Program Associate

About the Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation:

The Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation was founded in 1998 to honor the life and legacy of Marie Lamfrom, a remarkable woman who fled Germany during WWII and came to Portland, Oregon – ultimately building a legacy as a generous mother and grandmother, businesswoman, and volunteer. Marie cared deeply for children and for her family; today we remember her legacy and memory through our philanthropy.

Since 1998 the Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation has been advancing and supporting the critical needs of education, arts, and community wellness. We look to further animate a legacy of family, trust, optimism, and urgency in our Pacific Northwest community – activating the unimagined, undreamt, and unrealized through charitable partnerships and grant awarding. In 2025, we plan to award more than $20,000,000 to nonprofit organizations in Oregon and Washington, each of whom support the arts, creativity, education, community, health, and/or well-being. In doing so, we seek a Program Associate to support our efforts.

Key Details:

Position Summary:

The Program Associate at the Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation (MLCF) plays a key role in advancing the Foundation’s mission through grantmaking, partner support, and collaborative team contributions. This position is responsible for evaluating smaller grant applications, providing guidance to prospective applicants, and ensuring constructive communication with organizations throughout all grantmaking processes. In addition, the Program Associate works closely with colleagues and leadership to strengthen grantmaking practices, build relationships with community partners, and support the Foundation’s ongoing learning and improvement.

A successful Program Associate exhibits exceptional attention to detail and strong analytical skills. They excel at working both independently and collaboratively, communicate effectively in writing, and deliver difficult feedback with professionalism and empathy both verbally and in writing. They are also highly self-motivated and manage multiple deadlines with initiative and efficiency.

Primary Responsibilities:

The primary responsibilities and duties for this role include:  

• Small Award Grantmaking and Application Evaluation (40%): Evaluate grant applications, present funding recommendations with consideration for applicant alignment and grant program budget, review final grant reports, communicate funding decisions, and refine processes to ensure equity and effectiveness.
• Relationship Management & Partner Communication (40%): Educate and support partners throughout all grant application processes, provide equitable and professional guidance, and deliver constructive feedback to applicants not selected for funding.
• Collaboration (15%): Foster teamwide excellence by supporting colleagues, contributing to proposal assessments and process improvements, and sharing best practices to strengthen collective impact.
• Learning & Development (5%): Regularly identify best practices, trends, innovative solutions, and/or critical needs relevant to priority and effected communities.  

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 2 years of relevant professional experience required.
• Experience in fundraising, grantmaking, or grant writing.
• Proven ability to read, analyze, and interpret general business and financial documents.
• Basic proficiency in mathematics and strong attention to detail when working with numbers and dollar amounts.
• Exceptional professional writing skills, with the ability to produce clear, concise, and high-quality business correspondence and summaries.
• Strong verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from colleagues, partners, and the public.
• Demonstrated ability to organize and facilitate special projects.
• Mission-driven team player who collaborates effectively with colleagues and external stakeholders.
• Highly self-motivated and capable of working independently.
• Inclusive and welcoming, with demonstrated skill and experience engaging within and across diverse cultures.
• Adaptive and flexible mindset, eager to embrace change and growth within the Foundation.
• Proficiency in English language; additional language proficiency welcomed.
   

Desired Qualifications:  

• 4+ years of professional nonprofit experience.
• Experience with organizational communications or public relations.
• Advanced competency and experience with diversity, equity, and inclusion principles, including key frameworks, concepts, and strategies for implementation.
• Experience with evaluation or assessment of written or financial documents.