Institutional Partnerships Associate

Organization Overview

Nourishing Hope is a dynamic Chicago nonprofit providing food and social services for anyone in need. Founded in 1970, we’re one of the largest and longest operating hunger relief organizations in Chicago. We also provide free, trauma-informed mental health counseling and other social services, such as job and housing assistance. We strive to serve the needs of the whole person — with respect and dignity, always.

Nourishing Hope offers our neighbors nutritious food using a choice-based distribution model and access to life-changing social services including:

• Monthly food distribution and additional produce pickup through five different food access programs;
• Home delivery services for older adults, homebound neighbors and neighbors living with disabilities;
• Social services including case management, mental health counseling, job search support, domestic violence intervention, referrals and public benefits assistance (SNAP, healthcare, government forms) for anyone in need.

Nourishing Hope serves tens of thousands of people each year, providing more than 4 million meals through our programs, in addition to partnerships with other community organizations. This year, Nourishing Hope will provide about 200,000 food and social services to our Chicago neighbors.

Position Summary

The Institutional Partnerships Associate supports Nourishing Hope’s revenue and relationship-building efforts by coordinating event logistics, managing and stewarding funders at the $1,000–$10,000 level, and supporting fundraising initiatives including virtual food drives, third-party events, and peer-to-peer campaigns. This role contributes to the cultivation, stewardship, and administration of institutional and community partners, helping to strengthen existing relationships, develop new leads, and ensure seamless execution of partnership-related activities.

Schedule and Locations

This position primarily works out of Headquarters located at 1716 W. Hubbard Street. 

The work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:30 am-5 pm. This role has a hybrid opportunity to work remotely 2 days per week. The person in this position must have the ability to work occasional evenings and weekends for fundraising events, donor meetings, and cultivation opportunities.

Essential Job Functions

• Manage a portfolio of 50–100 funders and prospects at the $1,000–$10,000 level, supporting cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship activities including proposals, agreements, impact updates, and ongoing relationship management.
• Coordinate event logistics for Nourishing Hope’s annual Gala and End Hunger Social — including ticketing, vendor coordination, in-kind procurement, auction logistics, and day-of execution — as well as third-party fundraising events, virtual food drives, and peer-to-peer campaigns.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for local food drives, third-party event inquiries, and community-driven fundraising opportunities, coordinating with internal logistics and operations teams to fulfill partner needs.
• Draft and coordinate written materials including proposals, sponsorship requests, impact summaries, and stewardship communications in collaboration with development and program staff.
• Own the stewardship of in-kind partners (food and non-food), including identifying new in-kind opportunities, coordinating with program and operations teams to align donations with organizational needs, and supporting the Young Leaders Board in coordination with the Senior Manager.
• Maintain accurate and timely documentation in Salesforce, including pipeline tracking, meeting notes, acknowledgments, and follow-up communications.
• Represent Nourishing Hope in partner meetings, community events, and fundraising activities as needed.
• Support peer-to-peer fundraising efforts by assisting internal teams and external partners with online fundraising pages, toolkits, and best practices.
• Perform other job-related duties as needed to support departmental and organizational goals.

Qualifications 

Required

• Bachelor’s degree
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Self-motivation and discipline to regularly set and achieve work goals.
• Ability to initiate and build relationships with prospective partners and interact via telephone and in person with institutional representatives.
• Experience with Microsoft Office programs and Google Workspace.
• Ability to take primary responsibility for a diverse number of projects and complete them in a timely manner. 
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team setting. 
• Excellent organizational, interpersonal and networking skills with large groups as well as with individuals.
• Ability to travel locally between Nourishing Hope locations and event venues as needed.
• Commitment to Nourishing Hope’s mission and an understanding of and belief in the importance of food security for all.

Highly Preferred

• 1 year of fundraising, sales, and/or related experience
• Prior experience in event management, including planning and executing fundraising or donor-facing events
• Proficiency in Salesforce or comparable CRM systems
• Knowledge of Chicago’s nonprofit and philanthropic landscape

Pay and Benefits

Hourly rate: $23.00-$26.50 per hour depending on experience

Full-time benefits include:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance coverage
• Employer-paid life and disability insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan with employer contribution
• Generous paid time off
• Paid birthday holiday
• Parental leave
• Language pay (Spanish, Russian, Polish)
• $250 employee referral bonus
• Employee Assistance Program
• Free subscription to mental wellness app

Background Check

Because we are a Medicaid provider all applicants who are offered employment with Nourishing Hope will be subject to a background screening. Offers of employment are contingent on the successful completion of a background screening conducted in accordance with Nourishing Hope policy and federal, state and local law.

We kindly ask that agencies and recruiters refrain from reaching out. Unsolicited sales messages will be blocked and reported as spam.