Grants Manager

About Equality California and Equality California Institute:

Equality California is the nation’s largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer+ (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization with over 900,000 members. Equality California brings the voices of LGBTQ+ people and allies to institutions of power in California and across the United States, striving to create a world that is healthy, just, and fully equal for all LGBTQ+ people. We advance civil rights and social justice by inspiring, advocating, and mobilizing through an inclusive movement that works tirelessly on behalf of those we serve. For more than 20 years, Equality California has been fighting for full, lived LGBTQ+ equality in a number of ways: electing pro-equality leaders up and down the ballot; passing pro-equality legislation in California, Nevada and Washington, DC; and fighting for LGBTQ+ civil rights and social justice in the courtroom. For the purpose of this job description, “Equality California'' is used as an umbrella term for Equality California and its sister organization,

Equality California Institute. Equality California Institute is a 501(c)(3) organization that has a parallel mission to Equality California, its 501(c)(4) counterpart. Equality California Institute works to achieve full, lived LGBTQ+ equality by reducing disparities in LGBTQ+ health and well-being, developing a pipeline of LGBTQ+ leaders and increasing civic participation within the LGBTQ+ community.

Union Representation

We recognize the Communications Workers of America (CWA) as the exclusive collective bargaining representative for your role.

Overview:

The Grants Manager will coordinate and manage the grant calendar and write initial and final drafts for grant reports and proposals. Additionally, this individual will lead the identification of new grant opportunities from private foundations, corporations, and government agencies. This role will be supervised by the Program Director, and they will collaborate to develop and implement an ambitious plan to increase funding from institutions to support EQCA’s mission to create a world that is healthy, just, and fully equal for all LGBTQ+ people.

The Grants Manager will demonstrate exceptional written communication as they will work with key stakeholders both internally and externally in a fast-paced environment that demands keen attention to detail. This person will work closely with the Program Director, Associate Program Directors, and other members of senior leadership to develop and refine strategies for maximizing results and will collaborate with other team members across the organization. This role directly oversees the Senior Grants Associate.

Essential Duties:

Lead development and submission of grant proposals and reports that garner sizable support from foundations. This work includes:

• Research new funding opportunities on a local, state, and federal level from private, corporate, and state funding apparatus.
• Preparing and organizing materials for proposals and submitting and monitoring grant applications.
• Carefully following grant application deadlines, requirements, and submission directions.
• Preparing thorough grant applications in Equality California’s voice.
• Preparing grant budgets that align with Equality California funding objectives.
• Ensuring that the proposals are formatted, packaged, and submitted in accordance with the funder’s directions.
• Submitting grant applications for identified opportunities.
• Collaborating with the Program Directors, Associate Program Directors, and other organizational staff to design program and outreach strategies that align funding opportunity requirements with the organization’s mission.

Support the development and implementation of the annual grant fundraising strategy. This work includes:

• Partner with the Program Director and other members of senior leadership to prepare comprehensive budgets for proposals; timely, accurate financial reporting; record gifts, and acquire needed gift documentation. Monitor progress toward goals and report weekly to the Program Director on progress or challenges.
• Researching foundations, corporate foundations, and government agencies to identify funding opportunities.
• Utilize Foundation Center and other foundation research tools to inform strategy.
• Providing advice and guidance on grant opportunities and if necessary, provide recommendations on which opportunities should or should not be prioritized.
• Working with the development department to cultivate corporate foundations.
• Maintaining Equality California’s library of reference documentation, including such information as financial documentation, past proposals and applications, organization background, and organization references.
• Developing and cultivating relationships and maintaining effective communication with foundation program officers.

Support proper data management. This includes:

• Maintaining accurate data for past, current, and prospective foundation donors and government grants.
• Maintaining up-to-date contacts and funder information in Equality California’s development database.
• Develop and maintain accurate tracking systems for foundation requirements, reporting deadlines, and application deadlines.
• Maintain a master calendar of grants and prospects and all associated files and correspondence using EQCA’s online tools (e.g., Box, Google Drive, Asana).
• Support organizational staff in writing compelling reports and targeted program updates to funders that fully capture programmatic successes – assemble all necessary supporting materials and documents and submit to the Program Director, other Directors, or the Executive Director.
• Oversee the work of the Senior Grant Associate, in partnership with the Program Director.

The above is not an exhaustive list of duties and you will be expected to perform different tasks as necessitated by your role within the organization and the overall operational needs of the organization.

Qualifications

• Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills and the ability to effectively interface with senior management and staff.
• This position is writing intensive. Exceptional writing skills are required, with a concise, compelling, and clear writing style.
• An understanding of program budgeting, with the ability to read and understand financial documents.
• Excellent with attention to detail and accuracy in spelling, grammar, facts, and content. Detail-oriented, organized, and ambitious.
• Ability to develop and produce grants and other proposals.
• Ability to make administrative/procedural decisions and judgments.
• Strong project management skills, particularly the ability to manage competing deadlines and work professionally under time constraints.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills and the ability to interact effectively with colleagues and external partners. Self-motivated, with a strong work ethic, results- oriented, and deadline-driven.
• Strong computer skills including above average competency in Word and Excel; project management and research databases and Asana experience a plus.
• Support an inclusive environment and value the individual traits, skills, and talents of all staff, volunteers, and donors.
• BA/BS degree or equivalent experience required; master’s degree or equivalent experience preferred.
• At least 4+ years of professional writing experience preferred.
• Significant experience in philanthropy or the nonprofit sector with a minimum of three years of grants management involvement required, ideally in positions of increasing responsibility and with cross-functional exposure.

Policies:

Equality California is an equal employment opportunity employer. Equality California does not make employment decisions or discriminate based on protected characteristics including, but not limited to, race (including traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles (which includes, but is not limited to, such hairstyles as braids, locks, and twists)), creed, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, marital status, sex, gender (including gender identity and/or gender expression), sexual orientation, age, disability (physical or mental, citizenship, military or veteran status, reproductive health decision making, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable local, state, and federal law. We strongly encourage diverse candidates to apply, including, but not limited to, women, people of color, people of diverse gender identities, and non-LGBTQ+ allies.

Qualified Applicants with Criminal Histories will be considered for employment in a manner consistent with the requirements of the California Consumer Reporting Agencies Act and Los Angeles’s Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance.

Equality California will ensure that people with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact the human resources department at 213.355.3051 or hr@eqca.org.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $72,764.00 - $87,068.00 per year

Benefits:

• Cost-free medical coverage
• Dental and vision plans
• $50 per month for internet; $50 per month for mobile phone usage
• 13 paid holidays
• 2 paid floating religious/cultural days
• 2 paid personal days
• 8 hours paid for civic participation
• Winter Break (5 paid days off at the end of the year)
• 15 days of vacation accrued per year.
• $1500 for every two years of service
• 401k retirement plan with match
• Company-sponsored life insurance, long-term and short-term disability coverage.

Schedule:

• Day shift
• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

Work Location: Hybrid remote (2 days in person/ 3 days remote) - in Los Angeles, CA 90015