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Grant Writer

United Way of South Hampton Roads
locationNorfolk, VA, USA
remoteHybrid
PublishedPublished: Published 5 days ago
Resource Development
Full time
3 - 5 years of experience

UNITED WAY OF SOUTH HAMPTON ROADS

Title: Grant Writer

Department: Resource Development

Report To: Chief Development Officer

Date Created: June 2025

Why Work for United Way:


Do you want to leave work every day knowing that you made an impact? At United Way of South Hampton Roads (UWSHR), you’ll work in a fun and supportive environment where every day is a new opportunity to make a difference. If you talk to our employees, the single trait we all have in common is passion. We work hard because we love what we do and we know how much our community needs us. You’ll learn from some of the best in the business and be constantly challenged in an ever-changing industry. Plus, we offer excellent benefits and opportunities for advancement. If you want to be great while doing good, join the United Way team.

Objectives & Expectations:

Secure new and existing funding sources (private and public) to generate revenue for programs/initiatives

that focus on the mission and goals of our organization. This position requires researching of grant

opportunities, capacity/grant readiness assessment, supporting the project development processes, and

writing of high-quality funding applications, proposals and reports. This position will coordinate and lead

the activities of the grant writing process from research to reporting for the entire organization.

Essential Responsibilities and Duties:

  • Proactively research and evaluate potential public and private funding opportunities aligned with UWSHR’s mission, programs, and strategic goals.
  • Monitor grant databases, government portals, and foundation announcements for new funding prospects.
  • Collaborate with internal teams to assess organizational and programmatic capacity for specific grant opportunities.
  • Lead internal readiness checklists to ensure eligibility and alignment with funder priorities
  • Serve as the project lead for grant proposal development, managing timelines, deliverables, and team coordination.
  • Facilitate meetings with program staff, finance, data, and leadership to gather required information and define project scopes.
  • Develop compelling, accurate, and high-quality grant applications, letters of intent, and funding proposals.Manage the full submission process, including uploading applications to online portals and ensuring all attachments and documents are included.
  • Partner with the finance team to draft and revise grant budgets and financial justifications that meet funder requirements.
  • Prepare and submit timely, accurate reports to funders on grant deliverables, outcomes, and expenditures.
  • Collaborate with program, finance and data teams to gather impact metrics, expenditures and participant stories for narrative reporting.
  • Create and maintain an annual grants calendar with key deadlines and renewal cycles.
  • Assist in identifying trends and gaps in funding that can inform resource development planning.

Competencies:

  • Mission-Focused: Catalyzes others’ commitment to mission to create real social change that leads to better lives and healthier communities
  • Relationship-Oriented: Is astute in cultivating and managing relationships toward a common goal
  • Collaborator: Understands the roles and contributions of all sectors of the community and can mobilize resources (financial and human) through meaningful engagement
  • Results-Driven: Dedicated to shared and measurable goals for the common good; creating, resourcing, scaling, and leveraging strategies and innovations for broad investment and impact
  • Strength of Character: Demonstrates ability to be approachable and cooperative while also being a successful executive leader
  • Brand Steward: Steward of the brand and understands his/her role in growing and protecting the reputation and results of the greater network
  • Visionary: Confronts the complex realities of the environment and simultaneously maintains faith in a different and better future, providing purpose, direction and motivation
  • Team-Builder: First ensures that the right people are in the right roles at the right times; fostering commitment, trust, and collaboration among multi-cultural leaders and stakeholders
  • Outward Turning: Understands the dynamics of local, regional, and national environments, and works on an agenda rooted in the community’s own perception of its needs and aspirations
  • Business Acumen: Possesses a high-level of broad business and management skills and is effective at using financial resources wisely and for the greatest impact
  • Network-Oriented: Values the power of networks; striving to leverage United Way’s breadth of community presence, relationships and strategy

Core Values:

  • We are responsive to each other and to the community. We do our best to anticipate challenges and needs so we can proactive address them. We do NOT react, we respond – promptly, appropriately and thoughtfully.
  • We build trust by being transparent, authentic and vulnerable. We communicate openly and listen with respect and empathy. We do NOT shy away from tough conversations or backtrack on our commitments.
  • We are determined and steadfast in our commitment to our goals. We are persistent and tenacious, and seek creative solutions to overcome obstacles. We do NOT let failure keep us down – we brush it off and try again with renewed dedication the next day.
  • We are team players, always seeking opportunities to go above and beyond our job description to help our colleagues and partners. We aim to create a positive, fun environment where we are proud to be ourselves. We do NOT work in silos, but instead play to each other’s strengths and cover each other’s blind spots.
  • We care about community because to us, this work is personal. It’s for our families, our neighbors, our children, our friends. We are all here because we want our work to matter – to have some higher purpose – and we want to surround ourselves with others who desire the same. It’s NOT just a paycheck, it’s a purpose.

Key Skill Requirements:

  • Proficient in developing competitive grant proposals, letters of inquiry, and narrative responses aligned with funder priorities and programmatic goals.
  • Demonstrated ability to conduct prospect research using grant databases, philanthropic directories, and federal funding portals to identify aligned funding opportunities.
  • Skilled in logic model development, theory of change articulation, and integration of evidence-based practices into funding applications.
  • Experience coordinating cross-departmental input to produce cohesive proposals, including collaboration with program, finance, data, and leadership teams.
  • Ability to synthesize large volumes of quantitative and qualitative data to support needs assessments, outcomes reporting, and funder-required performance metrics.
  • Strong command of grants compliance, funder-specific requirements, and post-award reporting obligations.
  • Adept at developing and reviewing proposal budgets, budget narratives, and cost allocation plans in coordination with finance staff.
  • Familiarity with CRM and grants management systems such as Andar or similar platforms for tracking submissions, deadlines, and deliverables.
  • Capacity to manage concurrent funding applications under tight deadlines with attention to accuracy, formatting, and technical requirements.
  • Working knowledge of philanthropic and public sector funding trends, including federal, state, foundation, and corporate giving priorities.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in English, Communications, Public Administration, or a related field.
  • At least 3 years of grant writing experience in a nonprofit or public sector setting.
  • Proven success in securing foundation, corporate, or government funding.
  • Strong writing and editing skills with the ability to craft persuasive, outcomes-focused proposals.
  • Experience developing budgets and collaborating with finance and program teams.
  • Familiarity with grant management or CRM platforms
  • Knowledge of federal grant guidelines, including OMB Uniform Guidance.
  • Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications

  • Master’s degree in a relevant field.
  • 5+ years of grant writing experience, ideally in a multi-program nonprofit.
  • Knowledge of logic models, evaluation frameworks, or Results-Based Accountability.
  • Experience using Grants.gov, SAM.gov, or other government portals.
  • Familiarity with United Way priorities or similar community impact initiatives.
  • Membership in GPA, AFP, or completion of grant writing certification.

Working Environment:

Typical office environment with some time spent in outside meetings. Nights and weekends may be required for special events or meetings.

Physical Requirements:

  • This job may require exerting up to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects
  • Worker must frequently talk, hear and use typical office equipment
  • Walking, standing or sitting for extended periods of time
  • Ability to provide personal transportation
  • Ability to operate a computer for extended periods

United Way of South Hampton Roads is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, employment decisions at UWSHR will be based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. UWSHR does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status or genetics. Please Note: Requirements, skills, and abilities described above are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this position with or without reasonable accommodation. In no instance, however, should the duties, responsibilities, and requirements be interpreted as all-inclusive.

Required degree level

  • Bachelor

Years of experience

  • 3 - 5 years of experience