Grant Writer

Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine; Muscatine (IA); On-site; USD 45,000 - 68,000; Full time

Job summary

Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine is seeking a Grant Writer who will align funding opportunities with community priorities and craft compelling grant applications to support Muscatine County initiatives. You will build collaborative relationships with funders and local partners, ensuring timely and persuasive submissions.

You will manage the grant development pipeline, gather project information, and forecast workload while maintaining records and communicating with partners.

Qualifications

• Experience crafting grant proposals and narratives.
• Ability to translate community needs into fundable stories.
• Knowledge of funder guidelines and reporting expectations.
• Strong editing and proofreading skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with funders, local partners, and community leaders ensuring timely and professional communication.
• Maintain a strong working knowledge of community priorities, data, projects, and programs.
• Research and identify funding opportunities and match them with community projects and priorities.
• Lead the writing, editing, submission, and management of compelling grant proposals, ensuring clarity, accuracy, timely completion, and adherence to funder guidelines.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to gather project information, data, and supporting materials; communicate expectations and deadlines; and follow up to keep proposals moving forward.
• Manage a pipeline of current and prospective grant opportunities, using appropriate systems and tools to track status, deadlines, next steps, responsibilities, and anticipated funding.
• Anticipate workload and resource needs and support forecasting and prioritization across multiple grant opportunities and community projects.
• Develop persuasive narratives that highlight project impact, outcomes, and organizational strengths.
• Facilitate the Muscatine County Grant Writers’ Network, including planning periodic meetings.
• Maintain appropriate grant records and provide periodic updates to the City of Muscatine, Muscatine County, and other partners, as appropriate.
• Ensure timely and professional communication with internal and external partners.
• Perform other responsibilities assigned by the supervisor that support community priorities and the successful development and administration of grant-funded initiatives.
• Work closely with the Grant Collaborative and other community leaders on shared projects.

Skills

Grant writing

Research and data interpretation

Stakeholder coordination

Proposal development

Strong writing

Project management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in English/Marketing/Comm

Tools

Microsoft Office

Asana

Grant platforms

Mapping data platforms

Canva

Adobe Creative Suite

Job description

As Community Grant Writer, you’ll align funding opportunities with community priorities, develop compelling grant applications, and build collaborative relationships with funders and local partners. You’ll stay informed about community needs, projects, and funding opportunities and help bring additional grant resources to Muscatine County in support of identified priorities.

You’ll proactively manage the grant development pipeline, coordinating timelines, priorities, information, and partners to develop and submit timely, accurate, and competitive grant applications. You’ll join a team that cares deeply about this community and works collaboratively to turn shared priorities into action.

This Could Be a Great Fit If...

• You enjoy turning complex information and community needs into clear, persuasive stories.
• You’re highly organized and comfortable coordinating multiple proposals, partners, priorities, and deadlines.
• You communicate proactively, ask thoughtful questions, and follow through on commitments.
• You enjoy building collaborative relationships and bringing the right people and information together.
• You’re curious about community needs, programs, data, and funding opportunities.
• You work well independently and as part of a team and are responsive to feedback.
• You approach sensitive information and community relationships with professionalism, discretion, and integrity.

What You'll Do

• Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with funders, local partners, and community leaders ensuring timely and professional communication.
• Maintain a strong working knowledge of community priorities, data, projects, and programs.
• Research and identify funding opportunities and match them with community projects and priorities.
• Lead the writing, editing, submission, and management of compelling grant proposals, ensuring clarity, accuracy, timely completion, and adherence to funder guidelines.
• Collaborate with internal and external partners to gather project information, data, and supporting materials; communicate expectations and deadlines; and follow up to keep proposals moving forward.
• Manage a pipeline of current and prospective grant opportunities, using appropriate systems and tools to track status, deadlines, next steps, responsibilities, and anticipated funding.
• Anticipate workload and resource needs and support forecasting and prioritization across multiple grant opportunities and community projects.
• Develop persuasive narratives that highlight project impact, outcomes, and organizational strengths.
• Facilitate the Muscatine County Grant Writers’ Network, including planning periodic meetings.
• Maintain appropriate grant records and provide periodic updates to the City of Muscatine, Muscatine County, and other partners, as appropriate.
• Ensure timely and professional communication with internal and external partners.
• Perform other responsibilities assigned by the supervisor that support community priorities and the successful development and administration of grant-funded initiatives.
• Work closely with the Grant Collaborative and other community leaders on shared projects. The Grant Collaborative currently includes representatives from CFGM, the City of Muscatine, and Muscatine County and helps prioritize grant opportunities to support strategic alignment and community benefit.

What You'll Bring

• A bachelor’s degree in English, marketing, communication, technical communication, public policy, social work, or a related field; with 2-3 years of relevant experience preferred.
• Strong writing, thoughtful coordination, and careful attention to detail.
• Superior presentation and communication skills.
• Strong, proven ability to write clear, concise, and persuasive narratives.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent collaborative skills, including responsiveness to feedback and proactive problem-solving.
• Ability to work with limited supervision and as part of a team while effectively managing multiple and sometimes competing priorities and deadlines.
• Strong process- and project-management capabilities. Formal project-management experience is not required, but the successful candidate must demonstrate an aptitude for learning and consistently applying planning, prioritization, system management, stakeholder coordination, and forecasting practices.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to handle sensitive and confidential information with appropriate professionalism and business etiquette.
• An affinity for philanthropy, the role of non-profits in strengthening communities, along with a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Asana Project Management, Grant Research and Management Platforms, Mapping & Data Platforms, Canva & Adobe Creative Suite.

This position is based in Muscatine County, local residency required; occasional travel.

Join us to use your talents to help translate important community priorities into compelling, fundable projects. By connecting the right opportunities, partners, information, and stories, you’ll help secure resources that make meaningful community initiatives possible!