Job Description
Reports To: Director of Development
Overview:
This position is responsible for bringing in financial resources through grant requests that support Stepping Stones and its various initiatives.
Essential Functions:
- Research possible grant sources, their requirements and timing for grant requests.
- Work with Executive Director, Director of Development, Director of Finance, Director of Programs and other key staff members to understand what areas of the agency will be in need of funds and how much will need to be secured through grants.
- Maintain an on-going relationship with grant donors to ensure they know how their money is being used and what a difference their grant is making in the lives of our participants.
- Write, submit and track grant requests.
- Other duties as needed to support the agency’s mission, including but not limited to periodic external press releases.
Specific Responsibilities—Grant Requests:
- Use grant directories, internet and professional and personal contacts to develop sources for possible grants.
- Set overall grant targets based on budget input from Executive Director, Director of Development, Director of Finance and other key staff members.
- Create and compile paperwork for grant requests, including writing cover letter and proposals, providing relevant photographs and other supplementary documentation.
- Work with agency program staff to compile their goals and measurements to include in grant requests. Ensure that program personnel have set measurable outcomes. Track/report them for grant follow up reports.
- Stay knowledgeable and in the mindset of continual learning as it relates to the programs offered so that grants written will reflect personal details and impacts of agency programs.
- When grant is received, send budget details of grant use to finance personnel so they can ensure grant money received is used to fund activities specified in grant request.
- Follow up on all grant requests. Send thank you notes.
- Write evaluation reports detailing how grant money was spent for grant donors.
- Once a year, send a general communication to all past donors.
- Generate publicity, as appropriate, to recognize major grants received.
Specific Responsibilities—Media Relations:
- Promote Development Department events and programs by generating coverage in media outlets.
- Conduct interviews, write stories, take photographs and submit articles about those events as appropriate.
- Follow up with media contacts to get media placement of those articles submitted or to generate original stories created by the media.
- Research new and changing media outlets, including online, print, radio and TV to understand how to get coverage for these events.
Other Duties:
- The Grant Writer can expect to be engaged with the agency’s four major special events each year, particularly in the weeks leading up to those events as well as working/attending the events themselves. This includes Open Your Heart (February), Sporting Clays (May), Golf Classic (June) and Bloom (September).
- Write letters or other communication for development-related initiatives throughout the year as needed (i.e. special event cover letters, agency appeal letters, etc.)
- Additional duties as assigned
Deliverables:
- On an annual basis, in collaboration with the Executive Director, Director of Development and Director of Finance, set goals for:
- Number of grants written
- Number of new grant donors
- Amount of money raised through grants
- Projection of number of grants for next year—set target based on analysis of current year’s results.
- Number of articles written and media coverage generated for the development events
Preferred Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree or higher
- Minimum of two years’ experience working fundraising events
- Strong writing, editing and proofreading skills
- Ability to juggle multiple priorities and meet demanding deadlines
- Strong contacts in the community—among donor sources and media
- Experience working with existing donors as well as with researching, identifying and cultivating new prospects
- Excellent organizational and project management skills
- Willingness to work some nights and weekends as it relates to grant deadlines, agency special events, third party partnerships, etc.
Interested candidates please contact Rosemary Bauer at rosemary.bauer@steppingstonesohio.org