Senior Grant Specialist

Determined to end Veteran suicide, K9s For Warriors is the leading nonprofit organization providing Service Dogs to military Veterans nationwide suffering from PTSD, traumatic brain injury, and/or military sexual trauma — at no financial cost to the Veteran. Founded in 2011 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, K9s For Warriors is committed to saving lives at both ends of the leash by primarily rescuing dogs and pairing them with Veterans in need. In order to continue the great work we’re doing, we’re looking to add a Senior Grant Specialist to our amazing team!  

Role and Responsibilities

Under the guidance of the Grants Manager, the Senior Grant Specialist will coordinate and oversee the grant application and management process including identification of potential new funding sources, development of funding resources for existing and proposed programs and/or services, writing grants, developing budgets, and processing, monitoring and coordinating required report evaluations on existing grants. This position liaises across all departments to research, prepare, and submit grant proposals to local, state, and federal entities as well as private foundations and corporate organizations. The Senior Grant Specialist will manage reporting for awarded grants, including cross-departmental data collection, budget reconciliation according to grant guidelines, and relationship management with funders.

Senior Grant Specialist (SGS) primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Developing and writing grant proposals to foundations and other grant-making organizations, persuasively communicating the organization’s mission and programs to potential funders
• Assembling and submitting grant requests, including Letters of Intent, proposals, budgets, and presentations
• Works independently and uses professional judgement when making decisions related to grant letters of intent, grant proposals and grant reporting
• Demonstrates and exercises critical thinking in all matters related to the grant process, including maintaining confidentiality regarding financial and organizational information
• Establishing and maintaining personal contact and relationships with foundation contacts and program officers
• Ensuring prompt, personal acknowledgement of foundation gifts
• Maintaining a calendar to ensure timely submission of letters of inquiry, proposal deadlines, and reports
• Administrative tracking of grant submissions, LOIs, conversations/communications and awards
• Conducting prospect research and developing a pipeline of new foundation donors
• Prioritizing projects to keep multiple projects moving in a timely manner, meeting deadlines and managing supplemental material required for proposals
• Fundraise $1,500,000 or more annually

Other Duties

• Conducting facility tours and presentations, on and off campus, to further educate the public and work toward building relationships and securing funding
• Creating original content to promote programming and develop new funder relationships
• Participating in special events, as appropriate for relationship management

• All other tasks assigned

Position Qualifications and Requirements

• A minimum of three to five years of experience writing private foundation, federal and state grants in areas of human/social services and/or mental health
• Must be able to demonstrate successful track record of grant research, preparation, and submission to diverse funding sources (local, state, federal, private, and corporate)
• Must have thorough knowledge and understanding of the grant process
• Familiarity with local funding sources is a plus

• Strong computer/technical skills with demonstrated proficiency in database management, experience with Raiser’s Edge, Sales Force, Instrumental, and Smartsheet 
• Strong research, organizational and communication skills

• Strong customer service and public relations skills

Core Competencies 

• Project Management 
• Written Expression 
• Attention to Detail