Alex Vignali

• Mission-driven grants manager, with 5+ years of experience leading the full grant cycle of small-scale to large, multiyear projects. Extensive expertise in research grants, open applications, donor-advised funds, and restricted/unrestricted funds.
• Non-profit program & administrative support, skilled at developing sustainable initiatives that increase donor participation and maximize philanthropic revenues. Well-versed in budgeting, financial reporting, and complex grant policies.
• Strategic team leader and relationship builder, with a proven track record of securing and managing four- to seven-figure grants from individuals, foundations, corporations, and government agencies through robust partnerships.

Wildlife Conservation Society | Bronx, NY

Grants and Business Manager, Wildlife Health 2023 – 2024

Oversee end-to-end grant operations, including preparing, reviewing, and reporting on proposal budgets, finances, grant tracking, and subgrant agreements. Lead the entire project lifecycle with a 7-person team, managing work plans, project scope, and milestone delivery in coordination with grantees.

• Executed a $1.75M Department of State research grant from application to closeout, coordinating with international sub-awardees and internal stakeholders.
• Developed the annual $2M+ budget for the wildlife health program with the Executive Director, managing year-round financial reporting, grants, and contracts as the budget manager.
• Streamlined the entire grant administration process by restructuring operational policies and procedures.

Program Manager, Managed Organizations 2022 – 2023

Directed a high-volume portfolio of fiscally sponsored projects, achieving strategic and programmatic goals. Trained a 5-person team, navigating multiple deadlines. Planned and implemented public interest grant-making initiatives, from conceptualization to launch. Established strong relationships with funders, grantees, and project teams at all levels. 

• Initiated the first Flexible Philanthropy Account - a donor-advised fund for high-net-worth individuals, significantly boosting donor engagement.
• Championed two major grant initiatives with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, distributing millions annually in grants to nonprofits globally and securing funding for the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
• Ensured compliance with IRS, federal, and state regulations for nonprofit projects, leveraging deep industry acumen.

Tracked and processed overall facets of grant-backed programs, including financial management and nonprofit compliance. Administered multiple local and international grant lifecycles, evaluating amendment requests and reports.

• Orchestrated annual grant dockets, securing dozens of grants and generating millions in funding each year for diverse causes, significantly enhancing program reach.
• Built and expanded an annual grant capacity for universities, doubling the number of awards and supported institutions within a year, and later extending the program to include international universities.
• Recognized as the go-to resource for grant-making firm-wide, conducted monthly grant-making training sessions.

Operations Associate, Development 2020 – 2020

Managed multiple daily donations in Salesforce, overseeing large private foundation and corporate grants and the registration for the organization's annual events, such as bike races and conferences. 

• Maintained high accuracy and integrity of fundraising data as an integral operational staff member.
• Issued comprehensive weekly and bimonthly gift analyses, compiling documents for the year-end audit.
• Expedited the donor cultivation program, donor acknowledgment process, and funder research in collaboration with the development team.

Master of Public Administration, Certification in Non-Profit Management | December 2020

Binghamton University, State University of New York, College of Community and Public Affairs

Bachelor of Arts in English | December 2017

Binghamton University, State University of New York, Harpur College of Art & Science