Grant Manager

About Raising a Reader

Raising a Reader (RAR) is a national nonprofit that partners with parents and educators to create brighter futures for children by strengthening family bonds. Family engagement is at the core of what we do. Our evidence-based programs help caring adults set their children up for success by creating shared reading routines, fostering social-emotional learning, healthy family relationships and learning skills needed to thrive in school and beyond. Through easy-to-use, multilingual materials and diverse stories, we meet families where they are and make shared reading more engaging and accessible for all children.

We believe that all children deserve the opportunity to realize their potential. We believe that the best way to support children is by engaging and strengthening families, and that the lessons that last are those learned with love. We believe that reading helps children develop not just literacy skills, but also empathy, understanding, emotional intelligence and critical thinking. We believe that literacy and education are key to closing persistent gaps and creating a more equitable future for our children and our communities – regardless of race, culture, language, income or ability.

Learn more at www.raisingareader.org.

Position Overview:

The development grant writer and operations specialist is a new role at Raising a Reader, serving as a critical force behind the organization’s mission to transform lives through the power of reading. In this role, you will perform essential and operational duties to ensure the philanthropy team meets or exceeds its revenue targets annually.

Reporting directly to the Director of Development, the ideal candidate will have a passion for nonprofit work, ideally in the education space, excellent grant writing skills, and a strong background in development operations.

This role is ideal for a driven, collaborative, organized, and innovative professional looking to make an impact on a compelling early literacy family program.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Successfully support Raising a Reader’s revenue function by:

• Grant writing (we expect this to account for ~60-70% of this role)
  • Research and identify grant opportunities that align with our mission and programs.
  • Write, prepare, and submit compelling grant proposals and reports to foundations and corporations.
  • Maintain a calendar of grant deadlines and ensure timely submission of all required materials.
• Prospecting
  • Conduct research to identify potential donors, including individuals, foundations, and corporations.
  • Develop and maintain a prospect database to track interactions and engagement with stakeholders.
  • Assist in the cultivation and stewardship of donor relationships.
• Salesforce management
  • Oversee the management and maintenance of our Salesforce CRM system.
  • Ensure accurate and up-to-date data entry, including donor information, interactions, and contributions.
  • Generate reports and analyze data to support fundraising strategies and decision-making.
  • Maintain accurate records of incoming funds across the various systems related to CR
• Project management
  • Manage and optimize our Monday.com project management platform to streamline development operations.
  • Create and maintain project timelines, task assignments, and progress tracking.
  • Monitor the Raising a Reader Hello inbox and manage correspondence and opportunity management in collaboration with the sales team.
  • Collaborate with team members to ensure efficient workflow and communication.

Other duties as assigned.

This is more than just a job; it's an opportunity to make a lasting difference in the lives of children. Join us and be a part of a team that is changing the world, one book at a time.

Qualifications:

• Aligned with Raising a Reader’s mission and core values:
  • Equity and Inclusion: All people are seen, heard, valued and included.
  • Relationships: We approach all people and partnerships with kindness, purpose and gratitude.
  • Families: We are here for families.
  • Accountability: We believe that results matter.
  • Essentialism: Our model is effective, simple, agile and elegant, and we prioritize what is essential to scale it effectively.
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in non-profit grant writing - ideally in the education landscape - and development operations.
• Proven track record of securing grants from foundations, corporations, and government agencies.
• Strong research and and analytical skills to identify new funding opportunities.
• Demonstrated excellence in organizational, time management, and project management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate program impact into compelling narratives.
• Strong problem solver with the ability to make quick, sound decisions and the ability to juggle multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
• Positive, can-do attitude with a solutions-oriented mindset.
• Attention to detail and the ability to operate with considerable independence to effectively establish priorities and work accurately under time constraints.
• Experience effectively working across the organization to facilitate development operations and/or grant reporting.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.
• Proficiency using computers and software such as Microsoft Office, Google Suite applications, Monday.com (or related project management tools), Salesforce (or similar CRM), and/or the ability to learn new technologies and software quickly.
• A demonstrated commitment to advancing racial and socioeconomic justice and working with students and families from diverse communities and backgrounds.

Compensation and Location

Pay: This full-time, exempt position's pay range is $80,000 - $90,000 annually. Final compensation amounts are determined by multiple factors, including candidate experience and geographic market, and may vary from the amounts provided. Generally, we expect this role to be paid near the $80,000 mark; however, we may pay more for specific geographic regions and/or highly desirable skills, experiences, and/or abilities. New staff are rarely brought in at the top of the range to ensure internal equity and to leave room for salary growth during an employee’s tenure at Raising a Reader.

Benefits: We offer competitive benefits, including top-tier medical, dental, and vision insurance, disability and life insurance, generous paid time off, 403(b), financial advising.

Location: Remote within the U.S. While all U.S. states will be considered, there is a preference to hire candidates within these states: CA, FL, MD, TX.

Travel: Travel will be occasionally required for this position. Estimated up to 10% travel in a given year.

Equal Employment Opportunity and Inclusion

Raising a Reader is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and equal opportunity. RAR is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of race, color, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, political affiliation, citizenship status, disability, ancestry, marital status, veteran status, medical condition, or any protected category prohibited by local, state or federal laws. RAR is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, we will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations.

How to Apply

To apply, please submit a resume and a one-page cover letter outlining your unique qualifications for this role using the link below. The position will remain open until filled, though we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.