Grant Writer, Boston

BUILD

Job Description

Organization Profile: 
Founded in 1999, BUILD’s mission is to use entrepreneurship to ignite the power of youth in under-resourced communities to build Career success, Entrepreneurial mindsets, and Opportunity. We help students become the CEO of their own lives.

BUILD’s unique program offers students a four-year entrepreneurship experience designed to develop 21st Century Skills and motivate student engagement in school. Starting in 9th grade, BUILD students work with their peers and community mentors to develop business ideas, pitch to funders and launch real businesses. As students journey through high school and continue to grow their businesses, BUILD helps them explore college and career options, and assists students with the college application process. Entrepreneurship is the spark – college, career, and life success are the goals.

BUILD currently serves over 2,000 high school students annually at programs located in our Regional Hubs in the San Francisco Bay Area, Washington DC, New York City, Boston, Los Angeles, and Pittsburgh. Our new digital offerings are reaching up to 8,000 students in more than 100 cities, and growing fast. In the next two years, we aim to serve 24,000 youth and eventually build a vibrant 100,000 person community including BUILD students, alumni, educators, mentors, and volunteers. For more information, please visit www.build.org. 

Our Culture:
BUILD is made up of a diverse, results driven and passionate team who believe in the potential of every student and the power of entrepreneurship to transform the education landscape. We work in a collaborative environment where perseverance, flexibility, and an entrepreneurial spirit are encouraged and celebrated. Our culture thrives by embracing diversity, equity and inclusion, including cross-cultural understanding. Kindness, empathy and respect are at the forefront of the way we treat each other, our students, our teachers and our supporters. We believe in the potential of every student and are dedicated to breaking down the educational, economic and social barriers that stand in the way of their long-term success.  The remarkable young men and women whom we serve are at the center of everything we do. We are intentional about our culture so that we can best support them. 

Position Summary:
The part-time Grant Writer will primarily be responsible for writing and submitting compelling grant applications and reports that attract new institutional funders and inspire BUILD’s existing ones. The Grant Writer will inherit a robust portfolio of long-term and committed funders. This is an exceptional opportunity for someone looking for a mostly remote and flexible schedule to play a key role in contributing to the organization’s growth and ensure that BUILD has a vibrant culture of philanthropy. This position is a member of the Boston Development Team and reports to the Boston Director of Philanthropy. The Boston Grant Writer will be a part of a talented group of grant writer colleagues across BUILD’s regional and national departments who serve as thought partners and supports to one another.


Position Responsibilities include: 
  • Grant writing – Write and submit compelling applications for corporate and foundation funding opportunities (approximately 40% of BUILD Boston’s total revenue of $1.9M).
  • Reporting – Write and submit required progress and final reports, including compiling necessary information from program and finance staff, in a timely manner.
  • Knowledge Building - Develop an exceptional working understanding of BUILD’s program, data, funding priorities and strategic plans to use in grant submissions and reports.
  • Pipeline Development – Increase BUILD’s pipeline by sourcing new foundations that are aligned with BUILD’s mission. Research target foundations’ grants, amounts awarded, grant guidelines and deadlines.
  • Operations - Lead grant-writing operations including updating the Grant Tool Kit with current program information and data, updating proposals in the CRM (Raiser’s Edge), calendaring, and organization of stakeholder stories; work with the National development team to share and organize content so that is current, easy to source and reflective of best practices across regions.
  • Participate in weekly team meetings (virtually), annual retreats (in person) and support programmatic events as needed (this may include virtual engagement in student sessions or in person assistance to an all-hands on deck event.) These time commitments are flexible in nature, but candidates should expect in person engagement at least 1-2X per quarter.

Qualifications:
Qualified candidates should possess excellent writing and computer skills (Microsoft Office Suite; Google apps). The candidate must be highly organized, use independent judgment, and produce a consistently high-quality work product within tight time constraints and competing deadlines.

  • Passionate commitment to BUILD’s mission, vision, and strategic direction.
  • At least 3 years of proven success with grant writing. 
  • Familiarity with donor management software, Raiser’s Edge preferred.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of nonprofit organizational budgeting and/or creation of grant proposals and report budgets.
  • Working knowledge of prospect research methods for institutional donors.
  • Ability to work in partnership with others to complete assigned projects; experience in effectively collaborating with remote colleagues desirable.
  • Ability to thrive in a creative, dynamic, deadline-driven environment with humor and flexibility.
  • BUILD requires vaccination against COVID-19 for all employees. Reasonable Accommodations based on a qualifying medical exemption or sincerely held religious belief are being considered in accordance with applicable law.

Successful candidates will demonstrate BUILD’s Core Values and competencies through a combination of previous education/work experiences:

BUILD’s Core Values:
  • Keep Students at the Center - As BUILDers, we hold an unwavering passionate commitment and belief in the power and potential of youth.  Our organization exists to serve students. We seize each opportunity to contribute to the foundation of knowledge, skills, and networks from which students can build extraordinary lives. Our operating principles and decisions focus on what is in the best interest of our students. 
  • Bring the Spark - As BUILDers, we excel in the entrepreneurial Spark Skills that we teach our students - Communication, Collaboration, Problem Solving, Innovation, Grit and Self-Management. We communicate through transparent and honest dialogue. We cherish teamwork, tenacity, and thinking outside the box. We demonstrate a relentless pursuit of excellence and approach work with a positive can do attitude. When we bring the spark we achieve great things together, and we model the way for our students. 
  • Bridge Communities - As BUILDers, we develop and foster relationships in service of creating access and opportunities for our students, staff, and stakeholders. We value all who come to the table as partners to maximize our collective impact. By connecting the communities in which we work, we build empathy, equity, and social capital. 
  • Promote Diversity and Social Action - As BUILDers, we understand that Diversity, Equity and Inclusion matters, but what matters even more is Action. We strive to create equity of voice, access, influence and power across lines of difference – both in and beyond BUILD, specifically for groups that have been historically denied social and economic justice. If we are not part of the solution, then we are part of the problem. We welcome, celebrate, and embrace the unique expressions and contributions of us all – our backgrounds, race, ethnicity, gender, language, sexual orientation, and social class. 

Role Specific Competencies:
Successful candidates will demonstrate the following competencies through a combination of previous education/work experiences:
  • Customer Service Orientation  - Anticipate and respond promptly and professionally to requests and needs from all key stakeholders, setting clear expectations while taking other perspectives into account.
  • Written Communication - Utilize writing skills to effectively communicate a message particular to an audience and to meet relevant goals, using a clear, concise, and compelling style with appropriate language, correct grammar and spelling.
  • Targeting Message to Audience - Ascertain the priorities of a particular individual or group and craft persuasive written or verbal communication given those priorities.
  • Attention to detail - Accomplish a task with a thorough and precise focus on every component of the project, no matter how small or time-consuming.
  • Project Management -  Identify the steps of a project, set appropriate deadlines, identify required participants, and hold self and others accountable to outcomes and deadlines.
  • Perseverance - Self-motivated and motivates others to relentlessly pursue the organization’s goals, strategies, and mission.

Position Details:
  • Part-Time, Hourly; Approx. 20 hours per week, self directed. 
  • Location: Boston preferred but open to within New England; this role is primarily remote/flexible, with occasional in-person commitments including BUILD staff retreats and program events in Boston (approx. 1-2X per quarter) 

Compensation:
The hourly wage for Grant Writer ranges from $30-40/hr in accordance with BUILD’s equity focused compensation bands.  For employees who qualify, BUILD offers a 403(b) plan with match, generous vacation and sick time, paid Federal holidays, and December 24 through January 2  off. We also are proud to offer a flexible work environment, professional development and additional stipends for stretch projects.

Application Instructions:
To apply for this position, please submit a cover letter and resume.  BUILD is an Equal Opportunity Employer and encourages candidates of all backgrounds to apply for this position. 

Don’t meet every single requirement? Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At BUILD, we are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive and authentic workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyways. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles!