The Grants Manager reports to the Chief Development Officer and leads Mission Graduates’ institutional fundraising work. This role is responsible for managing and growing a portfolio of foundation, corporate, and government funders, with an annual revenue goal of over $2M and plans for continued growth.
This is both a relationship-driven and execution-focused role with meaningful strategic input. The Grants Manager will manage existing funder relationships and identify and cultivate new funding opportunities. They will also lead the development of high-quality proposals and reports that clearly communicate Mission Graduates’ impact to current and prospective funders, including foundations, corporations, and public agencies such as the City of San Francisco. The ideal candidate brings strong writing skills, excellent project management, and the ability to translate program outcomes into compelling funding proposals. They are proactive, organized, and comfortable working across teams in a fast-moving, mission-driven environment, with a strong commitment to educational equity.
This role works closely with the Chief Development Officer, CEO, program staff, development team, and finance team to align funding strategy with organizational priorities and ensure strong stewardship of all institutional partners.
Key Responsibilities
Lead the development and execution of the institutional giving strategy, in partnership with the Chief Development Officer, to support Mission Graduates’ fundraising goals.
Manage a portfolio of 25–30 foundation, corporate, and government funders and prospects.
Secure $2M+ in annual foundation funding, with a focus on renewing, upgrading, and attracting new funders.
Monitor grant fundraising revenue against budgeted goals and ensure progress toward targets.
Lead the development and submission of grant proposals and reports to foundations, corporations, and government funders by managing the full lifecycle of grant proposals and reports, from planning through submission and follow-up.
Collaborate with the Chief Development Officer, CEO, the program team, and the finance team to develop proposal concepts and translate program outcomes, data, and impact stories into clear, compelling proposals aligned with funder priorities.
Build and maintain strong relationships with foundation funders, in partnership with the Chief Development Officer and CEO, including coordinating funder communications, site visits, and stewardship touchpoints.
Build and maintain a strong pipeline of prospective institutional funders by identifying and researching new foundation, corporate, and government funding opportunities
Maintain a comprehensive grants calendar, tracking systems, and funder records in Salesforce CRM.
Ensure all grant requirements, deadlines, and reporting obligations are met in accordance with funder agreements.
Required Qualifications
5+ years of experience in nonprofit grant writing and management.
Experience supporting or managing a portfolio of institutional funders with revenue responsibility ($2M+ preferred).
Exceptional writing skills with the ability to translate program impact into compelling narratives for a variety of audiences.
Excellent communication skills with demonstrable ability to speak persuasively and listen attentively.
Demonstrated experience managing multiple deadlines and complex proposal and reporting schedules.
Experience building and maintaining relationships with foundation and/or corporate funders.
Strong strategic thinking skills, with the ability to identify, prioritize, and pursue new funding opportunities.
Proficiency with Salesforce CRM (or similar) and grant tracking tools.
Strong organizational and project management skills with exceptional attention to detail
Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across teams and levels of leadership.
Commitment to educational equity and experience working with communities of color and low-income communities.
Proactive, solutions-oriented team member with a continuous improvement mindset.
Experience working with San Francisco-based foundations, corporations, or public funding agencies is preferred.
Bilingual Spanish/English fluency is a plus.
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
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