Grants Director

Washington Tennis & Education Foundation (WTEF) serves nearly 1,000 at-risk DC youth each year through after school and out-of-school time programs that combine tennis, education and life skills activities. This fall WTEF opens its new $10 million education, tennis and community center in Ward 7 providing for expanded programming. WTEF is currently seeking a Grants Director to support, manage and grow WTEF's foundation revenue stream.

Purpose of the Job - WTEF’s annual budget is just over $2 million and grants account for 30% of WTEF’s revenue for program operation. The Grants Director will be part of a development team but with the sole responsibility of conducting WTEF’s grant-seeking activities from foundations, corporations, associations and appropriate government sources to help fund WTEF’s programs.

The incumbent’s chief responsibilities are for renewals of existing grants and obtaining new grants. The Grants Director will primarily manage more than 30 existing grants through communication of requirements to program staff and submission of renewal proposals and reports. In addition, the Grants Director will research potential new funding sources and write the proposal if funding is sought. An occasional capital or specialty proposal might also be required.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

• Seeks and obtains grants from foundations, corporations, associations, and appropriate government units to support WTEF’s programs, including requests to existing funders for renewal funding and to new funders for support.
  
• Ensures that proposals, letters of inquiry, and reports meet funder requirements including deadlines and attachment specifications or other specifications.
  
• Writes proposals using excellent writing skills, and describes new programs passionately and convincingly. Our new center will have many new opportunities and programs and we need someone who can understand the new programs and write about them persuasively.
  
• Understands WTEF programs in depth, including their history, methods of operation, results, and financial needs, and interacts with administrative and program staff as needed to obtain information about program and organizational operations.
  
• Researches and identifies appropriate and likely new sources of funding.
  
• Researches information for and keeps current WTEF’s needs statement for use in proposals to document community needs for our programs.
  
• Maintains hardcopy and electronic grant records, including grant agreement letters, for reference by senior staff and annual auditors.
  
• Assists Executive Director with projecting grant income as fiscal year budgets are prepared.
  
• Maintains a grants calendar for each fiscal year, with deadlines for proposals and for reports noted.
  
• Maintains revenue chart monthly of pending and obtained grants for use with proposals as often required; this is based on monthly financial statements from WTEF’s accountant.
  
• Interacts with funders as needed.

Knowledge and Skill Requirements

• A bachelor’s degree is required, and a master’s preferred.
• Five to ten years development and grants management experience, a history of successful grant results, and a commitment to programs that help at-risk children and youth.
• Prior experience in researching potential funders and researching statistical data which may be needed to document community needs.
• Excellent writing skills, with outstanding knowledge of English grammar and usage, and be able to write persuasively, clearly and concisely.
• Ability to work independently, consulting with others as needed, and have strong attention to detail.
• Adept in online grant applications and reporting processes, and must have excellent computer skills in Word (including formatting tools), Excel, Power Point and Adobe Acrobat.
• Solid oral presentation skills in order to present WTEF’s programs to potential funders and others as necessary.
• A CFRE certificate is helpful but not necessary.
  

This full-time position will be located at WTEF’s office at 16th and Kennedy Street, NW, Washington, DC. The Grants Director must be able to travel in the metropolitan area to meetings at funders’ offices, to WTEF’s Ward 7 site in SE Washington, and to locations, such as schools, where some WTEF programs operate. Must have own transportation. Occasional long hours required to meet deadlines or to assist with WTEF activities and special events.

Salary is competitive commensurate with qualifications. Benefits inlcude a health plan plus 401(K), sick and annual leave. WTEF observes all major Federal holidays.

Application Instructions

Please send resume and a cover letter describing your qualifications and interest in the position by email to: wtef@wtef.org

Job Type: Program
Organization Type: Grantmaking Public Charities