Grants Manager

Volunteers of America Mid-States; Louisville (KY); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Volunteers of America Mid-States is seeking a Grants Manager in Louisville, KY to oversee the full grant lifecycle. You will identify opportunities, write and edit competitive proposals, manage budgets with Finance, and ensure timely reporting and compliance across funders.

Collaboration with program leadership and multiple departments is essential. The role requires a Bachelor’s degree in a related field and at least two years of grant-writing experience, with strong writing, research, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field and at least two years of grant-writing experience.
• Experience developing clear proposals, coordinating submissions, and managing deadlines.
• Excellent writing, editing, research, analysis, organization, and communication skills; MS Office is essential.
• Ability to interpret funding guidance, coordinate cross-functional contributors, and stay organized under changing priorities.

Responsibilities

• Manage the full grant pipeline: research opportunities, vetting, prioritization, and submissions.
• Interpret RFPs/NOFOs and translate requirements into work plans, checklists, and deadlines.
• Lead proposal planning with program and finance to define design, budget, and timelines.
• Coordinate writing, editing, and submission of complete grant packages with supporting materials.
• Collaborate with Finance on budgets, salary assumptions, and cost allocations.
• Maintain grant systems, calendars, and funder portals; ensure compliance and reporting.
• Oversee award review, implementation handoff, and post-award reporting and renewals.
• Monitor compliance risks and address issues promptly; align proposals with program priorities.

Skills

Grant writing

Proposal development

Research

Communication

Time management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Grant tracking systems

Funding portals

Job description

Introduction

Volunteers of America Mid-States (VOA) is a non-profit organization spanning four states that creates positive change in the lives of individuals and communities through a ministry of service. We provide housing for families, veterans, and low-income seniors. We provide care and support for individuals with developmental disabilities, healing accountability that brings people together with restorative justice, and free HIV testing and education. When Volunteers of America was founded in 1896, "volunteer" referred to anyone who served others as a vocation through a commitment to a mission. Today, we are still staffed by paid, mission-driven professionals working to create positive change and build thriving communities. Flexibility, teamwork, and fun are some of the reasons our employees are proud to work at VOA! We offer a comprehensive benefits package to employees who meet eligibility requirements.

POSITION TITLE: Grants Manager LOCATION: Louisville, KY STATUS: Full Time, Salary, Exempt PROGRAM: Development REPORTS TO: Director of Development

Introduction

Volunteers of America Mid-States (VOA) is a non-profit organization spanning four states that creates positive change in the lives of individuals and communities through a ministry of service. We provide housing for families, veterans, and low-income seniors. We provide care and support for individuals with developmental disabilities, healing accountability that brings people together with restorative justice, and free HIV testing and education. When Volunteers of America was founded in 1896, "volunteer" referred to anyone who served others as a vocation through a commitment to a mission. Today, we are still staffed by paid, mission-driven professionals working to create positive change and build thriving communities. Flexibility, teamwork, and fun are some of the reasons our employees are proud to work at VOA! We offer a comprehensive benefits package to employees who meet eligibility requirements.

Benefits

Health and Wellness

• Employee Assistance Plans (EAP)
• Health and Wellness Program
• Medical Coverage
• Dental Coverage
• Vision Coverage
• Flexible Spending Account
• Health Spending Account
• Short Term Disability
• MetLife Legal Plans

Financial Wellbeing

• Competitive Compensation Packages
• Life Insurance (company paid)
• 403b retirement plan with company fund matching
• Employee discounts
• Loan forgiveness options through federal programs
• National Health Corp & Public Service Loan Forgiveness
• All company paid benefits and paid time off effective day one

Work Culture

• Commitment Committee
• Justice Committee
• Integrity Committee
• Compassion Committee
• Retention Committee

Training & Development

• VOA LEAD Program- Leadership Development Program
• VOA University - Staff Development
• VOA Academy - Clinical Training and Development

Job Summary

The Grants Manager manages and coordinates the full grant life cycle for Volunteers of America Mid-States, combining proposal development, grant management, research, administrative coordination, systems maintenance, and post-award responsibilities. The position identifies and vets funding opportunities; prepares opportunity summaries and presentations; plans, writes, edits, coordinates, validates, and submits competitive proposals; maintains funder portals, grant calendars, files, and tracking systems; and coordinates award review, implementation handoff, programmatic reporting, compliance monitoring, renewals, modifications, and closeout. Working under the direction of the Director of Development and in close partnership with program leadership, Finance, Quality, Compliance, Business Development, and other support departments, the Grants Manager translates organizational priorities and program information into accurate, timely, funder-responsive applications and reliable grant management practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field and a minimum of two years of successful grant-writing experience required. Demonstrated experience developing clear, persuasive proposals; coordinating detailed submissions; managing multiple deadlines; and maintaining accurate records is required.
• Experience with federal government proposal development, grant administration, post-award compliance, programmatic reporting, project coordination, and funding research is strongly preferred.
• Excellent writing, editing, research, analysis, organization, presentation, time-management, and interpersonal communication skills are required. High-level Microsoft Office skills are essential. Experience with Microsoft, grant tracking systems and government or foundation application and reporting portals is preferred.
• The successful candidate must be able to interpret complex funding guidance, coordinate cross-functional contributors, maintain organized documentation, exercise sound judgment, and remain calm and solutions-focused when priorities, deadlines, or requirements shift.

Responsibilities

• Manage the full grant pipeline, including opportunity research, vetting, prioritization, assignments, internal deadlines, submission status, award decisions, renewals, reporting requirements, and future funding cycles.
• Review and interpret RFPs, NOFOs, application instructions, amendments, FAQs, portal requirements, award notices, and grant agreements; translate requirements into clear work plans, checklists, approvals, and deadlines.
• Lead proposal planning with Program, Finance, and other contributors to confirm project design, target population, service area, staffing, activities, outcomes, timeline, budget needs, match, sustainability, attachments, approvals, and submission method.
• Research, write, edit, coordinate, validate, and submit complete, accurate, persuasive, and funder-responsive proposal packages, including narratives, forms, letters, budgets, attachments, and supporting materials.
• Coordinate financial components with Finance, including budget development, salary and fringe assumptions, indirect costs, match, cost allocation, allowability, financial forms, revenue assumptions, approvals, and budget modifications.
• Maintain grant systems, records, calendars, and portal access, SharePoint, trackers, funder portals, and other approved systems, including onboarding/offboarding access transitions and final submission records.
• Coordinate award review, implementation handoff, kickoff meetings, programmatic reporting, funder requests, clarification responses, site visit preparation, renewals, modifications, closeout, and records retention.
• Monitor grant compliance and implementation risks, including deliverables, performance measures, staffing commitments, partner or subrecipient obligations, match, cost restrictions, required approvals, data quality, acknowledgements, and sustainability concerns; accelerate issues promptly.
• Maintain strong working knowledge of VOA Mid-States programs, services, locations, populations served, outcomes, strategic priorities, and organizational documents to strengthen opportunity alignment, application accuracy, and reporting quality.
• Represent VOA Mid-States professionally with funders, consultants, government agencies, partners, program teams, and internal stakeholders; provide accurate pipeline, submission, award, reporting, compliance, and deadline updates to authorized leaders.
• Other duties as assigned.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.