Grants Manager

School on Wheels is a nonprofit organization with hundreds of volunteers who give their time, talents, and support to the educational needs of unhoused children. School on Wheels aims to enhance educational opportunities for children — kindergarten through twelfth grade without a home. Since 1993, our mission has been to shrink educational gaps and provide students with the highest quality education possible.

About the position

The Grants Manager works to secure financial support from foundation, corporate, and community Grantmakers. They are involved with researching and identifying prospects, developing new grant applications/proposals, grant renewals, grant reporting, and ongoing communications with institutional funders. The Manager works with the Executive Director, Executive Advisor, and Chief Development Officer to develop and achieve short- and long-term funding goals for School on Wheels.

*HYBRID POSITION - APPLICANT MUST LIVE IN CALIFORNIA

Grant Research and Development

• Collaborate with the Executive Director, Executive Advisor, and Chief Development Officer to ensure adequate funding is in place to meet School on Wheels' mission, programs, and organizational goals.
• Create and execute an annual fundraising plan outlining strategies for foundation, corporate, and community outreach, engagement, solicitation, and partnerships.
• Manage a personal portfolio of foundation, corporate, and community funders with an FY24 revenue goal of $2.0 - $2.5M.
• Identify and establish strategic partnerships to advance organizational goals by cultivating and maintaining relationships with existing partners and exploring new collaborations that align with School on Wheel's mission and objectives.
• Identify, secure, and renew foundation, community, and corporate grant funding.
• Review, recommend, and implement application strategies for all private RFP solicitations.
• Build and maintain expert knowledge of the grants/funding landscape, researching innovative funding partnership opportunities that align and resonate with our core mission and amplify our reach.
• Coordinate with the Board grant writer/consultant to craft letters of inquiry, grant proposals/applications, and grant reports.
• Identify and work with program and regional staff to gather appropriate stories, statistics, and outcomes for grant-related purposes.
• Work closely with the Executive Director and Executive Advisor to develop accurate budgets for grant proposals/applications; monitor grant expenditures to ensure financial accountability and compliance.
• Prepare for and conduct site visits with the Leadership Team and Executive Board.

Grants Management:

• Oversee the entire grant life cycle, from award acceptance to project completion.
• Review and facilitate grant contracts/agreements and craft appropriate thank you acknowledgments.
• Maintain accurate and complete grant records in Salesforce and other databases.
• Ensure compliance and adherence to grant restrictions, grant terms, and reporting requirements.
• Provide regular updates on grant activity, deadlines, and outcomes.
• Partner with the Executive Board on foundation and corporate prospects and relationships and provide regular Board reports.
• Collaborate with program and regional team members to monitor project progress and report outcomes to funders.

Grants Communication and Reporting:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for foundation funders and partners, maintaining open, transparent, and consistent lines of communication.
• Maintain grant management tracking tools, including a calendar of grants and prospects, submission logs, etc., to ensure compliance with all application and report schedules.
• Develop opportunities to enhance SOW’s marketability by establishing a solid foundation and corporate and community relationships.
• Provide regular updates and reports to foundation, corporate, and community funders, showcasing the impact of their support and highlighting the value and change driven by their investment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (or combination of education and relevant work experience)
• 5+ years in a nonprofit environment researching, writing, and submitting grant applications, funding reports, and related correspondence.
• Ability to craft compelling funding proposals, including demonstrated success in writing proposals resulting in awards of $25,000 and above. A solid understanding of budgets as they relate to proposals and grants.
• Experience working with major foundations and corporate giving programs in Southern California is a definite plus.
• Exceptional skills in comprehension, analysis, and technical writing, including the ability to clearly articulate funding and financial issues.
• Excellent written, oral, and presentation skills.
• Excellent computer skills, including Google Suite, Microsoft Office, and Excel; strong knowledge of fundraising databases. (Salesforce and Donor Search are highly preferred.)
• Ability to travel locally for site visits, events, and partnership development is required.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $60,000.00 - $65,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 403(b)
• 403(b) matching
• Dental insurance
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Tuition reimbursement
• Vision insurance
• Wellness program

Experience level:

• 4 years
• 5 years
• 6 years
• 7 years

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

Work setting:

• Hybrid work
• Office

Experience:

• Grant writing: 5 years (Required)
• Proposal writing: 5 years (Required)

Ability to Commute:

• Los Angeles, CA 90021 (Required)

Ability to Relocate:

• Los Angeles, CA 90021: Relocate before starting work (Required)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Los Angeles, CA 90021