Grant Writer

Are you looking for a meaningful career in a position that allows you to make a positive impact in your community? Join Voices for Children and be part of a team that makes a difference in the lives of children and families while taking pride in serving with the highest level of excellence and care.

About Us

Voices for Children is a respected, local nonprofit organization focused on fulfilling our mission to advocate for the needs of children in foster care. Our mission is to transform the lives of abused children by providing them with Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs). We believe that every child deserves a safe and permanent home, and our vision is to provide a CASA to every child in foster care who needs one, monitor every court file in the system, and advocate to improve the lives of Riverside and San Diego County’s foster children. Consistently considered a top CASA program out of 1,000 programs nationwide, our team takes pride in serving our children with the highest level of excellence and care.

About The Position

The Grant Writer reports to the Institutional Giving Manager and works collaboratively with the Philanthropy team to achieve the fundraising goals, objectives, and priorities of Voices for Children (VFC). This role plays a critical part in securing funding from foundation, corporate, and government partners by developing compelling grant proposals and reports, conducting prospect research, and supporting the stewardship of institutional donors.

Responsibilities

• Grant Writing Duties
  • Write compelling, accurate, and persuasive grant proposals, letters of inquiry, applications, and reports that align with funder requirements and effectively communicate Voices for Children's mission, programs, impact, and funding needs.
  • Manage grant proposal and reporting deadlines, ensuring the timely completion and submission of all required materials.
  • Collaborate with program, finance, operations, and leadership staff to gather information, develop project budgets, and accurately represent organizational priorities, outcomes, and funding needs.
  • Review and interpret foundation, corporate, and government funding guidelines, grant contracts, and reporting requirements to support compliance and successful grant management.
  • Research and analyze donor interests, funding priorities, giving trends, and relevant issues related to child welfare, juvenile justice, education, and youth development.
  • Identify, evaluate, and recommend prospective funding opportunities through research tools, databases, and other sources, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and strategic goals.
  • Utilize technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to support prospect research, funding opportunity identification, proposal development, reporting, and workflow efficiency while maintaining accuracy, originality, confidentiality, and adherence to organizational standards.
• Philanthropy Administration & Support
  • Maintain and monitor the institutional giving calendar, ensuring that proposal, reporting, stewardship, and cultivation deadlines are met.
  • Record and maintain accurate grant-related information, donor interactions, and institutional giving activities in Raiser's Edge NXT and other organizational systems.
  • Organize and maintain grant files, proposals, reports, award letters, correspondence, supporting documentation, and resource materials for ongoing stewardship and future use.
  • Assist with grant tracking, revenue forecasting, and pipeline management activities as assigned.
  • Support stewardship efforts by preparing funder updates, acknowledgment letters, impact reports, and other donor communications.
• Other Duties
  • Assist with all special events/fundraising events as a member of the Philanthropy team.
  • Serve on Voices for Children committees as requested by the Institutional Giving Manager and/or leadership team.
  • Act as a liaison to agency and community committees as determined by the Institutional Giving Manager and/or Philanthropy team.
  • Perform other duties as assigned by the Institutional Giving Manager and/or leadership team.
  • Continually work to further the Mission and Vision of Voices for Children.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in English, Communications, Journalism, Nonprofit Management, Public Administration, Business Administration, Marketing, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
• Demonstrated ability to write compelling and persuasive proposals, reports, and other communications tailored to donor interests, funding priorities, and organizational needs.
• Excellent writing, editing, proofreading, and verbal communication skills.
• Strong time management and organizational skills, with the ability to prioritize competing deadlines, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and maintain exceptional attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze information, synthesize complex content, and present it in a clear and compelling manner.
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, and collaborate effectively in a team environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office 365 applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Teams.
• Experience using fundraising, donor management, CRM, or database systems to maintain accurate records and track activities.
• Experience utilizing Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to support research, content development, grant writing, project management, fundraising activities, or process improvement while maintaining accuracy, confidentiality, sound judgment, and content quality.
• Commitment to maintaining confidentiality and handling sensitive information with professionalism and discretion.
• Access to reliable transportation to attend meetings, events, and other work-related activities as needed. A valid California driver's license and proof of automobile insurance are required if a personal vehicle is used during the course of work.
• Must meet all screening requirements as set forth in California Rules of Court, Rule 5.655.
• Willingness and ability to work evenings, weekends, and occasional additional hours as needed.

Qualifications

• Preferred Qualifications
  • Two or more years of grant writing, institutional giving, fundraising, development, communications, or related professional experience.
  • Experience preparing successful grant proposals and reports for foundations, corporations, and government funders.
  • Experience using Raiser's Edge NXT or similar constituent relationship management (CRM) software.
  • Familiarity with grant research tools such as Foundation Directory Online, Instrumentl, GrantStation, or similar platforms.
  • Knowledge of nonprofit fundraising principles and institutional giving strategies.
  • Certification, coursework, or formal education in fundraising, grant writing, nonprofit management, or philanthropic studies.
  • Experience working in a nonprofit organization, preferably in human services, child welfare, education, youth development, or a related field.
  • Demonstrated interest in leveraging technology, data, and AI-enabled tools to improve fundraising effectiveness and operational efficiency.

Benefits

• 12 vacation days
• 13 paid holidays
• 5 additional days of paid time off after Christmas Day through New Year’s Day
• Medical (one plan is free), Dental, Vision
• Pet Insurance
• Flexible spending account (Health & Dependent Care)
• 403b plans for retirement savings (Traditional & Roth)
• 403b 3% employer contribution (fully vested)
• A welcoming work environment
• Alternate Work Schedule: Choose from a 4/10 schedule (4 days a week / 10 hours a day) or 5/8 schedule (5 days per week 8 hours per day)

Pay

$65,000-$72,000 annually