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GRANT WRITER

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The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) Foundation of Florida seeks a Grant Writer.  The Grant Writer works closely with the Development Department to achieve the organization’s goal of protecting the liberties that define our democracy. This position is located in the organization’s Miami office, but includes some travel.

The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Florida is an affiliate of the national ACLU, a national public interest organization devoted to the defense of the Bill of Rights.  For nearly 100 years, the ACLU has served as the nation’s primary protector of the liberties that define our democracy.  The organization implements its vital civil liberties mission in all 50 states in large part through affiliate entities such as the ACLU of Florida. Operating out of four offices—Miami (main), Tampa, Pensacola, and Jacksonville—the Florida affiliate has a budget of over $8 million and 55 staff members, placing it among the larger ACLU affiliates in the nation. 

The ACLU of Florida, the state’s largest civil rights and civil liberties organization, employs litigation, public policy advocacy, and public education to protect and promote a broad range of constitutional values and individual rights, such as freedom of speech, racial justice, right to privacy, religious liberty, criminal justice reform, voting rights, reproductive rights, LGBT rights, disability rights, and immigrants’ rights.  The ACLU of Florida litigates a broad range of complex constitutional cases in federal and state courts through direct representation, filing amicus briefs, and submitting administrative complaints to state and federal agencies.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Grant Writer is a staff position within the Affiliate’s Development Department. The position reports to the Director of Philanthropy. The position is focused on ensuring that the ACLU of Florida meets our fundraising goals by increasing grant funding to support the ACLU’s work while managing funder relations and reporting.

The Grant Writer will be responsible for identifying new grant funding opportunities and building strong relationships between those funders and the ACLU in order to prioritize the work of the ACLU for the funders and maximize financial support. The Grant Writer will be responsible to keep the funders up to date on the work of the ACLU and will work closely with the ACLU of Florida team to track the progress, and report accurately and timely, about the specific work funded by the grantor.

The Grant Writer will work closely with members of the ACLU of Florida’s development department, the Executive Director, and development colleagues at the national ACLU, as well as with staff in every department of the state organization. The Grant Writer will spend a significant amount of time in direct interaction with funders, to ensure that each funder is well informed about the work they are funding and that all requirements of the funders are met. The positions will require some travel within Florida and possible travel outside of Florida for training purposes.

 

Areas of Responsibility: 

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Identify and research Florida-based grant funders to support the work of the ACLU of Florida.

Work with national ACLU to identify national funders that fund regional work.

Balance the financial needs of the ACLU of Florida with the funding needs of grant funding organizations.

Partner with staff to research, write, and submit creative and compelling grant proposals.

Schedule and track grant activities and alert program staff to upcoming report and proposal deadlines.

Ensure compliance with funder agreements and on-time submission of deliverables.

Maintain contact and relationships with external agencies and respond to inquiries, as necessary.

Create a comprehensive cultivation and grant application strategy for funders and execute strategies that fulfill funders’ goals.

Develop and implement a communications plan to keep in regular contact with funders on the issues of their interest.

Work with the staff to secure project information to develop materials and communication including highly creative and strategic proposals that are consistent with the interests and desired funding of the grantors.

Track activities, communication, and progress for each grant, accurately and timely.

Maintain working knowledge of the ACLU’s programmatic priorities and issues as they occur.

Other duties as assigned.

Skills/Experience: 

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

While no one person will have all the qualities enumerated below, the successful candidate will bring many of the following qualifications and attributes:

A strong commitment to the principles and values of the ACLU and its mission.

Minimum of three years of experience in nonprofit grant writing, management and reporting, with a proven track record of securing grant funding, or comparable experience.    

Experience identifying, cultivating and stewarding funders.

Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication and presentation skills.

Demonstrated ability to simplify complex themes and activities into a short, compelling presentation or written piece. Familiarity with talking about utilizing public policy advocacy and litigation to promote social justice is helpful.

Strong people skills. The ability to communicate effectively and respectfully on the phone, via email and text and in person.

Persuasiveness and perseverance in attaining goals.

Strong organizational skills, ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects simultaneously and to meet deadlines. Ability to develop long-term plans, set objectives, and track progress towards achieving goals.

Personal initiative and a sense of humor. Friendly, outgoing, and collaborative approach, and a strong team-oriented style.

Experience with donor database management and systems to track campaigns preferred.

Ability to keep sensitive information private and secure.

Proficiency with office technology and information systems (including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) and a donor database (SalesForce, Research Point, Looker) preferred.

Must be available for travel across the state, as well as limited out-of-state travel.

A confident and professional work style. Ability to work independently and to exercise good judgment in stressful circumstances. Flexibility and a willingness to take on new tasks as the responsibilities of the position evolve.

Knowledge of the Florida foundation community preferred.  

Ability to work beyond the traditional workday and work week as needed.

Ability to understand and execute complex instructions.

Ability to think strategically, develop effective solutions, and take initiative.

Fluency in Spanish or Creole preferred, but not required.

Unwavering commitment to the mission and goals of the ACLU, including a demonstrated commitment to equity and racial justice.

Compensation/Benefits: 

Compensation will be commensurate with experience, within the range of $52,000 to $70,000. The ACLU of Florida provides excellent benefits, including health and dental insurance with generous vacation, holiday and sick leave policies, as well as a Defined Contribution 401K Retirement Plan.

How to Apply: 

Please send cover letter, resume, by email to [email protected]. All inquiries should include Grant Writer – Miami in the subject line and all attachments should be in Microsoft Word or PDF format.

Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Please indicate where you learned of this job posting. No phone calls, please.

This job description provides a general but not comprehensive list of the essential responsibilities and qualifications required. It does not represent a contract of employment. The ACLU of Florida reserves the right to change the job description and/or posting at any time without advance notice.

The ACLU of Florida is an equal opportunity employer. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. The ACLU of Florida encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, or veteran status. We encourage formerly incarcerated individuals to apply. If selected for an interview, please inquire if financial assistance is needed in order to attend.

The ACLU of Florida undertakes affirmative action strategies in its recruitment and employment efforts to assure that persons with disabilities have full opportunities for employment in all positions. Fluency in Spanish and Creole is preferred but not required.

Organization Info

American Civil Liberties Union of Florida

Overview
Headquarters: 
Miami, FL, USA
About Us
Programs: 

The ACLU of Florida is a non-profit, non-partisan organization that employs litigation, public policy advocacy, communications, and organizing to protect and promote a broad range of individual rights and freedoms, including the freedom of speech, voting rights, racial justice, privacy, religious liberty, reproductive rights, LGBTQ rights, and immigrants’ rights.

Why Work For Us?: 

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Florida is an affiliate of the national ACLU, a national public interest organization devoted to the defense of the Bill of Rights.  For nearly 100 years, the ACLU has served as the nation’s primary protector of the liberties that define our democracy.   The organization implements its vital civil liberties mission in all 50 states in large part through affiliate entities such as the ACLU of Florida. Operating on a $5.4 million budget out of four offices—Miami (main), Tampa, Pensacola, and Jacksonville—the Florida affiliate has 36 staff members, making it among the larger ACLU affiliates in the nation.

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Listing Stats

Post Date: 
Apr 1 2020
Active Until: 
May 1 2020
Hiring Organization: 
American Civil Liberties Union of Florida
industry: 
Nonprofit