Grants Manager

The Little Bit Foundation is seeking a full-time grant professional to manage a portfolio of $1.5 MM in grant funding annually. Little Bit has a dynamic staff who are passionate about serving under-resourced students in St. Louis. As part of the Development Team, the Grant Manager will play a critical role in furthering the mission of The Little Bit Foundation to make St. Louis a better place to live, work, and play.

The Organization: The Little Bit Foundation was founded in 2001 and is dedicated to breaking down barriers to learning for under-resourced students in the St. Louis area by providing for their basic needs, along with full wraparound services and academic support. We serve 14,000 students in 48 partner schools across the region. In every school, Little Bit provides programs and partnerships that support district and school performance goals and address the needs of the whole child. We do this by working one-on-one with each student to support his or her personal care, classroom preparedness, health and wellness,  academic enrichment, and college and career readiness. The results are positive personal growth and increased self-esteem in students impacted by poverty, with the ultimate goal to help students be successful in the classroom to reach their full potential.

Scope: 

Working under the supervision of the Chief Development Officer, the Grants Manager (GM) is responsible for managing a portfolio of $1.5mm in grants annually, researching grant makers, funders, and resources appropriate to the funding needs of the programs and services of The Little Bit Foundation; initiating dialogue with and introducing the mission of The Little Bit Foundation to potential funders; creating grant proposals, budgets, and reports; managing grant awards and outcomes internally among departments within The Little Bit Foundation, as well as externally with funders’ expectations and deadlines.

Responsibilities: 

Work with the Chief Development Officer to develop, implement, and manage annual grants plan, including strategic grants planning, timeline, grant calendar, and revenue projections

Grant Writing

• Develop and write competitive grant proposals, budgets, and reports to private, public, government, and corporate foundations in support of various funding needs
• Participate in prospect strategy meetings, preparing tracking reports for team meetings and providing overall proposal and stewardship support
• Be accessible to grant-making organizations during their review of a submitted grant application in order to be able to supply additional supportive material

Grant Management/Reporting

• Monitor grants once received and ensure compliance with donor intent, as well as programmatic, evaluation, budgetary and reporting requirements, taking responsibility for meeting high standards of effectiveness, timeliness, and completeness
• Create, verify, and disseminate reports on grants/contract activity for internal use and/or funder requirements, and maintain up-to-date research on eligibility criteria and deadlines.

Grant Prospecting

• Conduct foundation outreach and engage with program officers at foundations to solicit invitations to submit proposals. This may include scheduling key staff visits and site tours when appropriate.
• Actively seek and qualify new sources of private, corporate, state/federal, and foundation support
• Collect and maintain up-to-date research on potential grant-making organizations and grant/contract opportunities; determine and assess eligibility criteria and deadlines; schedule implementation with pertinent program staff

General/Other Support

• Ability to establish and maintain rapport with leaders and represent The Little Bit Foundation to existing and potential partners
  Develop and foster relationships with foundations and organizations that support The Little Bit Foundation through grants and foundational support
• Assist in developing presentations for various stakeholders
  Acquire and maintain sound knowledge of the organization, its programs, and impact
• Provide vision, energy, and passion for Little Bit’s mission, values, and integrity in all aspects of the job

Requirements:

Experience and Qualifications

• Three to five years of experience in grant writing and management of grant portfolios
• Knowledge of best practices for research and development of grant proposals, planning, management, reporting, and acknowledgment of funding and awards
• Strong experience with project management and increasing funding through new grant and foundational opportunities
• Ability to thrive in a team-oriented and mission-driven environment
• Microsoft Office skills, and a high aptitude for learning new technologies
• Experience with processes and tools to manage multiple projects and calendars
• Experience in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Impeccable organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to maintain a high level of confidentiality

Education

• BA/BS degree
• Grant Professional Certification (GPC) – preferred
• Minimum of three years’ experience working with a constituent relationship management database, such as Donor Perfect, Network for Good, or Raiser’s Edge

Other Requirements

• A valid driver’s license and proof of auto insurance (for visiting programs in schools)
• Must pass a background check

To apply, please send resume and cover letter to hr@thelittlebitfoundation.org.