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Foundation Grant Proposal Writer

This job is no longer available

Falls Church, Virginia
Full-time

Five Talents (FT) is a faith-based nonprofit that seeks to transform lives through economic empowerment. FT develops micro-enterprise programs, and over the last 22 years we have supported over 200,000 participants globally to grow their incomes and provide for their families. In partnership with local churches around the world, we provide literacy, money management, and business skills training. Then we set up savings-and-loan groups in which members can borrow small loans. As their small businesses grow, families can afford to send their children to school, visit a clinic when they are sick, and become more resilient to catastrophes such as drought. Instead of a hand out, Five Talents helps provide a hand up.

Five Talents has offices in England, Kenya, and the US. The US office does fundraising and program management. We have grown our funding significantly over the last three years, and we are looking for a talented fundraiser to join our dedicated, small team to help us to grow further. It’s an exciting time to join our dynamic team.

We are particularly interested in hiring to support our diversity and inclusion goals. At Five Talents we strive to be a place where a diverse mix of talented people want to come, to stay, and to do their best work to help people around the world. We offer flexible working conditions, and we proactively promote a healthy work-life balance, with remote work as an option.

Job Description

The Foundation Grant Proposal Writer is a new position and will report to the Director of Strategic Partnerships in the US. Our donor partners provide 100% of the revenue to run the organization. Approximately 10% of our current funding comes from foundations, but we expect it will grow significantly. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced, driven fundraiser to join our team as we expand our funding partnerships in the US, and thus our programs across the world. This person will help shape the role according to their skills. We are looking for an experienced manager who has performed the process of determining which foundations to apply to and has written winning proposals for multiple grants larger than $50,000. Because we implement our programs through local churches and raise funds from Christian foundations (among others), the new fundraiser must be able to write compelling narratives about our work for a Christian audience.

Areas of Responsibility: 

The new fundraiser will be responsible for growing our funding from new foundations (80% of work time), as well as supporting other fundraising as needed (20% of work time). We plan for this fundraiser to travel to an international site at least once to experience FT work first hand.  

Primary responsibilities will include:

  • Identifying and researching applicable foundations.
  • Writing, submitting, and managing high quality, persuasive proposals.
  • Ensuring high quality and timely reports are sent to grant-makers (with support from others).
  • Documenting all important interactions in our database, discussing follow-up with the development team, and then following up. This will include face-to-face communication, e-mails, letters and telephone calls.
  • Working in collaboration with the FT Program Team and Communications Director.
  • Submitting approximately four “technical” proposals a month (after several months of ramp-up time), in addition to small “boiler-plate” proposals.
  • Raising the profile of Five Talents by presenting in online meetings.
  • Nurturing relationships with foundations, funding institutions, and donors, keeping them connected with the impacts of their gifts (sending stories from around the world).
Educational Background: 
Bachelor's Degree
Skills/Experience: 

Essential

  • At least four years of successful proposal-writing experience, including at least two years within the non-profit sector, showing a demonstrable track record.
  • Experience working to targets.
  • Strong writing skills and proven ability to write persuasively for a variety of different audiences.
  • Proven ability to understand and consolidate internal financial reports and budgets for external audiences.
  • Able to work within a small team, as well as to work remotely with Five Talents colleagues in England, Kenya, and around the world.
  • Strong interpersonal skills, able to engage (generally by phone) a range of audiences.
  • In agreement with Five Talents’ vision and Christian values.
  • Bachelor’s degree.

Desirable

  • A personality that is relational and not “salesy.” The majority of our donors are passionate and want to be part of our work to help those in extreme poverty around the world.  
  • Experience in international development.
  • Experience with securing grants for a Christian non-profit.
Compensation/Benefits: 

This is a full-time, exempt position. The Foundation Grant Proposal Writer will not be required to report daily at the Five Talents office in Fairfax County, Virginia, but will be required to meet with staff in Fairfax County at least once every three months. The position will report to the Director of Strategic Partnerships. Salary will be based on experience and consistent with other small non-profits. The position includes 15 days of annual leave and eight days of personal leave each year, in addition to nine holidays, along with an IRA savings plan and health/dental insurance.

How to Apply: 

Please upload your resume and cover letter and "Apply" though this link: https://ideali.st/z2vdAS

Organization Info

Five Talents USA

Overview
Headquarters: 
Falls Church, Virginia
Size: 
1-10 employees
Founded: 
1998
About Us
Mission: 

Five Talents’ vision is to eradicate extreme poverty by restoring human dignity and creating strong, sustainable communities. Our vision is to transform lives through economic empowerment.

Programs: 
  • Christian Economic Development
  • Microenterprise Development
  • Microfinance
  • Financial Literacy
  • Adult literacy
  • Business Skills training
  • Trauma healing
Why Work For Us?: 

Five Talents is a micro-finance organization that helps the world’s most vulnerable families escape poverty. Partnering with local churches around the world, we train men and women, mostly women living in extreme poverty, to form savings groups, take out loans, and build their own businesses.

Connect With Us

Listing Stats

Post Date: 
Mar 29 2021
Active Until: 
Apr 29 2021
Hiring Organization: 
Five Talents USA
industry: 
Nonprofit