Grant Writer

Position Overview

Are you a dynamic and creative storyteller who centers human dignity and social impact? Are you passionate about stewarding the relationships that lead to opportunities for meaningful change? YWCA seeks a compelling and committed Grant Writer for our growing Development Team. In this position, you will write bold proposals that distill complex work into convincing narratives. With courage and compassion, the Grant Writer will be on a mission to position YWCA as the go-to thought partner in impactful service and building community resilience.

YWCA IS ON A MISSION

YWCA is on a mission to eliminate racism, empower women, and promote peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. For more than 120 years, YWCA of Greater Portland has invested in our community, supported survivors, and advocated for the most vulnerable among us: women, children, seniors, the unhoused, and the incarcerated. As one of 200 Associations nationwide, we are proud members of YWCA USA, one of the oldest and largest women's organizations in the nation.

Department: Development

Reports To: Director of Development

Status: Full time, salary / exempt

Wage Range: 65,000 – 75,000

  ·       Cultivate funder relationships that position YWCA as a go-to thought partner in meaningful change and a bridge to community impact.

·       Identify and act on foundation and governmental grant opportunities to meet existing funding needs as well as those which would support growth and programmatic synergy.

·       Partner with leadership team and program leads to develop proposals which accurately and vividly describe YWCA programs’ vision, values, aims, impact, and capacity.

·       Write bold proposals that distill complex work into courageous and compelling narratives using YWCA language and tone style guides.

·       Manage all grant administration, including managing the grants calendar, communicating reporting dates to fiscal and program team members, and ensuring the delivery of timely reports in accordance with funders requirements.

·       Partner with the Data and Compliance Manager to ensure all grant reporting requirements are being met. Meaningful People & Program Management ·       Describe the opportunities, impacts, and what it really takes to effectively steward at least 50 unique funders across public government contracts and private foundations to secure $5 million in grant funding.

·       Support, train, and mentor program staff including coordination with their supervisors to tell the compelling stories of their work and its impact on our community; facilitate cross-departmental efforts and relationships; strengthen team culture.

·       Forecast grant funding to inform the annual budget.

·       Identify budget priorities; maintain budget and monitor program revenue and expenditures and adjust program activities as needed.

·       Design effective program benchmarks and evaluations, as well as the policies and procedures needed to effectively manage an evolving program.

·       Review data on grant funding progress and prepare reports that detail applications submitted, their outcomes, and progress towards fundraising goals.

·       Partner with Capacity Building Manager to shepherd proposals and reports for YWCA’s fiscally sponsored community-based projects.

·       Coordinate the completion of data entry, filing, and eligibility requirement tasks in a timely manner.

·       Participate in the department’s creation of annual work plan in accordance with strategic priorities and budgetary requirements in a collaborative and transparent process that engages the whole team. Participatory Teamwork & Responsible
Representation

• Engage consistently in anti-racism practices and approaches with internal and external work based on a deep understanding of historical and present-day structural racism.
• Work with finance and development teams to produce reports for funders, donors, and YWCA Board of Directors.
• Maintain all required training and certification plus 12 hours of YWCA Social Justice Training annually.

·       Help set strategic priorities and agency-wide policies as a member of the Leadership Team.

• Represent the program and YWCA in the community, with community partners and other collaborators.
• Uphold YWCA of Greater Portland’s mission, vision, and values by acting with integrity, accountability, and responsibility toward community-based projects, fellow employees, volunteers, donors, and everyone the organization engages with.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

The Ideal Candidate

• Commits to eliminating racism and empowering women, strives for equity in all aspects of their work, and has a strong understanding of trauma-informed principles and practices.
• Communicates clearly, consistently, and kindly with agency partners, and colleagues, and responds in a timely, compassionate, and appropriate way to multiple partners.
• Manages a complicated and frequently deadline-driven work environment with consistent and effective self-care strategies and techniques.
• Advocates for social justice, including furthering the rights, protections, access to safety, and empowerment of historically oppressed, under-represented, and/or marginalized communities.
• Regulates personal emotions and practices self-care while enduring moderate amounts of stress and vicarious trauma.
• Brings an intersectional lens to the work that focuses on lived experience, resiliency, and opportunities for calling in and deeper learning.

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

• Required: 40-Hour Domestic Violence Certification (provided upon hire).
• Minimum of 4 years of progressive grant writing experience through any combination of education, employment or lived experience.
• Demonstrated success in writing compelling grant applications using excellent writing skills and storytelling abilities.
• Strong understanding of how to use grammar and syntax to tell powerful stories, with attention to language and tone brand guidelines.
• Ability to enjoy working collaboratively with colleagues while also relishing working independently.
• Computer skills including strong knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, and virtual meeting tools.
• Ability to organize, prioritize and complete multiple and varied tasks.
• Desire to actively participate in self-reflection, continued education, and professional development.
• Ability to build rapport with people from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds; consistently treat others with respect and dignity.
• Ability and willingness to work as a team member and support the mission and goals of YWCA of Greater Portland.
• Bilingual and cross-cultural knowledge, experience, and skills a plus.

Job Conditions

• Primarily remote position in Portland Metro Region that requires in-person meetings with colleagues and other partners at varied community locations.
• Must be able to provide own transportation, travel is reimbursed.
• Laptop, phone, and other materials as needed are supplied.

Benefits

• 100% Employer paid Comprehensive Medical, Vision, and Dental Insurance coverage (with a no deductible option) and an employer-funded Health Reimbursement Account.
• Generous paid time off (including 13 paid holidays).
• Employer paid Life, Short- and Long-Term Disability Insurance.
• Monthly Internet Reimbursement of $50.
• Unlimited access to no-cost Social Justice Trainings (see www.ywcapdx.org) and additional position-specific professional development.
• 100% Employer Paid Pension Plan (generous contribution) after 2 years of service in the YWCA Retirement Fund, one of the oldest pension plans in the country; a 403(b) Retirement Savings plan is available to all new employees.
• Membership in the YWCA USA sisterhood, a 160-year-old network of 200 associations worldwide.

Our Hiring Philosophy

We believe that a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace makes us a stronger, more creative, and more resilient organization. As an organization that works to amplify the voices of those from different ethnic, racial, and cultural communities, religions, gender identities, sexual orientations and/or expressions, we highly encourage people from all backgrounds, ages, abilities, and experiences to apply.

YWCA of Greater Portland is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ancestry, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital or family status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, pregnancy or caregiver status, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. We are also a Second Chance Employer. We work to ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations to participate in the job application and interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment.

YWCA is on a mission to eliminate racism, empower women and promote peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. We welcome candidates who have diverse lived experiences and intersectional identities including those who are multicultural, multilingual, BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+, differently abled, and have experienced sex work or been impacted by the criminal legal system. We encourage everyone who is passionate about our mission and who can bring valuable lived experience to this position to apply, even if you don't believe you meet every one of the described qualifications. YWCA will not hire someone currently receiving services or within the first 6 months of ending YWCA services. YWCA cannot provide services to our own employees but can provide referral to other agencies.

Please note that proof of COVID-19 vaccination is a requirement for all employees.

Application Process

Posting is active until October 2nd, 2023, with interviews conducted in early October.

Please submit a complete application, which includes:

• Cover letter that highlights what inspires you about our mission, and how your personal and/or professional experience will strengthen YWCA and support our growing Development team.
• Resume
• 3 to 5 References

Only complete applications will be considered.

Applications to: Employment@YWCApdx.org - Include job title in the subject line.