Grants Manager

About We Care Solar

We Care Solar is an award-winning U.S. nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthening health care and education in under-resourced countries by improving access to clean, reliable electricity. Since 2010, We Care Solar has designed and delivered compact, durable solar electric systems to energy-deficient health centers and schools, replacing candles and kerosene lanterns with bright, efficient LED lights and power for essential devices.

Solar for Healthcare: Our Light Every Birth initiative is transforming maternal health care at the national level in select countries in Africa. The We Care Solar Suitcase provides health workers with highly efficient medical lighting and power for mobile communication and medical devices. This device is effective in a range of medical and humanitarian settings and has been distributed to thousands of health facilities worldwide. Our training programs build local capacity in solar installation, operation and maintenance.

Solar for Education: Our hands-on STEM education program, We Share Solar, empowers students to learn about solar as a solution to local and global energy access challenges while gaining skills in engineering, electricity, and problem solving while assembling specialized Solar Suitcase Learning Kits.

We Care Solar has received international accolades and numerous awards, including the 2019 Zayed Sustainability Award, the 2017 UNFCCC Momentum for Change Award, the 2015 UN DESA Powering the Future We Want Award and the 2013 CNN Top 10 Heroes. Media coverage has included features in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Forbes, PBS Newshour, BBC World News, CNN, ABC and CBS.

We are a mission focused organization and team that likes to have fun while doing serious work. Our team includes global staff from five of our priority countries in Africa and U.S.-based staff across six states. Many of our team members have been with We Care Solar for more than five years. We are extremely committed to providing a fun and flexible work environment (virtually and in-person) while ensuring that we are able to deliver cost effective programs with high impact.

Position Summary

We Care Solar is seeking an experienced and detail-oriented Grants Manager to join our Development Team. The Grants Manager will play a key role in securing funding to expand our health and STEM education programs by developing and writing compelling grant proposals, reports, and donor communications.

The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker with exceptional writing and organizational skills and a passion for our mission. He/She/They work well independently with minimal supervision in a fast-paced work environment of multiple and changing priorities and time zones, anticipates and resolves problems, and has experience with SalesForce or similar CRM. The candidate is highly organized, a strong writer, critical thinker, and team player with an eye for detail and a demonstrated commitment to We Care Solar’s vision, mission and programs.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify New Funding Opportunities: Identify and research new grants sources and serve as the main point of contact with foundation staff. Establish and build relationships with grant managers.
• Proposal Development: Write and edit grant proposals and letters of inquiry (LOIs) tailored to foundation, corporate, and government funders.
• Grant Management: Maintain a yearly calendar of application and reporting deadlines, and ensure timely submissions.
• Portfolio Management: Maintain and steward the We Share Solar portfolio of foundations in Salesforce. Work with the Development team to manage and update foundation Salesforce records.
• Reporting: Collaborate with program and finance teams to draft accurate and compelling grant reports.
• Research: Identify and assess new funding opportunities that align with We Care Solar’s mission and programs. Establish relationships with stakeholders, including corporate, foundations, and other strategic partners related to funding opportunities.
• Collaboration: Work closely with the Development Director, program leads, and finance staff to gather relevant information for proposals and budgets.
• Stakeholder Communication/Portfolio Management: Serve as the main point of contact for external partners and foundations. Work with the Development Director and Development and Communications Manager to ensure effective communication, newsletter and website content. Maintain and steward the We Share Solar portfolio of foundations and individual donors.
• Donor Stewardship: Support stewardship communications by drafting donor updates, success stories, and case studies.

Qualifications:

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in education, English, Communications, Public Health, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in grant writing and reporting, ideally within the nonprofit or education sectors.
• Proven track record of identifying and securing six and seven figure grants.
• Preference for candidates with experience in fundraising for an international development NGO.

Skills & Competencies:

• Exceptional writing, editing and research skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Familiarity with grant research platforms.
• Proficiency with Salesforce or similar CRM systems and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, evolving environment with competing priorities.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to think creatively.
• A results-oriented mindset with strong problem-solving abilities.
• Highly organized, deadline-driven, and able to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Flexibility in attending meetings scheduled to accommodate diverse time zones.

Personal Attributes

• Passionate about global health, STEM education, renewable energy, sustainability, and social impact.
• Ability to divide work time between health and education program needs.
• Interest in becoming a thought expert on both our health and education programs.
• High level of initiative and accountability.
• Collaborative, team-oriented, and open to feedback.
• Strong attention to detail and highly organized.
• Comfortable working independently and as part of a remote team.

LOCATION

Remote; preference for Berkeley, CA

FLSA

Exempt Employment

What We Offer

• Mission-driven work. You will see and feel the impact of your work on the lives of the women, newborns, and students we serve on a daily basis.
• Competitive salary. The salary range for this role is $91,000-$110,000, commensurate with experience and based on geographic location.
• Comprehensive benefits. Health insurance, 28+ paid vacation days and holidays, paid family leave, and employer contributed IRA.
• Flexible work schedule. We pride ourselves on offering a flexible and fun environment while achieving our mission. You’ll have autonomy to create a schedule that brings your best work, including working remotely..
• Strong culture. A working environment that values humility, integrity, inclusion, professional growth, and learning.
• Talented and dedicated team. A collaborative, hard-working, international team that is willing to do what it takes to get the job done, is committed to learning and improving, but laughs often and creates time for having fun.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We Care Solar is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to fostering a progressive work environment that encourages participation by all team members and ensures that all voices are heard. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.

Application Instructions

Please send a detailed cover letter of interest with related experience, a current resume/CV and a writing sample of no more than three pages to: recruit@wecaresolar.org. Please no phone calls or emails regarding this position. Resumes will be reviewed as they are received. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.