Job Opportunity: Grants Administrator
The Grants Administrator is an important member of our two-person development team who is responsible for securing the contributed funds that provide over 60% of our income. This person will work directly with staff and the Director of Development to research, prepare, submit, and manage grant proposals and reports for small to mid-sized institutional grants (between $5k and $50k). In addition to these tasks, the Grants Administrator will also assist the Director of Development with submission and management of larger, more complex funding opportunities.
Historically, these funding sources have represented the majority of Storycatchers Theatre’s income. As such, the grants administrator has a direct and outsized influence on our mission and our youth. They will be an intimate part of our family and collaborate with staff to understand how best to frame proposals and share successes.
To apply, please send your cover letter and resume to jobs@storycatcherstheatre.org with the position title in the subject line.
Who should apply.
We’re looking for an advocate and enthusiastic supporter of young people who are striving to overcome the challenges of being in the justice system, particularly black and brown youth. They should be a dedicated, passionate person who is in early to mid-stages of their development career, with enough experience to be confident in the challenges of raising funds in a fast-paced environment. They should believe that meaningful work is a better kind of wealth.
This person will be at home in an intimate work environment, be willing to jump into a project, and be accountable for their work. We want someone who appreciates the details and the deadlines. Someone who double-checks. Someone who is relentlessly reliable. They like numbers. Hopefully big ones. We also like nice people with no time for drama – there’s always a grant report due. And a bottle of wine to celebrate our successes.
Some things you might do in a typical work day.
- Write well-researched and compelling grant proposals and reports demonstrating the impact of award-winning creative youth development programs
- Maintain and implement the grants calendar, ensuring timely submissions
- Research current, published articles, data, and studies pertaining to juvenile justice and the field of creative youth development
- Keep multiple applications moving in a timely manner, meet deadlines and manage supplemental material required for proposals and reports
- Identify new corporate, foundation and government funding opportunities through proactive online research
- Track statistics relevant to development and provide written materials necessary for donor stewardship (participant and audience numbers and demographics; communities served; qualitative and quantitative engagement, etc.)
- Manage the donor database
What you’ll need to be a great candidate.
- At least two (2) years of experience in non-profit development working directly with institutional giving
- Must be a very effective communicator with excellent writing skills
- Must be “Information Literate”: Able to recognize when information is needed and then locate, evaluate and use the needed information
- Significant experience with MS Excel and Word, including letter formats, document layout, mail merges, tables and spreadsheets
- Exceptional attention to detail – enough that people sometimes call you out on it
- Just as effective working on a team as much as are working alone
- Familiarity with fundraising databases a plus
- Real passion for arts education and/or social justice
Required availability:
- Part-time: Approximately 20 hours/week
- Weekdays as program requires. Occasional weekend performances and events
- Remote work and flexible work hours available
Compensation and benefits.
- Salary Range: $25-$30/hour depending on experience
About Storycatchers Theatre.
For 34 years, Storycatchers Theatre has been empowering justice-involved youth to craft and perform musical theatre from their own personal stories of growing up in Illinois’ underserved neighborhoods. Using an award-winning and transformational writing methodology, these youths develop the skills needed to successfully re-enter society and move beyond their histories to become peer mentors, civic influencers and agents of change in our community.