Grants Manager

Working Solutions CDFI (www.workingsolutions.org) is a certified, nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). As the First to Believe in Small Business, Working Solutions (WS) makes affordable capital—primarily loans from $5,000-$100,000 with no minimum FICO requirement and no collateral requirement—available to start-up and early-stage entrepreneurs, including ITIN applicants, and offers free business consulting with every loan. WS is committed to communities that have historically not had access to capital and places an additional priority on serving lower-income individuals, BIPOC entrepreneurs, and women.

WS recently announced shared executive leadership with Main Street Launch as a growth strategy to increase impact, enhance operational capacity, and extend the collective reach of both organizations in California. Through this strategic partnership, WS is able to provide a continuum of capital to support financing needs up to $350,000 for entrepreneurs at different stages of readiness. The Grants Manager will be a WS hire.

Focused on significant social impact, WS has deployed over $70 million in small-dollar capital to more than 3,000 small businesses in California since inception with a goal to reach $100 million in all-time deployment by FYE2029. Headquartered in San Francisco and lending in the Bay Area since 2005, WS expanded statewide in 2024 and now serves entrepreneurs across California. WS’s financial strength, mission-aligned impact, and local and national visibility reflect its commitment to core markets and excellence in getting the job done. As an industry leader, WS is looking for a community-minded change maker to help grow its capitalization and revenue streams and set new sights for the years ahead. Come be part of this vision!

Position Overview:

As a key member of the Capitalization Team, the Grants Manager will report directly to, and work closely with, the Chief Development Officer (CDO). The Grants Manager will work with the CDO to build and implement a fundraising plan that encompasses a broad range of institutional and individual giving, including governmental entities, Donor Advised Funds (DAFs), and impact investors. The Grants Manager will manage the entirety of WS’s institutional grants cycle, including inquiry, submission, compliance, and renewal. This includes managing WS’s grants calendar, tracking and communicating deadlines with other team members as needed, and writing narrative for all letters of inquiry (LOIs), proposals, and reports.

The Grants Manager will be an exceptional writer who can refresh and expand existing narrative to support WS’s fundraising case, particularly in the context of WS’s strategic plan and statewide footprint. The ideal candidate will be an analytical thinker who can connect the dots of WS’s accomplishments to funder objectives and serve as a thought-partner to the CDO. The Grants Manager will demonstrate superior attention to detail, especially with grant submissions and CRM data entry, have confidence managing multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously, and be a strong communicator with internal and external stakeholders to ensure that WS’s goals and deliverables are communicated in a compelling, timely manner.

Key Duties:

• Write and submit LOIs, proposals, and reports to secure new grant funding from corporate, foundation, government, and philanthropic partners and individuals plus steward existing institutional and individual supporters;
• Manage application details and coordinate proposal writing and reports for all grants as directed by the CDO;
• Incorporate organizational and program goals and strategies into compelling grant narratives and fundraising strategies;
• Support the CDO with tracking grant prospects and conducting due diligence on grant opportunities with a goal to increase overall revenue;
• Conduct prospecting for new contributed sources and fee-for-service and contract opportunities, and prepare prospecting packets;
• Coordinate with the Impact, Finance, and Communications teams to ensure timely preparation of LOIs, proposals, and reports, including any necessary impact, budget, and finance data;
• Incorporate compelling data on small businesses and WS beneficiaries into grant narrative in coordination with the WS data and impact team;
• Keep informed about funder and philanthropic giving environment and trends;
• Attend events as needed with donors and fundraising prospects;
• Send donation acknowledgements and follow-up correspondence to funders;
• Manage grant contractors and staff hires as the team grows;
• Coordinate with the Finance Team to ensure a smooth onboarding process for grants as well as seamless reporting and compliance;
• Research and implement AI tools to increase efficiencies within the Capitalization department; and
• Maintain immaculate and consistent records using cloud-based tools (Box/Salesforce).

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree and at least 7 years of related work experience required;
• Exceptional and persuasive writer with a passion for small business and entrepreneurship;
• Strong experience with grants management and grant and proposal writing;
• Excellent ability to conduct research, synthesize, and implement on the findings;
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with an emphasis on clarity, conciseness, and professionalism;
• Strong customer service and relationship-building skills with an enthusiasm for genuine connection and an awareness of how to align resources to increase fundraising;
• Self-starter with the ability to take initiative, meet deadlines, prioritize assignments, and juggle multiple tasks simultaneously with calmness and confidence;
• Exceptional attention to detail, well organized with high standards of performance; a continual learner who readily incorporates feedback;
• Holds a genuine interest in learning and incorporating AI tools;
• Demonstrates sound judgment and effective decision-making skills;
• Ability to work independently with limited supervision and also cooperatively with a small, but mighty team;
• Proficient with virtual office environment and tools including, but not limited to: Zoom, Outlook, and CRMs such as Salesforce;
• Experience with the CDFI industry highly preferred; fluency in banking and/or financial sector terminology a plus;
• Flexibility, a growth-oriented mindset, and positive attitude for a great culture add; and
• Commitment to organizational values: 1) Equitable access to economic opportunity for historically marginalized entrepreneurs; 2) Transparency, integrity, humility, and respect for all; 3) Meeting communities where they are with a spirit of inclusiveness and listening; and 4) Adjusting our response to address the size of the challenge.

Excellent Benefits:

Working Solutions offers a competitive salary based on industry best practices as well as an excellent benefits package, including company-sponsored medical, dental, and vision insurance with employer contribution, and employer paid basic life insurance with optional supplemental coverage available at employee cost; a 401(k) retirement savings plan with employer match; flexible spending accounts (medical, dependent care); professional development funds; generous paid time off; cell/internet stipend; and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

Application Deadline: Open until filled.

Please email resume and cover letter with the subject line “Grants Manager” to jobs@workingsolutions.org. No phone calls please.

Working Solutions is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Excellent Benefits:

Working Solutions offers a competitive salary based on industry best practices as well as an excellent benefits package, including company-sponsored medical, dental, and vision insurance with employer contribution, and employer paid basic life insurance with optional supplemental coverage available at employee cost; a 401(k) retirement savings plan with employer match; flexible spending accounts (medical, dependent care); professional development funds; generous paid time off; cell/internet stipend; and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP).