Grant Writer

Breathe Project; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Shepherd’s Heart Fellowship seeks a Grant Proposal Writer to secure federal, state, county, and philanthropic funding. This role emphasizes researching, writing, and submitting competitive proposals to government agencies, foundations, and corporate funders.

You will manage proposal development from identification to submission, working with the Development Director, program and finance staff, and community partners to produce accurate, persuasive applications.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of professional grant research and proposal writing experience.
• Experience with both government and philanthropic grants.
• Ability to manage complex proposals with multiple sections and deadlines.
• Excellent written communication and analytical skills.
• Ability to translate program concepts into persuasive narratives.

Responsibilities

• Research and identify government and philanthropic funding opportunities.
• Lead the development and submission of grant proposals and related funding requests.
• Review RFPs, NOFOs, and RFAs to determine eligibility and requirements.
• Write clear, persuasive narratives addressing community needs and outcomes.
• Tailor proposals to funder interests and ensure compliance with guidelines.
• Coordinate proposal timelines and internal deadlines for timely submissions.
• Prepare supporting materials and attachments as required.
• Manage electronic submissions through portals and systems.

Skills

Grant research

Proposal writing

Budget development

Research analysis

Communication

Job description

Position Summary

The Grant Proposal Writer plays a key role in helping Shepherd’s Heart Fellowship secure funding to support and expand its programs serving individuals experiencing homelessness and Veterans in need. This position gives equal emphasis to researching, developing, writing, and submitting competitive proposals for government and philanthropic funding. The intended portfolio is approximately evenly divided between government opportunities at the federal, state, county, and regional levels and philanthropic opportunities from private, family, community, and corporate foundations, corporate giving programs, and other institutional funders.

The Grant Proposal Writer manages proposal development from opportunity identification through submission, working closely with the Development Director, program staff, finance staff, leadership, and community partners to develop accurate, compelling applications that meet each funder’s requirements. The position collaborates with Development staff, including the existing 0.5 FTE Grant Writer who focuses on foundations, to coordinate assignments, share research, and maintain a cohesive grant strategy.

The position reports directly to the Development Director.

Primary Responsibilities

Government and Philanthropic Grant Writing

• Research and identify government and philanthropic funding opportunities that align with Shepherd’s Heart’s programs and priorities, giving equal attention to both funding categories.
• Lead the development and submission of grant proposals, letters of inquiry, applications, and related funding requests to government agencies, foundations, corporate giving programs, and other institutional funders.
• Review government Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs), and Requests for Applications (RFAs), alongside foundation guidelines and corporate funding criteria, to determine eligibility, requirements, deadlines, and organizational fit.
• Write clear, persuasive, evidence-based narratives addressing community needs, program design, organizational capacity, goals, outcomes, evaluation, and sustainability.
• Tailor proposals to each funder’s interests and review criteria, and ensure compliance with formatting, length limits, attachments, certifications, assurances, and submission procedures.
• Coordinate proposal timelines and internal deadlines to ensure complete and timely submissions.
• Prepare supporting materials, including letters of support, partnership documentation, organizational information, program data, and other required attachments.
• Manage electronic submissions through government grant portals, foundation portals, and other online application systems.

Grant Research and Strategy

• Maintain a balanced pipeline of prospective government and philanthropic funding opportunities.
• Research government funding priorities and the giving interests, grant histories, geographic focus, and application practices of foundations and corporate funders.
• Evaluate opportunities based on mission alignment, eligibility, competitiveness, funding potential, organizational capacity, required match, and reporting or compliance requirements.
• Conduct research on homelessness, Veterans, housing instability, food insecurity, poverty, behavioral health, and other issues relevant to Shepherd’s Heart programs.
• Identify credible data and research that strengthen needs statements and proposal narratives.
• Maintain a grant calendar tracking opportunities, deadlines, submissions, awards, renewals, and reporting requirements.

Budget and Program Development

• Work with program and finance staff to develop accurate grant budgets, budget narratives, cost justifications, and other financial components of proposals.
• Collaborate with program staff to develop goals, objectives, activities, outputs, outcomes, evaluation measures, and implementation plans.
• Translate program concepts and organizational priorities into fundable projects and clearly defined proposals.
• Identify information gaps or compliance issues that need to be addressed before submission.
• Ensure proposal commitments accurately reflect Shepherd’s Heart’s programs, staffing, financial capacity, and ability to deliver proposed services.

Collaboration and Grant Management Support

• Work closely with the Development Director, Development staff, leadership, program staff, finance staff, and other team members throughout proposal development.
• Coordinate grant assignments and deadlines with the existing part-time Grant Writer to avoid duplication and support both funding portfolios.
• Interview staff and subject-matter experts, and coordinate with community organizations and external partners when collaborative applications are required.
• Support foundation and corporate funder relationships through coordinated inquiries, follow-up communications, and stewardship with the Development Director and Development staff.
• Maintain organized electronic records of opportunities, proposals, supporting documents, award notifications, and correspondence.
• Assist with grant reports, continuation applications, amendments, and renewals for government and philanthropic awards.
• Track grant commitments, performance measures, deliverables, and reporting requirements to support the transition from proposal development to implementation.
• Assist with special projects and other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of professional grant research and proposal writing experience, including demonstrated experience with both government and philanthropic grants.
• Demonstrated ability to prepare competitive proposals for government agencies and private, community, or corporate foundations and other philanthropic funders.
• Understanding of government funding announcements and application requirements, as well as foundation research, letters of inquiry, funder guidelines, and philanthropic grant submission processes.
• Ability to manage complex proposals involving multiple sections, attachments, deadlines, and internal contributors.
• Excellent written communication, editing, research, and analytical skills.
• Ability to translate program concepts, community needs, organizational outcomes, and technical information into clear and persuasive narratives.
• Experience developing grant goals, measurable objectives, outcomes, evaluation plans, and sustainability strategies.
• Experience collaborating with program and finance staff to prepare grant budgets and budget narratives.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple grant opportunities and deadlines simultaneously.
• Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to accurate applications that meet funder requirements.
• Experience with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, online research tools, and web-based grant submission systems.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with team members and external partners.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional certification such as GPC or CFRE.
• Experience with Grants.gov, SAM.gov, foundation research databases, and philanthropic grant application portals.
• Familiarity with federal grant requirements, including 2 CFR Part 200/Uniform Guidance.
• Experience writing grants related to homelessness, Veterans, housing, human services, behavioral health, food insecurity, workforce development, or related areas.