Position Description
Grants Manager
ROLE SUMMARY
The Chicago Urban League seeks a talented grant writer for the position of Grants Manager to manage and significantly grow the Chicago Urban League’s grants portfolio and revenue. To support the sustainability of the Chicago Urban League’s programs and services, the Grants Manager will manage and coordinate the research, cultivation, writing, and submission of federal, state, and local government and foundation and corporate grants. This individual will lead all aspects of developing successful grant proposals and contracts, coordinate input across the organization as needed, and ensure that the Chicago Urban League remains in compliance with funder requirements by preparing and submitting reports and other documentation.
Reports to: Director of Development
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Excellent writing and editing skills, including the ability to convey seemingly complicated projects in a compelling and persuasive manner.
- Write, prepare, and submit public/governmental grant proposals, reports, letters of inquiry, and other related correspondence, with a major emphasis on public and private grant submissions.
- Knowledge of Chicago’s philanthropic community and understanding of current funding trends.
- Identify and research public/governmental individual, corporate, foundation, and other funding opportunities.
- Strong project management skills. Ability to manage complete deadline packages from start to finish, coordinating all submission requirements.
- Maintain a calendar of applications, reporting, and other key dates to ensure timely completion and submission of applications and reports.
- Outstanding organizational and interpersonal skills; ability to work under pressure and against deadlines.
- Update and maintain a database containing information on external funders and prospects.
- Expand the pool of public/governmental grant prospects to ensure a continuous revenue stream.
- Attend meetings of project teams, funders/potential funders, and partnering organizations.
- Participate in the development of short-term and long-term fundraising planning.
- Assist in managing and cultivating relationships with external funders.
- Prepare team members for meetings with external funders.
- Secure foundation and corporate support for annual events.
- Assist with other grant writing and projects.
- Other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS
- Bachelor’s degree preferred
- Five years of grant writing or professional writing experience, preferably in a non-profit environment
- Proficiency with MS Office- Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams
- Experience with Raiser’s Edge/CRM management, a plus
- Ability to translate research data into an easy-to-understand format
- Exceptional interpersonal skills
- Writing sample required
