedication throughout October! Let's give a round of applause to: @MariusDereskevicius, @AndreaGerhard, @SaraNickels, @JesikaEllis, @SusieLotreck, @DebVaughn, @JackieLaw, @sydneydetweiler, @SydneyMurrell, and @MeghanBaylor!
As always, each of you is entered into our monthly draw for a special surprise. Stay tuned for tomorrow to see who’s chosen! 🎁✨
Want to land on next month’s leaderboard? Take a peek at this post to learn how. And don’t forget: adding a profile photo not only earns you points, it helps build a friendlier Compass community.
–Gretta, Compass Intern




