Grants Coordinator

Youth Guidance; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 44,000 - 53,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision care

Short-term disability

Life insurance

Flexible spending accounts

Pet insurance

401k

Wellness program

Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

Job summary

Youth Guidance is seeking a Grants Coordinator in Chicago to manage government grant administration, reporting, and compliance. You will coordinate deadlines, prepare financial reports with Finance, and assist with grant proposals in collaboration with the Director of Government Funding & Partnerships and other staff.

The role emphasizes grant writing, cross-team collaboration, and ensuring funder requirements are met, with about 80% focus on grants and 20% on broader External Affairs support.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required, or equivalent relevant experience.
• 2–3 years of experience in project management, grant administration, or high-level administrative work.
• Experience with writing and coordinating government or philanthropic grants strongly preferred; related nonprofit or government internship experience will also be considered.

Responsibilities

• Maintain a comprehensive calendar of public grant application and reporting deadlines.
• Oversee entry of deadlines, files, and reporting metrics of all government, federal, and state grants into Salesforce and other platforms.
• Coordinate with Finance to secure financial data and prepare financial reports.
• Draft and contribute to government grant applications, proposals, and reports with program staff.
• Provide administrative support to the External Affairs team as needed.

Skills

Organizational skills

Attention to detail

Multitasking

Communication

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Salesforce

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Details

Job Location: Chicago - Chicago, IL 60602

Position Type: Full TimeEducation Level: Bachelors Degree

Salary Range: $44,000.00 - $52,500.00 Salary/year

Travel Percentage: Hybrid

The Grants Coordinator plays a critical role in sustaining and growing Youth Guidance’s public-sector funding by coordinating the administration, reporting, compliance, and infrastructure associated with government grants. The position maintains systems and deadlines, coordinates cross-functional grant reporting, supports public funding prospect research, and assists with the development and writing of government grant proposals, applications, reports, and other funder materials. The role also helps ensure Youth Guidance meets funder requirements, submits high-quality and timely materials, and maximizes public funding opportunities.

Approximately 80% of the role is dedicated to the administration, reporting, compliance, coordination, and writing support associated with government grants from city, county, state, and federal sources. This may include drafting or contributing to grant applications, proposals, reports, and other funder materials in partnership with the Director of Government Funding & Partnerships and other internal stakeholders. The remaining time (less than 20%) provides administrative and project support to External Affairs staff and leadership in advancing broader fundraising and engagement priorities.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities

Grant Administration & Reporting

• Maintain a comprehensive calendar of public grant application and reporting deadlines
• Oversee entry of deadlines, files, and reporting metrics of all government, federal, and state grants into Salesforce and other platforms as needed.
• Maintain accurate records of government grant portal credentials for application and reporting purposes
• Collaborate with the Evaluation and Quality Improvement (EQI) team to gather quantitative data and complete funder reports
• Create and maintain reporting infrastructure with program leadership and staff to gather qualitative data for reporting.
• Work with the Finance team to secure financial data and prepare financial reports
• Facilitate and submit required reports and documentation in partnership with program, evaluation, and finance staff.
• Support Compliance Officer with tasks related to program audits and accreditation.
• Maintain a library of agency documents and data necessary for desk audits.
• Create and maintain an organized library of agency documents and program Memoranda of Understanding that can be tailored to specific schools and/or districts.
• Monitor progress of funding proposals post-submission to ensure compliance with all required procedures and deadlines.

Grant Prospecting and Writing

• Research and identify public funding opportunities at the city, county, state, and federal levels.
• Draft and contribute to government grant applications, proposals, reports, and other funder materials in coordination with the Director of Government Funding & Partnerships and program, evaluation, and finance staff.

Team & Administrative Support

• Provide administrative support to the External Affairs team staff and leadership as needed.
• Maintain accurate and timely public funding opportunity, award, deadline, and reporting information in Salesforce and other relevant systems.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

QualificationsMinimum Qualifications

Education/Experience/Training

• Bachelor’s degree required, or equivalent relevant experience.
• At least 2-3 years of experience in project management, grant administration, or high-level administrative work.
• Experience with writing and coordinating government or philanthropic grants strongly preferred; related nonprofit or government internship experience will also be considered.

Skills/Abilities

• Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of strategic thinking.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities, work under pressure and consistently meet deadlines.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to represent the agency effectively to external funders and stakeholders.
• Collaborative team player who works well independently and across departments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite required; experience with Salesforce or other CRM database system preferred.

Benefits

Youth Guidance offers a competitive benefit package for eligible full-time employees including the option to participate in medical, dental, and vision plans as well as short-term disability, life insurance, flex spending accounts, pet insurance, 401k, a wellness program and more. You may also qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).

Youth Guidance Core Competencies

• Communication: Uses effective written and oral communication with internal staff, teams, and community served; demonstrates empathy and listening
• Client orientation: Recognizes needs of diverse stakeholders and approaches relationships with a service orientation, to ultimately maximize the impact
• Equity mindset: Understands and is committed to goals of equity, consistently brings an equity mindset to the organization’s work and workplace
• Growth mindset: Views growth as important for personal and professional development; seeks out opportunities to expand skills, even if the change is required, demonstrates curiosity and eagerness to learn
• Ownership and quality of work: Effectively manages own work to ensure timely delivery of high-quality work.
• Mission drive: Demonstrates commitment to the mission of the organization as a whole and alignment with organizational values.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• This job operates in a professional office environment, school setting, and working with the public.
• Occasional local travel

Our Values

• At Youth Guidance, we believe that creating a welcoming and supportive environment where everyone feels valued and respected is fundamental to realizing our vision of bright and successful futures for all young people. We acknowledge that many systems and institutions intended to support youth do not provide fair treatment or access for everyone. We strive to celebrate the unique qualities of youth and recognize them as empowered leaders, problem-solvers, and experts of their own experiences.
• Youth Guidance is an equal opportunity employer. Youth Guidance does not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law and is committed to fostering a welcoming and supportive environment where everyone feels valued and respected. People of all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.