Grants Specialist

Job Type

Full-time

Description

SUMMARY 

The Grants Specialist will support the overall fundraising and stewardship efforts of the Greater Cleveland Food Bank by drafting accurate and compelling grant proposals and reports to corporations, foundations and organizations in a timely manner, working under the direction of the Sr. Manager, Foundation Relations, and in partnership with the Institutional Relations team and Development Department. The Grants Specialist will collaborate with colleagues across the organization to maintain updated knowledge of the Food Bank’s current programs and emerging work. This position will coordinate the grant application and renewal process with current funders, track the status of all proposals and reports in Raiser’s Edge and produce status reports on a regular basis. The Grants Specialist maintains complete and accurate files on funders, including contact information, giving history/interests, proposal and reporting requirements, etc. The Grants Specialist is responsible for other communications, including but not limited to thank you letters, that support the Food Bank’s donor cultivation and fundraising efforts.  

Requirements

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. This list is not all-inclusive, as other duties may be assigned as necessary.

• Conduct prospect research, develop, write and submit proposals & reports.
• Research foundations, corporations and organizations to determine if their interests match the needs of the Food Bank. Work with Senior Manager of Foundation Relations to identify potential funders to be approached each year.  
• Develop, write and submit proposals and reports for current and potential funders in a timely manner. Work with other Food Bank departments and program managers to create proposals and reports that are both accurate and compelling. Work with Senior Manager of Foundation Relations to communicate regularly with program managers to assess progress toward reaching program goals detailed in proposal and to report back as dollars are received.
• Track foundation information and proposal status in Raiser’s Edge, run reports on outstanding proposals, and provide Senior Manager of Foundation Relations, Assoc. Director of Institutional Relations, Director of Development and Chief Development Officer with monthly proposal status reports.
• Assist in the implementation of an annual plan for foundation/corporate/organization support 
• Identify and track deadlines for each proposal and report as well as help determine (with input from Senior Manager of Foundation Relations, Director of Development, and/or Chief Development Officer) which Food Bank program each funder should be approached to support.  
• Develop relationships with funders as appropriate and effective; create a plan for regular communication with key contacts and communicate with them over the course of the year with newsletters and other appropriate information and materials in order to provide effective stewardship.   
• Identify key contacts at each current and prospective donor organization and work with Senior Manager of Foundation Relations to develop strategies for approaching them.
• Write personalized thank you letters in a timely fashion and develop other ways to recognize donors for their gifts; utilize these communications efforts as donor cultivation & stewardship opportunities. 
• Determine lists for mailings on a case-by-case basis, depending on funder’s interest and availability (i.e. Harvest for Hunger, Taste of the Browns, special events, etc.).
• Serve as a member of the fundraising team, helping with projects outside of the Grants Specialist’s area of responsibility as needed. 
• Participate in one of the following: LEAN council, a kaizen or 5S campaign to support continuous improvement and improved processes within the food bank.
• Maintain required job knowledge and skills and core professional competencies. Attend and participate in required educational programs and take advantage of available professional development opportunities. Attend and participate in all staff meetings.
• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

N/A.

Qualifications

Required commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive work environment as demonstrated through work, life or community experience.

• Bachelor's degree from four-year college or university is required.
• Two or more years of successful grant writing experience and demonstrated project management skills required. 
• Self-starting work habits, problem-solving, time management, strong attention to detail required. 
• Excellent writing and analytical skills, deadline orientation and attention to detail is required. A writing sample may be requested during the interview process.  
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, mission-focused environment is required. 
• Ability to study and understand programs and funding requirements of the organization is required. 
• Commitment to the Greater Cleveland Food Bank’s mission is required. 
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain positive interpersonal relationships, take initiative, set priorities and handle multiple relationships efficiently and effectively is preferred. 
• Proficiency with MS Office – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams is required.
• Experience with database management, Raiser’s Edge experience is preferred. 

Physical Requirements and Environment

The physical requirements for this position include: Ability to frequently remain in a stationary position. Ability to move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc. frequently. Ability to operate a computer or other office productivity machinery constantly. Occasional ability to ascend/descend stairs to access work spaces. Occasional ability to position or move body to access filing cabinets or other work equipment. Ability to constantly exchange accurate information and communicate in person or via telephone with clients, partners, donors, coworkers and other members of the community. Must be able to constantly view a computer screen. Ability to move office equipment/supplies on seldom occasions. Ability to lift 10-25 lbs on a regular basis. Travel is occasionally required for this position. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

Salary Description

$48,000 - $55,375 annually