Grant Specialist

About Mobile Loaves & Fishes

Mobile Loaves & Fishes (MLF) is a social outreach ministry that has been empowering communities into a lifestyle of service with the homeless since 1998. Founded in Austin, Texas, the organization serves its homeless neighbors through three core programs: Truck Ministry, Community First! Village, and Community Works. Often referred to as the most talked about neighborhood in Austin, Community First! Village is a 51-acre master planned development that provides affordable, permanent housing and a supportive community for men and women coming out of chronic homelessness. We are now embarking on a new phase of community expansion, adding more than 1400 new neighbors over the next 5-10 years.

About the Role

The Grant Specialist plays a key role on the Relationships & Giving Team, responsible for preparing grant applications, compiling and submitting reports for foundations and other funders, and supporting other grantmaking efforts. This role works closely with staff across the department to collaborate on applications and conduct grant research that advances Mobile Loaves & Fishes' vision, mission, goals, and programs.

Mobile Loaves & Fishes has a well-established grants program with strong support from Central Texas foundations, corporations, and faith partners. The ideal candidate will be excited to build on this strong foundation as we expand our impact and capacity.

This is a full-time exempt position reporting to the Senior Relationship Officer. Due to the nature and requirements of the position, hours are flexible to fit organizational needs but typically include 9am-5pm Monday-Friday. Some nights and weekends will be required as needed. The Grant Specialist will office at Community First! Village located at 9301 Hog Eye Road, Austin, TX 78724.

Application Requirement

To be considered for this position, applicants must submit both a resume and a cover letter. We'd love to hear about your relevant experience and why you feel connected to the mission of Mobile Loaves & Fishes.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Work closely with the Senior Relationship Officer and Institutional Giving Team to ensure all grant activity supports MLF's vision, mission, goals, and programs.
• Assist in managing the organization's grant calendar and collaborate with the Foundation Relations Officer to maintain accurate opportunity stages in Salesforce.
• Develop and maintain a strong knowledge of MLF's history, programs, and budgets to make the best possible case for support.
• Coordinate the full lifecycle of grants - writing and assembling proposals and supporting materials for submission to individuals, foundations, and corporations to meet MLF's operating and program needs.
• Partner with the finance team and program budget directors to ensure fiscal compliance, track restricted funds, and document expenses.
• Work with program managers to implement evaluations, measure outcomes, and communicate impact to funders.
• Document required metrics and establish systems to ensure accurate data collection in collaboration with the Relationships & Giving Department and program managers.
• Steward a portfolio of grant funders and collaborate with the Relationships & Giving Department on cultivation activities.
• Build relationships with Community First! Village neighbors and volunteers to curate stories and updates for reports and applications.
• Conduct prospect research to identify and analyze potential new funding opportunities.
• Contribute to the preparation and management of the annual grants portfolio.
• Represent MLF at community events, as needed.
• Attend regular team meetings to provide updates and status reports.
• Assist with other fundraising projects as needed, including special events and other Relationships & Giving activities.
• Other Duties & Responsibilities as needed

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities & Principles

• MLF is a faith-based organization whose ideals and philosophy come directly from the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As an organization, we strive to reflect this precept in our communications, both internally and externally.
• Commitment to serving those who have experienced homelessness and personal alignment with MLF's vision, mission, core values, and goals.
• Bachelor's degree required in English, journalism, marketing/communications, nonprofit management, creative writing, or related field (or equivalent coursework/experience).
• Minimum of 3 years of relevant experience in prospect research, grant proposal writing, data collection and analysis, budget creation/management, and reporting.
• Professional fundraising experience in the nonprofit sector.
• Demonstrated record of having prepared successful grants and proposals.
• Familiarity with grantors in the Central Texas region and nationally is a plus
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including ability to communicate in a compelling and succinct manner
• Strong ability to plan, organize, prioritize, and coordinate multiple projects.
• Initiative and time management skills to meet deadlines consistently.
• Excellent research, writing and proofreading skills
• Ability to maintain confidential donor information
• Ability to work independently and with a team to manage multiple projects and be flexible to changing priorities
• Experience working with Salesforce or other CRM and accounting software is a plus
• Project management experience required
• Must have a valid driver's license

Work Environment & Physical Demands

• Ability to work nights and weekends as needed
• Ability to move about all phases of Community First! Village as part of daily work.
• Ability to occasionally work in varying weather conditions
• Ability to operate golf cart
• Ability to sit or stand for extended periods while working at a computer.

MLF VISION

We empower communities into a lifestyle of service with the homeless.

MLF MISSION

We provide food and clothing, cultivate community, and promote dignity to our homeless brothers and sisters in need.

GOALS

• Transform the way people view the stereotype of those who find themselves homeless
• Reconnect the homeless to self, family and community
• Help the chronically homeless rediscover and utilize their God-given talents to do purposeful work
• Connect human to human, heart to heart through the fellowship of food and hospitality
• Inspire people into a lifestyle of abundance by giving their best first

BELIEF STATEMENTS

The vision is supported by belief statements centered on our belief that homelessness is the result of a profound, catastrophic loss of family:

• God, infinitely perfect and blessed in himself, in a plan of sheer goodness freely created man to make him share in his own blessed life
• By virtue of being created by God in His image, we are all called to live in community and relationship with Him through each other
• The family is the original cell of social life
• You shall love your neighbor as yourself
• All members of the human family are equal in dignity
• The Lord God took the man and settled him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate and care for it. Gen 2:15

CORE VALUES

MLF is committed to fostering a culture that prioritizes relational connection. We believe there is opportunity in every aspect of our work to be relational in a highly transactional world. In this culture, transactions are means to relational ends, not the other way around.​

​​This begins with the countercultural love poured out by Jesus Christ and grows as imperfect individuals strive to show this love to each other human-to-human, heart-to-heart.​

​​Each individual's openness to the journey of their own personal growth is essential in building our relational culture, and we believe this culture flourishes as we each continuously strive to more fully embody these four core values:

• Faith: We define Faith as the foundational belief that our world and all our work belong to God. This allows us to engage our work with joy and lightheartedness, knowing that we are not ultimately in control.
• Humility: We define Humility as rightly viewing oneself as a single piece of a grander story. This humility leads to a view of oneself that is neither too high nor too low.
• Generous Spirit: We define a Generous Spirit as a readiness to give more grace, mercy, and hospitality than is necessary or expected. This posture allows us to see others for who they are, not what they do.
• Integrity: We define Integrity as a wholehearted commitment to doing right by God, ourselves, and others. This wholeheartedness shows itself in consistently choosing honesty, responsibility and ownership in all actions and decisions.

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

MLF is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Personnel are chosen based on ability without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, genetics, disability, marital status, or sexual orientation in accordance with federal and state law.