Grant Writer

POSITION:        Grant Writer

LOCATION:       Administrative Offices, Milpitas, CA

SUPERVISOR:  Chief Development Officer

JOB TYPE:         Full-time, regular

ABOUT HOMEFIRST SERVICES

Established in 1980, with greater than 40 years of experience, HomeFirst Services (HFS) is the premier Silicon Valley provider of homelessness services. Every day, HomeFirst Services works to end homelessness by providing a full spectrum of services to help people find a home, improve their lives, and stay housed. HFS envisions a community in which everyone has a home.

HomeFirst Services serves more than 6,000 adults, veterans, families, and young adults each year at multiple locations from Gilroy to Menlo Park – all of Santa Clara County as well as southern San Mateo County and Sonoma County.

For more information, please visit www.homefirstscc.org/

POSITION OVERVIEW

HomeFirst is seeking a Grant Writer responsible for managing and executing the resource development plan for government and private grants, supporting agency programs, and general operations. The ideal candidate will have extensive knowledge of government grant application and reporting processes and have the ability to produce compelling written proposals. Candidates should have a good understanding of the Santa Clara County nonprofit fundraising landscape and demonstrate proficiency in a variety of computer applications. HomeFirst is a diverse company in a diverse field, and the Grant Writer should desire to work with people from a variety of social and economic backgrounds.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS 

The position reports to the Chief Development Officer (CDO) with support and guidance from the Chief Operating Officer (COO). The position will play a critical role in funding and compliance while also serving as a community representative and liaison. The Grant Writer is a vital member of the development team, including a development associate, special events and strategy officer, and five community engagement staff.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

As a hybrid role, some of the duties and responsibilities for this position overlap.

Government Grants and Compliance Government Grant Writing:

• Research and review government RFP, SOI, and NOFA grant funding opportunities, including new contracts and existing contracts for renewal;
• Participate in pre-application workshops and webinars;
• Provide recommendations to Senior and Executive Leadership about government grant opportunities;
• Work with appropriate team(s) to identify appropriate programs and services to respond to RFPs, SOIs, and NOFAs; and
• Prepare government grant application submissions, including grant narrative writing, budget development, forms, documents, and appendices.

Foundation, Corporate, and Other Grants: 

• Research and review foundation, corporate, and other RFP, LOI, and SOI grant funding opportunities, including new prospects and existing awards for renewal, with an eye to identifying likely funding sources for specific projects, programs, and operating support
• Participate in pre-application workshops and webinars;
• Provide recommendations to Senior and Executive Leadership about government grant opportunities;
• Work with appropriate team(s) to develop programs to respond to RFPs, LOIs, and SOIs; and
• Compile, write, and edit all grant applications and reports exhibiting strong expository writing skills and a high-level command of grammar;
• Develop grant proposals in accordance with each grant-making organization’s preferences, adhering to all formats and writing guidelines;
• Provide monthly reports to the CDO, identifying the status of past submittals as well as prospective submittals for presentation to the Board of Directors;
• Respond to all funder communications and inquiries in a timely and concise manner; and
• Resolve past or pending grant questions or concerns.

Administration: 

• Work with appropriate team(s) and department(s) to gather grant outcomes and client data for proposals and reporting;
• Work with finance to gather budget information for reports or presentations;
• Maintain a schedule of grant proposals and reports with identified deadlines;
• Model the values and principles of HomeFirst within the agency and the broader community; and
• Actively foster the growth of the development team to embody the values of HomeFirst and equip the team for further advancement.

Outreach/Prospect Communications: 

• Contact prospective foundations and corporations for funding opportunities;
• Follow up on existing proposals within a minimum of three months for organizations with no response or set deadline;
• Be the main point of communication for reporting deadlines and any relevant extension requests;
• Work with the Chief Development Officer to establish and maintain relationships with grant-making organizations; and
• Other projects and duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in English, Social Sciences, or Communications is preferred;
• 3-5 years of experience working in the social service, nonprofit, or government sector;
• Experience with the online grant application and reporting processes;
• Grant database experience is a plus; and
• Government grant experience is required.

Skills, Abilities, and Knowledge

• Adept in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel) and Adobe Acrobat;
• Knowledge of the Silicon Valley, Bay Area, and Santa Clara County fundraising landscape;
• Able to work effectively both independently and as part of multiple teams;
• Exemplary oral, written, and interpersonal skills;
• Ability to adjust to changing priorities from various directives, manage workload changes, including multi-tasking under stress to meet deadlines;
• Keen attention to proposal packaging and presentation; and
• Exceptional organizational skills.

COMPENSATION:

The salary range for this position is $70,000 to $90,000 plus full benefits.

HomeFirst Services is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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