Rebecca Beno
Orland Park
Summary
Strategic and relationship-driven fundraising professional with 8+ years of experience cultivating, stewarding, and engaging corporate, foundation, and individual donors. Adept at developing impactful communications, managing donor portfolios, and leading engagement initiatives that deepen donor relationships and advance organizational missions. Seeking to contribute expertise in donor relations, engagement strategy, and philanthropic storytelling as a Senior Manager of Donor Engagement with the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
Accomplished [Job Title] offering [Number] years of experience and looking for challenging, growth-oriented position. Adept at developing solid partnerships, cementing public support and building strong teams. Seek to apply expertise toward [Area of expertise] role.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
Work History
Grants Manager
Golden Apple Foundation
09.2023 - Current
- Lead stewardship and engagement of more than 100 institutional and individual funding partners through personalized communication, meetings, and strategic touchpoints.
- Develop and implement donor engagement strategies that strengthen partnerships and drive sustained philanthropic investment.
- Write compelling proposals, reports, and impact updates that communicate mission-driven outcomes and inspire continued giving.
- Supervise Development Coordinator and oversee workflow, CRM management (Raiser’s Edge), and donor stewardship tracking.
- Collaborate across departments to align fundraising messages with program priorities and donor interests.
Grants Manager
Forefront
09.2022 - 09.2023
- Designed and executed customized engagement strategies for corporate and foundation partners, enhancing retention and long-term support.
- Partnered with executive leadership and board members to cultivate relationships and steward key donors through events, briefings, and personalized outreach.
- Maintained strong communication with stakeholders through grant narratives, reports, and tailored donor touchpoints highlighting impact and mission alignment.
- Strengthened fundraising infrastructure by improving data tracking (Salesforce), proposal development processes, and donor communications.
Grants and Development Specialist
Erikson Institute
08.2017 - 09.2022
- Raised over $17 million in private funding by cultivating and stewarding a diverse portfolio of 80+ donors, including corporate, foundation, and individual partners.
- Developed and implemented engagement plans that deepened donor connections through storytelling, recognition, and personalized communication.
- Created donor materials including proposals, reports, newsletters, and event collateral that strengthened relationships and showcased program impact.
- Collaborated with program and leadership teams to align donor engagement with institutional goals and mission-driven outcomes.
- Oversaw prospect research and data analysis to identify and pursue new donor engagement opportunities.
Education
B.A. - English & Journalism
Knox College
Galesburg, IL06.2012
Certificate - Nonprofit Management
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, IL08.2021
Skills
- Corporate & Foundation Fundraising
- Donor Stewardship & Relationship Management
- Prospect Research
- Proposal & Grant Writing
- CRM & Data Management (Salesforce & Raiser’s Edge)
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Strategic planning
- Partnership development
- Proposal development
- Grant writing
- Funding strategies
- Donor solicitation
- Budget monitoring
- Sourcing opportunities
- Relationship building
- Stakeholder engagement
Websites
Timeline
Grants Manager
Golden Apple Foundation
09.2023 - Current
Grants Manager
Forefront
09.2022 - 09.2023
Grants and Development Specialist
Erikson Institute
08.2017 - 09.2022
Certificate - Nonprofit Management
University of Illinois at Chicago
B.A. - English & Journalism
Knox College
Personal Information
Title: NONPROFIT FUNDRAISING AND STORYTELLING|DONOR STEWARDSHIP|GRANTS MANAGEMENT