Grant Research & Proposal Volunteer

Time Commitment

Approximately 4 - 6 hours per week for an initial three-month commitment. Scheduling is flexible, but occasional virtual meetings are required.

About Lean Impact Alliance

Lean Impact Alliance is a Massachusetts-based nonprofit helping small and under-resourced nonprofits strengthen their operations and community impact through data-driven strategies, responsible AI, digital tools, education, and practical process improvement.

Our initiatives focus on nonprofit capacity building, digital modernization, responsible technology adoption, education, community development, and improved access to practical resources.

Opportunity Description

Lean Impact Alliance is seeking a detail-oriented Grant Research & Proposal Volunteer to help identify funding opportunities and develop strong, accurate, and mission-aligned grant materials.

The volunteer will research foundations, corporate giving programs, government opportunities, and other charitable funding sources. They will help evaluate eligibility, maintain a grant calendar, draft proposal content, and organize supporting documentation.

This is a founding volunteer opportunity for someone who wants to help build a practical and sustainable grant-development system for a growing nonprofit.

Responsibilities

• Research foundation, corporate, government, and community grant opportunities.
• Identify funding aligned with nonprofit capacity building, education, community development, digital inclusion, responsible AI, and technology access.
• Review eligibility requirements, funding priorities, geographic restrictions, deadlines, and reporting obligations.
• Prepare concise grant-opportunity summaries and recommendations.
• Maintain an organized grant pipeline and application calendar.
• Draft letters of inquiry, proposal narratives, program descriptions, and application responses.
• Help develop reusable organizational background, need, goals, activities, outcomes, and sustainability language.
• Coordinate with leadership to obtain accurate program, governance, financial, and organizational information.
• Help prepare application checklists and organize required attachments.
• Track application status, funder communications, deadlines, decisions, and reporting requirements.
• Research prospective funders before outreach or submission.
• Help maintain a record of submitted proposals and reusable application content.
• Support continuous improvement of the organization’s grant-development process.

All funding opportunities and application materials must be reviewed and approved by an authorized Lean Impact Alliance officer before submission. The volunteer may not independently submit applications, sign certifications, contact funders on behalf of the organization, accept awards, establish budgets, or make financial or program commitments without written authorization.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with grant research, proposal writing, nonprofit fundraising, technical writing, prospect research, or program development.
• Strong research, writing, editing, and proofreading skills.
• Ability to interpret eligibility rules and application instructions carefully.
• Ability to convert program information into clear, persuasive, evidence-based narratives.
• Strong organization and attention to deadlines and documentation.
• Familiarity with nonprofit programs, foundations, corporate giving, or government grants is helpful.
• Experience preparing program goals, measurable outcomes, evaluation plans, or grant budgets is helpful.
• Familiarity with grant databases, spreadsheets, shared drives, or project-management systems is helpful.
• Interest in nonprofit capacity building, community development, education, technology access, responsible AI, or data-driven improvement.
• Ability to handle internal organizational information responsibly and maintain confidentiality.
• Commitment to accurate, ethical, and transparent fundraising practices.

What the Volunteer Will Gain

• Practical experience building a grant-development system for a growing nonprofit.
• Opportunities to research funders and contribute to real funding applications.
• Experience developing program narratives, measurable outcomes, and grant-readiness materials.
• Portfolio-appropriate writing samples that may be shared when confidentiality and funder rules permit.
• Exposure to nonprofit operations, governance, program development, and impact measurement.
• Collaboration with nonprofit leadership and other skilled volunteers.
• Professional references based on successful completion of agreed responsibilities.
• Recognition for meaningful contributions to Lean Impact Alliance’s charitable mission.

International Students

International students are welcome to apply. This is a genuine, unpaid volunteer opportunity supporting Lean Impact Alliance’s charitable and educational mission. It does not include wages, employee benefits, immigration sponsorship, or a promise of future employment.

Immigration requirements depend on the student’s status, academic program, school policies, assigned responsibilities, and whether the experience is intended to qualify as CPT, OPT, academic credit, or another authorized practical experience.

Before beginning, international students must consult their school’s Designated School Official or a qualified immigration advisor and obtain any required authorization. Lean Impact Alliance cannot provide immigration advice, guarantee eligibility for academic credit or practical training, or sponsor employment authorization or a visa.

Compensation

This is an unpaid volunteer position. No wages, stipend, employee benefits, visa sponsorship, or promise of future employment are provided. Any reimbursement is limited to documented expenses approved in writing before they are incurred.

Confidentiality and Ethical Standards

The volunteer must protect confidential organizational, applicant, partner, donor, and funder information. All proposal content must be truthful, supportable, and consistent with approved organizational documents and programs.

The use of generative AI for grant work must be disclosed to the volunteer supervisor and follow Lean Impact Alliance’s requirements for accuracy, confidentiality, human review, and responsible technology use. Confidential or personally identifiable information may not be entered into unapproved AI systems.

Accessibility and Inclusion

Lean Impact Alliance welcomes applicants from diverse professional, educational, cultural, and community backgrounds. We value accessibility, collaboration, integrity, continuous improvement, responsible technology use, and respect for the organizations and communities we serve.

How to Apply

Please provide:

• A short statement explaining your interest in the opportunity.
• A résumé or LinkedIn profile.
• Your general weekly availability.
• A brief description of your grant research, proposal writing, fundraising, or related experience.
• One relevant writing sample, if available. Sensitive or confidential information should be removed.