Grants Officer

The Grants Officer owns WSG's entire institutional giving program, managing a portfolio of private foundation, corporate, and government grants that currently generates between $700,000 and $1,000,000 annually. This is a senior, independent role for an experienced grants professional who can step into a transition year with confidence — inheriting existing funder relationships, assessing the current portfolio, and building a long-term institutional giving strategy that grows with WSG's mission and ambitions. There is no grants consultant backstop; the Grants Manager is the program. Reporting to the Chief Advancement Officer, this person will write compelling proposals, cultivate and steward a portfolio of funders, and serve as WSG's primary voice in the institutional giving space.

Core Responsibilities

Portfolio Management & Grants Writing

• Independently manage WSG's full foundation and government grants portfolio — currently $700K to $1M annually — across the complete funding cycle: prospect research, letters of inquiry, proposals, reports, renewals, and acknowledgments
• Write compelling, mission-forward proposals and reports that communicate WSG's impact to foundation and government funders with clarity and precision
• Maintain a comprehensive grants calendar and pipeline tracker, ensuring every deadline, reporting requirement, and renewal date is met without exception
• Conduct ongoing prospect research to identify new foundation and government funding opportunities aligned with WSG's priorities and programming
• Track and analyze portfolio performance, providing regular pipeline updates and annual revenue forecasting to the CAO
• Maintain complete and up-to-date records of all funder interactions, proposals, and awards in Raiser's Edge

Funder Relationship Management

• Serve as WSG's primary relationship manager for all foundation and government funders, building trust and long-term partnerships that position WSG for multi-year and increased support
• Lead the transition of existing funder relationships from the outgoing grants consultant, ensuring continuity and no loss of momentum with active funders
• Represent WSG at funder convenings, site visits, and relationship-building events as appropriate
• Coordinate with program staff and school leadership to gather impact data, student stories, and outcome metrics that strengthen funder relationships and proposal narratives
• Manage communication with program officers and grants administrators in a timely, professional, and relationship-forward manner

Institutional Giving Strategy

• In partnership with the CAO, develop and execute a multi-year institutional giving strategy that diversifies WSG's funder base and grows revenue over time
• Assess the current portfolio for concentration risk, renewal vulnerability, and growth opportunity; bring a strategic lens to prioritization decisions
• Identify opportunities to align grant funding with WSG's programmatic priorities, capital needs, and strategic plan
• Serve as the internal expert on foundation and government funding trends relevant to girls' education, Catholic schools, and Southeast DC community development
• Collaborate with the Communications Director on grant-related storytelling, impact reporting, and funder-facing content
• Coordinate closely with the Individual Giving Manager and Senior Philanthropy Officer to maintain a unified and strategic approach to donor engagement across the Advancement team

Collaboration & Compliance

• Serve as liaison to the Finance Department to ensure all institutional gifts are properly coded, reported, and reconciled; support audit readiness for grant-funded programs
• Work closely with program staff to understand programmatic outcomes and translate them into compelling funder narratives
• Coordinate with the CAO on major funder asks and stewardship of top institutional donors
• Ensure all grant activity complies with funder requirements, reporting timelines, and grant agreement terms

Qualifications

• 5 to 7 years of non-profit grants writing and management experience, with a demonstrated track record of independently securing and stewarding six-figure grants
• Proven experience managing a foundation and government grants portfolio of $500,000 or more annually without consultant support
• Exceptional writing skills — the ability to craft clear, compelling, and deadline-driven proposals and reports is the core requirement of this role
• Experience managing funder relationships through transitions, including inheriting existing portfolios
• Strong prospect research skills and familiarity with foundation databases (e.g., Candid/GuideStar)
• Proficiency in Raiser's Edge or a comparable donor management system
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple proposals and deadlines simultaneously without sacrificing quality
• Collaborative, communicative, and comfortable working across departments to gather program data and impact stories
• Familiarity with education, girls' equity, or urban community development funding landscapes preferred
• Valid driver's license preferred for occasional funder meetings and site visits in the DC metro area

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WSG offers a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) retirement savings plan, paid time off, personal days, and sick leave.