Experienced Grant Writer for a Non Profit in the Arts

Summary

About the American Cinematheque

For more than four decades, the American Cinematheque has served Los Angeles and the global film community as a nonprofit cultural institution dedicated to the public, communal experience of cinema. We present over 1,600 screenings, conversations, and special programs each year across three historic theaters in L.A. With a diverse, creative and playful approach to film curation, our programming supports established and emerging filmmakers from around the world, while showcasing rare prints and archives to ensure that film culture remains vibrant, accessible and evolving. Expanding our institutional footprint to include work in not just theatrical exhibition, but also film-heritage preservation K-12 education and new audience cultivation, fine art publications, and groundbreaking festivals, the AC is seeking a skilled Grant Writer who can translate our mission and vision into compelling proposals for a wide spectrum of funders.

Overview

We are seeking a highly organized and collaborative grant writer to research, develop, write, and manage grants that support the American Cinematheque’s artistic programs, operational needs, capital improvements, archival projects, and institutional priorities. This role requires a professional who is fully comfortable navigating private foundation relationships, government grant portals, corporate giving structures, and multi-year institutional funding cycles.

The ideal candidate is someone who understands the rhythm of our programming calendar, the scale and complexity of our exhibitions, the nuance of archival work, and the strategic positioning required to secure support across varied sources.

You will work closely with the Fundraising, Programming, Archive, and Finance teams to craft proposals that accurately reflect our scope, impact, and aspirations.

Responsibilities

• Grant Strategy and Pipeline Management

• Maintain a robust year-round pipeline of private, corporate, and government grant opportunities aligned with AC’s mission, programmatic slate, and long-term goals.

• Research new prospects that fit our range of needs: operating support, theater renovations, archival preservation, digital infrastructure, publications, education, and major festivals.

• Assess fit, competitiveness, and requirements for each opportunity and advise the Fundraising team accordingly.

Proposal Development & Writing

• Draft clear, compelling, and institutionally-aligned proposals for a diverse portfolio of funders.

• Tailor content to the tone, expectations, and history of each funder, whether a family foundation, state arts council, federal agency, or corporate partner.

• Develop narratives for multi-faceted projects such as digital asset management systems, preservation initiatives, and publication efforts, ensuring accuracy and vision alignment.

Collaboration & Internal Coordination

• Work with the Programming team to gather details on festivals, special series, and year-round screenings that might align with grant requirements.

• Partner with Archive and Fundraising staff to build preservation and book-related proposals, including technical, historical, and methodological details.

• Coordinate with Finance to develop budgets, reconcile grant spending, and ensure compliance with financial reporting.

• Collaborate with senior leadership to refine narratives that support capital campaigns and strategic growth initiatives.

Reporting & Stewardship

• Manage all grant reporting deadlines, ensuring that interim and final reports are accurate, thoughtful, and submitted on time.

• Work with the Fundraising team to track deliverables and metrics across programs: including attendance, reach, educational impact, and archival milestones.

• Support stewardship by drafting updates, renewal requests, and institutional communications that maintain long-term funding relationships.

Qualifications

• 3-5+ years of grant writing experience, preferably within arts, culture, film, or media-focused nonprofits.

• Demonstrated success securing funding from private foundations, federal and state arts agencies, corporate philanthropy programs, and cultural endowments.

• Strong understanding of nonprofit budgeting, restricted vs. unrestricted funding, and multi-year award management.

• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills with the ability to adapt tone across audiences.

• Familiarity with archival work, film exhibition, or artist-centered programming preferred.

• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and projects simultaneously.

• Comfortable collaborating with cross-departmental teams in a fast-paced, high-volume cultural environment.

Position Details

Location: Los Angeles, CA (Hybrid)

Department: Development

Reports To: Executive Director