Grants Associate

Greater Cincinnati Foundation; Cincinnati (OH); On-site; USD 50,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company match

18 days PTO

15 paid holidays

Job summary

Greater Cincinnati Foundation is seeking a Grants Associate in Cincinnati, OH to support grant requests from fundholders and manage post-payment records. The role sits in the Community Investments division and provides operational support for discretionary grants.

Key duties include data entry, records maintenance, and ensuring adherence to grantmaking policies and IRS regulations. Strong CRM and data management skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or 3+ equivalent work experience
• Strong administrative, organizational and time management skills
• Experience with CRM and Grants Management software
• High proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel and Teams) and video conferencing (Zoom and Teams)
• Strong customer service attitude and ability to work with partners
• Ability to work independently and with multiple stakeholders
• Commitment to serve the community
• Demonstrated flexibility in a changing environment and multiple demands
• Strong interpersonal and written communication skills

Responsibilities

• Process and manage grant requests throughout the grant lifecycle, including setup, due diligence, data entry, record maintenance, and payment tracking.
• Coordinate grant processing activities and resolve payment issues; maintain accurate records.
• Serve as a primary contact for internal staff and external partners on grant inquiries.
• Assist with in-person grant payment activities, including weekly check runs and disbursement processes.
• Maintain understanding of grantmaking policies, procedures, and IRS compliance for a Community Foundation.

Skills

CRM experience

Grants management software

Excel

Teams

Customer service

Communication

Time management

Attention to detail

Independent work

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Foundant Software

Job description

Do good work for the good of the community you call home

GCF connects generous donors with trusted nonprofits to create a vibrant Greater Cincinnati where every person has a fair opportunity to thrive.

Work that makes a difference

At GCF, your work helps shape the place you call home—strengthening the community’s future in real, tangible ways. Since 1963, GCF has granted over $2B to organizations making an impact.

Over the next decade, our team is chasing an ambitious goal to infuse over $1B directly into our community, shaping a brighter region where more people want to raise their kids, grow their careers, discover their passions, and experience all the things that make life rich and meaningful.

By joining GCF, you become part of an important chapter in our region, unlocking its potential.

Position:Grants Associate

Location: Cincinnati, OH

Job Id:435

# of Openings:1

Grants Associate

The Grants Associate is a key member of the Grants Management Team and is responsible for facilitating grant requests from a variety of GCF fundholders for payment and post-payment records management. Under the Community Investments division umbrella, this role also provides operational support for grant application processes for GCF’s portfolio of discretionary grants.

This role is highly involved with data entry and maintenance, and ensures adherence to best practices, data hygiene, and compliance with IRS regulations related to grantmaking at a Community Foundation. As such, they are also a first point of contact for inquiries to our team from fundholders, non‑profits, community partners, and staff regarding our grantmaking practices.

Essential Job Functions (Duties/Responsibilities):

Grants Management

• Process and manage grant requests throughout the grant lifecycle, including grant setup, due diligence, data entry, record maintenance, and payment tracking.
• Support grantmaking operations by coordinating grant processing activities, resolving issues related to payments and maintaining accurate grant records.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for internal staff and external partners regarding grant inquiries, ensuring timely communication, triaging, and resolution of questions.
• Assist with in-person operational activities related to grant payments, including weekly check runs and grant disbursement processes.
• Maintain a strong understanding of GCF’s grantmaking policies, procedures, and compliance requirements to ensure accurate and efficient grant administration.

Community Investments Operations

• Provide operational and project management support for Community Investments initiatives and competitive funding processes, including: application and form development, record movement/maintenance, and process improvement efforts.
• Manage departmental communications and shared inboxes, serving as the primary point of contact for online grant application submissions on behalf of the Community Investments/Grantmaking Team. This may include fielding questions, listserv management, inquires, and troubleshooting technical issues on applications from prospective grantees or non-profit organizations throughout the application process.
• Support system administration activities, including user account management, workflow maintenance, and adoption of best practices.

Data Management

• Maintain accurate and complete data within grants management and customer relationship management systems, ensuring the integrity of grant, donor, fund, and organizational records.
• Conduct due diligence and data validation activities to support informed decision-making and regulatory compliance.
• Support data maintenance, reporting, and quality assurance projects to improve operational efficiency and organizational effectiveness.
• Decision-making
• Work Standards

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Bachelor’s degree or 3+ equivalent work experience
• Strong administrative, organizational and time management skills with high attention to detail
• Experience working with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Grants Management software
• High proficiency with Microsoft Office (especially Excel and Teams) as well as video conferencing software (Zoom and Teams)
• Strong customer service attitude. Ability to communicate and interact with external partners and non-profits
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a team and with multiple stakeholders
• Commitment to serve the community
• Demonstrated ability to be flexible and successful within changing environment and multiple demands
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills—oral and written

Preferred:

• Related work experience in education/training, communications, grant writing, grant review, nonprofit development, and/or public policy
• Knowledge of the Greater Cincinnati nonprofit and civic landscape.
• Experience working with donors, philanthropic institutions, foundations, or community investment organizations.
• Experience with Foundant Software (Grants Lifecycle Manager, Scholarship Lifecycle Manager, CommunitySuite)

Salary Range : $50,000-$56,000

Physical Requirements : Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.

There’s a special kind of excitement that comes from doing excellent work that serves your neighbors, because the impact isn’t abstract—it’s change that you can see and feel. At GCF, you’ll collaborate with passionate, community-minded people who love this region and have decades of experience making big things happen for our community.

We are guided by four core values that influence the decisions we make and how we show up in the workplace and for each other.

Trust

relationships are our most important resource

Generosity

builds a stronger community

Growth

we are always a work in progress

Equity

one size really doesn’t fit all

Meet Hannah Haven, Grants Manager, and learn what she values most about working at GCF.

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GCF supports a flexible work environment that respects and values employees as whole people—with lived experience, responsibilities, and needs.

with company match

up to 18 days during first year

15 paid holidays which includes a Wellness Week

It feels good to work for an organization that’s supporting the broader growth of our region.