Grant Writer

Job Title:      Grant Writer

Department: Administration – Finance

Reports To:   Chief Financial Officer

Flsa Status:  Exempt

General Purpose of the Job: The Grant Writer is responsible for finding funding opportunities for the organization and writing organized and compelling proposals to acquire funding. The Grant Writer will identify, define and develop funding sources to support existing and planned program activities and lead the development, writing, and submission of grant proposals to federal, state, and private funding agencies. The Grant Writer is responsible for searching for available grants and researching requirements to find opportunities that align with NCIA’s mission. The Grant Writer communicates with leadership to confirm interest in collaborating with the foundation or company offering the grant. After research, the Grant Writer prepares a proposal using persuasive language and facts about NCIA to explain why NCIA should receive funding and how NCIA would use the money.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Studies and understands the history, structure, objectives, programs, and financial needs of NCIA to accurately represent NCIA when interacting with funders.
2. Partners with NCIA leadership, program directors, compliance, finance, and development teams to identify strategic funding priorities, align proposals with organizational needs, and ensure cohesive, accurate application and reporting processes.
3. Develops and maintains a comprehensive grant strategy and pipeline to ensure consistent funding aligned with NCIA’s mission and growth objectives.
4. Identifies new funding sources and conducts prospect research on grant opportunities from government and non-government agencies.
5. Writes and submits persuasive and tailored letters of inquiry, grant proposals, formal grant applications, and supporting documents based on the funding requirements of the organization.
6. Responds to internal and external queries on drafted and submitted proposals.
7. Follows up with grant-making organizations during their review of a submitted grant to supply additional supportive material if requested.
8. Creates and maintains a comprehensive calendar to track deadlines, submissions, and reporting requirements.
9. Cultivates and maintains positive relationships with funders and stakeholders.
10. Works closely with Compliance and Finance teams to ensure adherence to funder requirements, accurate financial tracking, and timely report submissions. Works with the finance department to prepare monthly, quarterly, and/or annual reports to government, foundations, and other funders as required.
11. Maintains accurate records and submits timely reports related to grant activities and outcomes.
12. Supports audits and evaluations related to grant performance and regulatory compliance.
13. Collaborates with program staff to develop and implement monitoring procedures to track grant implementation.
14. Acts as a primary agency liaison between grant-making organizations and NCIA.
15. Uses technology for the completion of specified job duties.
16. Works cooperatively with others, including all staff, supervisors, administrators, co-workers, individuals served, community professionals, customers, vendors, and the public.
17. Follows instructions and abides by agency policies and procedures.
18. Assumes other duties, responsibilities, and special projects as needed.

Supervisory Responsibilities: None.

Education and/or Experience:

• • Bachelor’s degree in English, communications, creative writing, or a related area (master’s degree preferred).
  • A minimum of three years of experience in grant writing and grants management, preferably within a nonprofit human services organization or related sector.  

Language Skills:

• • Ability to read and comprehend instructions and compose appropriate correspondences and memos.
  • Strong verbal communication skills are required.

Mathematical Skills:

• • Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide into all units of measure using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.

Reasoning Ability:

• • Ability to apply common sense understanding to complete written, oral, or diagram instructions.

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

• • Valid non-provisional driver’s license from state of residence and acceptable driving record as determined by criteria established by the Agency’s insurance carrier and by Agency policy.

Other Skills and Abilities:

• • Excellent knowledge of proposal submission and fundraising process
  • Ability to study and understand programs and funding requirements of the organization
  • Strong research skills and knowledge of information sources
  • Ability to handle confidential matters with the utmost integrity
  • Proven track record of securing grants from private and/or public funders.
  • Exceptional writing, editing, and research skills.
  • Experience using grant databases (e.g., Foundation Directory, Grants.gov), project management tools (e.g., Trello, Asana, Monday.com) and donor databases is a plus.
  • Proficiency with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Publisher, and various software applications.

Work Environment:

• • Primarily indoors, busy office environment; frequent deadlines; local travel may be required.
  • Able to work a flexible schedule, including evenings on occasion.
  • The work environment may include video and/or audio monitoring.

I understand that the above information in this description has been designated to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by an employee with this job title. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job. This is not an all-inclusive job description; therefore, management has the right to assign or reassign schedules, duties, and responsibilities to this job at any time.