Grants Manager

About the Role
The Grants Manager is responsible for supporting the organization’s fundraising goals by carrying out grants processes including, but not limited to, researching and identifying new prospective donors, writing grant proposals and reports, and cultivating positive relationships with funders. The Grants Manager will ensure that all grant deadlines are met and will work on maintaining the donor database. They will prepare, edit/finalize, and submit grant proposals and progress reports as well as ensure that all communication, documentation and marketing materials are available for submission to foundations.
The Grant Writer reports to the Vice President of Finance & Operations, and collaborates with Thrive’s Vice President of Strategy & Programs, to ensure that the organization has the resources it needs to accomplish its strategic goals. This is an exceptional opportunity for an individual with strong attention to detail, a passion for persuasive writing, and an interest in advancing the work and mission of Thrive Chicago.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

• Research, identify, and cultivate new funding and grant opportunities from local, regional, and national foundations, as well as corporate foundations
• Write and edit clear, accurate, and persuasive letters of intent, grant proposals, and reports that are tailored to each funder’s focus areas, mission, specifications, and deadlines; collaborate with VP of Strategy and Programs as a thought partner
• Collaborate with various departments within Thrive to request supporting information and documentation, such as program budgets, and translate that information in a way that will persuade prospective donors
• Work with designated program staff to understand program developments and update proposals and reports accordingly
• Stay on top of latest news and information relevant to Thrive’s areas of work to include relevant facts and statistics to craft compelling and current issue statements
• Update and maintain grants tracker with all submission deadlines
• Assist with collection, input, and maintenance of donor information into CRM database to ensure records are accurate and up-to-date
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with funding partners via phone, email, and/or mail communications
• Skills, Knowledge, and Abilities
• Excellent writing skills; ability to write clearly, accurately, concisely, and professionally in grant submissions, email correspondence, and other written documentation
• Exceptional organizational skills; ability to manage concurrent projects and deadlines and identify priorities in a fast-paced, high-volume, results-oriented work environment
• Strong attention to detail, particularly with regard to funder specifications and deadlines
• Strong analytical skills, including an ability to synthesize financial information and program data
• Strong interpersonal skills; ability to work collaboratively with internal team-members and serve as a positive representative of the organization to external audiences
• Capacity to work on and complete projects independently

Education and Experience Required

• BS/BA degree
• 4-6 years professional experience, including at least 2-3 years of grant writing experience, proposal development, managing donor records, and stewardship
• Experience with CRM software preferred
• Compensation and Benefits
• Compensation is competitive and commensurate with experience. Thrive Chicago offers a robust benefits
• package which includes paid time off, health/vision/dental, four FSA plans (including health, childcare,
• transportation, and parking), a generous family and caregiver leave policy, and a 403b retirement plan.

Application Instructions
If you’re ready to help Chicago’s youth be the best they can be and join a dynamic team, please complete this application: https://forms.gle/pUU3ubyuaSshJi54A.