Grants Administrator–Connecticut Charter Schools Program (CT-CSP)

The-Mind-Trust; New Haven (CT); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare benefits

403(b) retirement plan

Life and disability coverage

Generous PTO

Job summary

The Mind Trust in Connecticut is seeking a Grants Administrator to oversee the CSP-CT grant, ensuring federal financial compliance under 2 CFR Part 200 and ESEA Title IV, Part C. You will supervise subgrantee fiscal administration, monitor audits, and coordinate with the CSDE and project staff to maintain rigorous grant controls.

Reporting to the Project Director, you will manage drawdowns, budgets, and quarterly financial reporting while supporting annual program performance reporting to the

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience managing federal grants or related programs.
• Experience with subgrantee fiscal monitoring and audit review.
• Familiarity with ESEA Title IV or similar US Department of Education grants.
• Strong analytical skills and proficiency with financial tools.

Responsibilities

• Manage CSP-CT grant drawdowns, reimbursements, and reporting to the US Department of Education.
• Conduct subgrant pre-award risk assessments and annual audits review.
• Monitor quarterly subgrantee financial reports and CAPs for findings.
• Coordinate with CSDE and subgrantees to ensure compliance and timely reporting.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Excel proficiency

Collaboration

Grant administration

Education

Bachelor's degree in accounting/finance/public administration

CPA/CGFM or equivalent preferred

Tools

USAspending.gov

2 CFR Part 200 knowledge

Job description

OUR PURPOSE & IMPACT

The Mind Trust Connecticut (TMT-CT) is a nonprofit organization working to expand access to high-quality public charter schools across Connecticut's Alliance Districts — the state's highest need communities. Through its Charter Schools Program State Entity grant, TMT-CT supports the launch, replication, and expansion of charter schools serving predominantly low-income students and students of color, while building the authorizer accountability infrastructure that Connecticut's charter sector has never had. The team has extensive authorizing experience and has designed several key initiatives to ensure that Connecticut’s authorizer (the Connecticut State Board of Education (SBE)) is administered by the Connecticut State Department of Education. TMT-CT is building Connecticut’s first independent, publicly verifiable data system tracking charter school and sector performance.

THE MIND TRUST, INC IS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION

The Mind Trust, Inc is a nonprofit organization based in Indianapolis, dedicated to creating an educational system that ensures every student has access to high quality education – no exceptions. We achieve this by fostering a supportive environment through policy advocacy, community engagement, and empowering talented educators to establish new schools. Additionally, we support existing schools in attracting and retaining exceptional talent. Since our founding in 2006, we’ve launched 51 schools and 15 education nonprofits and placed over 1,800 educators and school leaders in classrooms across Indianapolis.

WHO WE ARE & HOW WE WORK

At The Mind Trust, we operate in a dynamic, results-driven culture that prioritizes collaboration and flexibility. We are a nonprofit that invests in public education to transform lives and increase academic achievement in Indianapolis, across Indiana, and beyond. This includes managing student-centered programming, growing new high-quality public charter schools, supporting existing schools and educators, and engaging the community in every region we serve. Everything we do aims to create a positive impact on student learning because we believe all students, regardless of background or income, deserve an education that helps them meet their full potential in life.

OUR APPROACH TO TALENT & GROWTH

We believe in fostering a high-capacity team that aligns with our mission and values to drive transformational educational outcomes. Our culture encourages team members to bring their authentic selves to work, fostering a sense of belonging and care for one another. Empowered and self-driven, our leaders operate with autonomy and commitment to continuous learning and growth. We invest in professional development, promoting innovation and curiosity as we strive for excellence in our mission.

YOUR IMPACT

TMT-CT is seeking a Grants Administrator to serve as the backbone of Connecticut’s Charter Schools Program State Entity grant (CSP-CT). Reporting to the Project Director, the Grants Administrator will oversee all federal financial compliance, subgrantee fiscal administration, and grant administration functions for a multi-year federal award, ensuring TMT-CT meets its obligations under 2 CFR Part 200 and ESEA Title IV, Part C.

HOW YOU WILL SUCCEED

Subgrant Administration & Project Coordination

• Manage the full subgrant lifecycle from RFP release through closeout, including application coordination, peer-review logistics, award documentation, subgrant agreement execution, and amendments.
• Serve as the day-to-day operational coordinator for CSP-CT, maintaining project timelines, milestone tracking, and cross-functional task management across the TMT-CT program, finance, and TA staff.
• Prepare and maintain the annual subgrant monitoring calendar, coordinating site visit scheduling, report deadlines, and CSDE oversight activities to ensure a non-duplicative, sequenced oversight calendar for subgrantees.
• Manage subgrantee onboarding, including distributing the CSP-CT Allowable Cost Guide, orienting new grantees to reporting requirements, and connecting schools to relevant TA resources.
• Maintain the central subgrantee portfolio — tracking award status, drawdown progress, risk tier, CAP status, and sustainability plan submissions across all active subgrantees.
• Support the Project Director in preparing Annual Performance Reports to the U.S. Department of Education and other required federal submissions.
• Coordinate quarterly CSDE collaboration meetings, including preparing agendas, maintaining minutes, and tracking follow-up items.

Federal Grant Administration

• Manage all aspects of CSP-CT grant drawdowns, reimbursements, and reporting to the U.S. Department of Education.
• Maintain budget-to-actual tracking across all grant years and prepare quarterly financial reports.
• Administer the CSP-CT Allowable Cost Guide and advise staff and subgrantees on permissible, prior-approval, and prohibited expenses under 2 CFR 200 and ESEA § 4303(h).
• Coordinate the federal Annual Performance Report (APR) financial component.
• Trained Monitor to Federal Requirements, including completing annual monitor training.

Subgrantee Fiscal Monitoring

• Conduct pre-award risk assessments for all subgrant applicants per 2 CFR 200.332(b), including review of prior federal CSP awards via USAspending.gov.
• The Grants Administrator will review each subgrantee’s audited statements (including the internal-controls report and management letter) within 30 days of posting. Any audit finding or material management-letter observation results in immediate escalation to Tier 4.
• Review quarterly subgrantee financial reports; flag budget-to-actual variances exceeding 10% and escalation to Tier 4 Enhanced Monitoring as warranted.
• Review each subgrantee's annual independent audit and management letter within 30 days of posting; initiate corrective action plans (CAPs) for any findings; and review Agreed-Upon Procedures (AUP) reports for
• subgrantees expending ≥$750,000 in CSP funds in a fiscal year.
• Manage fund withholding, recoupment, and de-obligation processes for non-compliant subgrantees per 2 CFR 200.339–200.343

Compliance & Internal Controls

• Ensure all CSP-CT expenditures comply with federal cost principles, budget categories, and period-of-performance requirements.
• Maintain complete, audit-ready grant files, including subgrant agreements, amendments, and correspondence.
• Coordinate with CSDE on shared data systems and aligned monitoring calendars under the formal MOU.
• Support annual monitor training and inter-rater reliability processes alongside the Project Director.

WHAT YOU BRING TO THE ROLE

Essential Skills, Experience, & Attributes

• Bachelor’s degree in accounting, finance, public administration or related field
• 3+ years of experience managing federal grants, preferably under 2 CFR Part 200
• Demonstrated experience with subgrantee fiscal monitoring, audit review and corrective action
• Familiarity with ESEA Title IV programs or other U.S. Department of Education grants
• Strang analytic skills; proficiency in Excel or comparable financial tools
• Dedication to embracing new ideas to drive educational transformation
• A collaborative spirit and the ability to work effectively in teams and build meaningful relationships with stakeholders

Additional Strengths & Qualifications

• Experience with Charter Schools Program (CSP) grants at the state or local level
• Knowledge of Connecticut’s charter school funding framework (ECS, DRIP, CHEFA)
• CPA, CGFM, or equivalent credential preferred

WHAT WE OFFER

At The Mind Trust, we support and prioritize the wellbeing and development of our team members. As part of our commitment to our employees, we offer a wide range of robust benefits designed to support your health, wellbeing, and professional growth.

• Healthcare: Access comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with substantial premium support
• Retirement Savings: Secure your future with a 403(b) plan featuring generous employer matching
• Life and Disability Coverage: Gain peace of mind with life and disability benefits, ensuring financial security for you and your loved ones

Professional Development: Engage in continuing education opportunities to foster growth and learning

• Generous Time Off: Prioritize work-life balance with a competitive PTO policy and paid holidays
• Family Support: Our family leave, adoption assistance, and childcare reimbursements are designed to ease the journey of welcoming new additions and managing family dynamics, ensuring you have the support you need to thrive both at home and in the workplace

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions, which might include but are not limited to, remaining stationary for extended periods, occasional movement throughout the department, and occasional transport of objects weighing less than 25 pounds. This position requires the ability to communicate to exchange accurate information with others, and occasional travel within and outside the state of Connecticut, including overnights.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Mind Trust is committed to equal employment principles and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local equal employment opportunity laws and regulations. The terms and conditions of the employment relationship with all worksite employees are to be nondiscriminatory – without regard to age, race, physical characteristics historically associated with race, color, national origin or immigration status, citizenship, work authorization status or the period of such a status, ancestry, sex, gender, reproductive health decision making, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religious creed, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, HIV testing status, status as a victim of a crime or violence, marital status, familial status, veteran status, military status, or any other protected category or class that may be applicable to a candidate or employee.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.