Grants Associate

The Commonwealth Fund; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 87,000; Full time

Job summary

The Commonwealth Fund is seeking a Grants Associate, a full‑time role based in NYC, hybrid work arrangement. You will work with the Grants Management Office to support grants administration, payments, and data integrity across the grant lifecycle.

You will coordinate grant reviews, monitor compliance, and ensure timely payments while collaborating with program staff and the Finance team. Strong detail orientation and communication are essential for success in this role.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• Three to five years of professional experience in grants management, financial administration, or program administration.
• Experience with payment processing tools such as Bill.com, Concur, QuickBooks, or similar platforms preferred.
• Exceptional attention to detail with accuracy in data entry and financial transactions.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to handle multiple responsibilities under deadlines.
• Proactive, solutions‑oriented, and able to take ownership of assigned work.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel; Salesforce experience is a plus.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate asynchronous and in‑person grant review processes, including scheduling biweekly grant reviews and Board meetings.
• Serve as a primary contact for program staff, applicants, and grantees on grants management processes.
• Process grant payments biweekly using Salesforce, Bill.com and related tools; ensure accuracy and proper authorization.

Skills

Grants management

Financial administration

Program administration

Attention to detail

Excel

Salesforce

QuickBooks

Bill.com

Concur

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Salesforce

Bill.com

Concur

QuickBooks

Excel

Job description

The Organization

The Commonwealth Fund — among the first private foundations started by a woman philanthropist, Anna M. Harkness — was established in 1918 with the broad charge to enhance the common good. Today, the mission of The Commonwealth Fund is to promote a high-performing health care system that achieves better access, improved quality, and greater efficiency, particularly for society’s most vulnerable, including low-income people, the uninsured, and people of color. The Fund carries out this mandate by supporting independent research on health care issues and making grants to improve health care practice and policy.

The Organization

The Commonwealth Fund — among the first private foundations started by a woman philanthropist, Anna M. Harkness — was established in 1918 with the broad charge to enhance the common good. Today, the mission of The Commonwealth Fund is to promote a high-performing health care system that achieves better access, improved quality, and greater efficiency, particularly for society’s most vulnerable, including low-income people, the uninsured, and people of color. The Fund carries out this mandate by supporting independent research on health care issues and making grants to improve health care practice and policy.

Our Values and Commitment to Equity

The Commonwealth Fund envisions a health care system that values and benefits all people equally — one that combats racism and pursues equity, in treatment and outcomes as well as in leadership and decision-making. We believe this requires an alliance of people and institutions across society working together to recognize and value the lived experience of all individuals; ensure the delivery of compassionate, affordable, quality health care; and strive for equitable outcomes for all.

We aspire to racial equity, diversity, and inclusion in how we work. We place great value on the varied backgrounds and experiences our staff bring to our organization and encourage employees to bring their full selves to the workplace. We look for talented, nimble, empathetic, and supportive team players who are ready to roll up their sleeves, create impactful change, and celebrate accomplishments.

Department Summary

The grants management office provides administrative and financial management support for the Commonwealth Fund’s grantmaking activities. Grants management is centralized with many administrative responsibilities shared with the program staff across each program area. The team is engaged in all aspects of the Fund’s grant making process, including budget planning, program planning, project development, financial and compliance monitoring, completed grant reporting and evaluation, and historical archiving of completed grant materials. The grants management team includes the Senior Vice President, Grants Management; Director, Grants Management; Grants Technology & Data Analyst (open), Grants Associate (open); Senior Grants and Contracts Administrator (part-time); and a Manager, Special Projects, who works across departments and administers the Fund’s Matching Gifts Program.

General Position Description

Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Grants Management and working closely with all other members of the department, the Grants Associate is a full‑time role with two equally important areas of responsibility: grants administration and grants finance operations. The position serves as the administrative coordinator for all department activities. On the grants side, this person is a key point of contact for program staff, applicants, and grantees — supporting them through every stage of the grantmaking process, from application through closeout, monitoring agreement execution in coordination with the contract specialist, and ensuring grant records are accurate and complete. On the grants finance side, this person serves as the primary liaison between Grants Management and the Finance team, managing grant payment processing in Bill.com and Concur, processing American Express expense reports, performing quarterly reconciliation between Salesforce and QuickBooks, and supporting financial reporting.

The Grants Associate works within a small, collaborative team where responsibilities are divided: the Senior Grants and Contracts Administrator (part‑time) handles grant agreement and payment and reporting schedule review and negotiation, while this role focuses on execution monitoring, program and grantee support, finance operations, and data integrity. The Grants Associate also works in close coordination with the Grants Technology & Data Analyst, who manages Salesforce administration and data systems. Strong collaboration across the team is essential.

This is a highly detail‑oriented role. The Grants Associate operates within well‑defined processes and works closely with the Senior Vice President, Grants Management, who provides direction and oversight. We are looking for someone who follows established procedures carefully and completely, takes genuine ownership of accuracy in their work, and asks for guidance when something is unclear rather than proceeding on assumption. At the same time, the best candidate will be proactive and forward‑thinking — someone who anticipates issues before they arise, thinks a few steps ahead, and comes to the table with solutions. Initiative and ownership of assigned work are highly valued.

Specific Responsibilities

Grants Administration

• Coordinate asynchronous and in‑person grant review processes including scheduling biweekly grant reviews and Board Meeting activities throughout the year
• Conduct review of all submitted application materials and complete compliance, legal, and financial due diligence on all applicants based on department guidelines
• Ensure all required materials are available to reviewers on the grant record and that reviewer ratings are circulated prior to meeting

Program Support and Liaison

• Serve as a primary point of contact for program staff, applicants, and grantees on grants management processes‑providing guidance, troubleshooting, and proactive communication throughout the grantmaking lifecycle
• Support applicants and prospective grantees during the application and approval process, responding to questions about requirements, status and next steps
• Support active grantees on payment processing questions, reporting requirements, and general inquiries about their grants
• Support program staff in navigating Salesforce, understanding grant status, and meeting deadlines for approvals, payments, and reporting
• Work with the Senior Grants and Contracts Administrator and program staff to monitor the progress of grant agreements and ensure timely execution
• Review and process grant amendments following grant approval, ensuring changes are accurately documented and reflected in Salesforce
• Communicate clearly and responsively with program staff, applicants, and grantees on outstanding items, upcoming deadlines, and any issues that require attention or action

Finance and Payment Processing

• Process grant payments on a biweekly basis using Salesforce, Excel, Bill.com; prepare all related correspondence and ensure payments are accurate, properly authorized, and processed on schedule
• Process American Express expense reports and payments using Concur, ensuring accuracy and compliance with Foundation policies
• Coordinate payment requests with program staff and communicate proactively about status, outstanding items, and deadlines
• Perform quarterly reconciliation between grant balances in Salesforce and the general ledger in QuickBooks; identify and resolve discrepancies in coordination with the Finance Team
• Prepare an annual overview of grant transactions in support of the Foundation's annual audit
• Prepare grants lists and expenditure responsibility statements for annual reporting and tax return purposes
• Serve as the primary liaison between the Grants Management Office and the Finance team, ensuring timely and accurate communication on all payment and reporting matters

Data and Records Management

• Maintain the integrity of electronic grant records in Salesforce, with primary responsibility for data accuracy and quality control
• Ensure all grant records are complete, consistently coded, and properly documented throughout each grant's lifecycle
• Work in close coordination with the Grants Technology and Data Analyst on Salesforce‑related needs, data quality issues, reporting requests, and system changes that affect grants records or workflows
• Support procedures, development, and long‑range planning for the Salesforce grants management system in coordination with the Director and the Grants Technology & Data Analyst
• Develop and maintain guidelines for electronic records management as practices evolve

The Fund’s philosophy on successful performance in the job includes the willingness on the part of all staff members to handle any assignment necessary to further the goals of the institution. This may include taking on responsibility for other program areas or departments if the need arises.

Core Competencies & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required
• Three to five years of relevant professional experience in grants management, financial administration, program administration, or a related field
• Demonstrated experience with payment processing or financial administration; comfort with tools like Bill.com, Concur, QuickBooks, or similar platforms strongly preferred
• Exceptional attention to detail, with a demonstrated track record of accuracy in data entry, record‑keeping, and financial transactions
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple concurrent responsibilities under deadline without sacrificing quality
• Proactive and solutions‑oriented, able to anticipate issues before they become problems, think a few steps ahead, and take initiative and ownership of assigned work
• Sound judgement‑including the ability to recognize when a situation falls outside standard guidelines and to seek direction rather than proceed on assumption
• Ability to follow detailed procedures carefully and consistently, and to flag discrepancies or concerns proactively
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel; experience with Salesforce or a comparable database is a plus
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Collaborative, service‑oriented working style toward internal staff, grantees, and external partners
• Experience in a foundation, nonprofit, or philanthropic organization
• Familiarity with grantmaking processes, grant agreement documentation, or compliance requirements
• Experience supporting an audit process or preparing financial reporting for external audiences

Location

Position is hybrid and based in our NYC location, with an expectation to be in the office two days a week.

Salary And How To Apply

The starting salary for this position is $69,680 - $87,100 depending on professional experience.

Employment at The Commonwealth Fund is based upon personal capabilities and qualifications without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual preference, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, medical condition, disability, or any other protected characteristic as established by law.