Application Guide
How to Apply for Director of Philanthropy
at CommonLit, Inc.
🏢 About CommonLit, Inc.
CommonLit is a mission-driven nonprofit that provides free, high-quality literacy education to millions of students, making a tangible impact on educational equity. Unlike many nonprofits, it has achieved self-sustaining general operations through earned revenue, allowing philanthropy to fuel innovation and support for underserved populations. This is a rare opportunity to join a financially stable, scaling organization where fundraising directly accelerates literacy outcomes for children.
About This Role
As Director of Philanthropy, you will lead the entire grant lifecycle and manage a team of 2-3 direct reports, overseeing fundraising operations for a >$20M budget. You will be responsible for diversifying the funding base beyond founder-led relationships, cultivating major gifts from foundations, high-net-worth individuals, corporations, and governments. This role is critical to ensuring CommonLit can expand its reach and deepen its impact through strategic philanthropic partnerships.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might involve meeting with your team to review upcoming grant deadlines, conducting a strategy session with the CEO on diversifying donor pipelines, and personally cultivating a high-net-worth individual or foundation program officer. You’ll also spend time analyzing fundraising data, refining stewardship plans, and ensuring that all reporting requirements are met to sustain CommonLit’s >$20M budget.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who CommonLit, Inc. Is Looking For
- Proven experience managing the full grant lifecycle, from prospecting to stewardship, with a track record of securing six- and seven-figure gifts from institutional funders, high-net-worth individuals, and corporations.
- Demonstrated success in building and leading a high-performing philanthropy team, with at least 2-3 years of direct management experience, including coaching grant writers and development professionals.
- Strategic thinker who can diversify a funding portfolio, particularly by expanding beyond founder-led relationships and developing new pipelines for major gifts.
- Strong operational skills to oversee fundraising systems, data analysis, and reporting, ensuring alignment with a >$20M budget and organizational goals.
- Passion for education equity and literacy, with the ability to articulate CommonLit’s mission compellingly to donors and stakeholders.
📝 Tips for Applying to CommonLit, Inc.
Highlight your experience with K-12 education funders or literacy-focused philanthropy, as CommonLit’s existing funders include major institutional K-12 national foundations.
Quantify your fundraising achievements, such as the total dollars raised, number of major gifts secured, and team performance improvements, to demonstrate impact on a >$20M budget.
Emphasize any experience you have in diversifying funding sources, especially moving beyond founder-led relationships, as this is a key strategic goal for the role.
Showcase your team management skills by describing how you’ve mentored grant writers and development staff, as you’ll oversee 2-3 direct reports specializing in grant writing, lead generation, and communications.
Demonstrate familiarity with fundraising operations and CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, Blackbaud) in your resume or cover letter, as overseeing the entire grant lifecycle requires operational savvy.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Your track record of managing the full grant lifecycle and securing major gifts from diverse sources, with specific examples of gifts secured and their impact.', 'Your experience in leading and developing a philanthropy team, including how you’ve coached staff in grant writing, lead generation, and donor communications.', 'Your strategic approach to diversifying a funding base, particularly in moving beyond founder-led relationships and building new donor pipelines.', 'Your alignment with CommonLit’s mission and understanding of how philanthropy supports innovation, R&D, and services for populations most in need.']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Explore CommonLit’s website, particularly their impact reports and annual reports, to understand their reach, programs, and how philanthropy supports their mission.
- → Research CommonLit’s existing funders, such as major K-12 national foundations, to understand their funding priorities and how they align with CommonLit’s work.
- → Investigate the edtech and literacy nonprofit landscape to identify trends, potential funders, and competitive positioning for CommonLit.
- → Learn about CommonLit’s founder, Lindsay Matsumura, and her vision, as well as the organization’s transition from founder-led fundraising to a diversified model.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Focusing only on grant writing and ignoring the broader responsibilities of team management, donor stewardship, and strategic diversification.
- Failing to demonstrate experience with K-12 education funders or literacy-focused philanthropy, which is central to CommonLit’s existing funding base.
- Using generic language about fundraising without quantifying achievements or showing specific examples of how you’ve secured major gifts and managed a team.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to CommonLit, Inc.!