Grants Officer

ZACHARY SCOTT THEATER CENTER; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 52,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Zach Theater in Austin, Texas is seeking a Grants Officer to lead its foundation and government fundraising program, managing a portfolio of funders to support artistic, education, and community initiatives. The role covers the full grant lifecycle, from research and proposal development to reporting, budgeting, and stewardship, with collaboration across departments and occasional evening/weekend events.

The ideal candidate is an exceptional writer and organized project manager who can build

Qualifications

• Four or more years of progressively responsible experience in grant writing, institutional fundraising, or nonprofit development.
• Bachelor’s degree in arts administration, communications, business, marketing, theatre, or public relations preferred.
• Demonstrated success securing foundation and/or government grant funding.
• Experience in the performing arts or cultural nonprofit sector is highly preferred.
• Experience interpreting program outcomes and impact data for funders.
• Experience developing grant budgets in partnership with finance staff.
• Familiarity with Foundation Directory, Guidestar, iWave, or similar prospect research tools.

Responsibilities

• Manage the full grant lifecycle from prospect research to stewardship.
• Write compelling proposals and reports communicating Zach's mission and funding priorities.
• Collaborate with Finance and program staff on budgets and outcomes data.
• Ensure all deadlines are met through proactive planning.
• Monitor grant opportunities and identify new sources of institutional support.
• Develop cultivation and stewardship strategies to strengthen funder relationships.
• Coordinate meetings, site visits, and engagement opportunities with funders.
• Prepare briefing materials for leadership and board donor engagements.
• Ensure funder recognition and stewardship commitments are fulfilled.

Skills

Exceptional writing & storytelling

Project management

Multitasking & deadline management

Interpersonal relationship building

Prospect research tools (Tessitura, CR

Commitment to arts & culture

Education

Bachelor’s degree in arts administration/communications/business/theatre/public relations

Tools

Foundation Directory

Guidestar

iWave

Tessitura

Job description

Grants Officer

ZACHARY SCOTT THEATER CENTER Austin, Texas, United States

About this position

Description:

Position Title: Grants Officer

Employment Status: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Exempt

ABOUT ZACH:

At Zach, we believe in the power of light—to illuminate new ideas, spark imagination, and bring people together. As Austin’s leading professional producing theater, we create vibrant, intimate theater experiences that engage, inspire, and connect our community. We believe great theater should be accessible to everyone and are committed to building meaningful relationships with donors and partners who help make our mission possible.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Grants Officer leads Zach's foundation and government fundraising program, managing a portfolio of institutional funders and prospects to secure philanthropic support for Zach's artistic, education, and community impact initiatives.

Working collaboratively across departments, the Grants Officer manages the full grant lifecycle—from prospect research and relationship cultivation through proposal development, reporting, stewardship, and ongoing funder engagement.

This position serves as Zach's primary institutional grant writer while helping build a sustainable pipeline of foundation and government support aligned with the organization's strategic priorities.

The ideal candidate is an exceptional writer, an organized project manager, a curious researcher, and a collaborative relationship builder who enjoys connecting compelling stories of impact with funders' philanthropic priorities.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

The essential functions include, but are not limited to the following:

Foundation & Government Fundraising

• Manage the complete lifecycle of foundation and government grants, including prospect research, letters of inquiry, proposals, budgets, reports, and stewardship.
• Write compelling grant proposals and reports that effectively communicate Zach's mission, programs, impact, and funding priorities.
• Collaborate with Finance and program staff to develop accurate project budgets and collect program outcomes and evaluation data.
• Ensure all proposal, reporting, and stewardship deadlines are met through proactive planning and project management.
• Monitor grant opportunities and funding trends to identify new sources of institutional support.

Portfolio & Relationship Management

• Manage a portfolio of current and prospective foundation and government funders.
• Develop cultivation and stewardship strategies that strengthen long-term institutional relationships.
• Coordinate meetings, site visits, and other engagement opportunities with funders.
• Prepare briefing materials and talking points for Zach leadership and board members participating in donor meetings.
• Ensure timely fulfillment of funder recognition, benefits, and stewardship commitments.

Prospect Research & Pipeline Development

• Conduct ongoing research to identify new foundation and government funding opportunities aligned with Zach's mission and strategic priorities.
• Maintain an active pipeline of qualified institutional prospects.
• Evaluate funding opportunities and provide recommendations to the Director of Development.
• Stay informed on trends in philanthropy, grantmaking priorities, and best practices in institutional fundraising.

Project Management & Collaboration

• Maintain a comprehensive grants calendar and institutional fundraising work plan.
• Maintain accurate constituent records, proposal tracking, and relationship activity within Tessitura.
• Partner closely with colleagues across artistic, education, production, marketing, finance, and leadership teams to gather information needed for proposals and reports.
• Contribute to department-wide fundraising initiatives and assist with donor events and stewardship activities as needed.
• Participate as an engaged member of the Development team, including occasional evening and weekend events.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• The noise level in this work environment is typically low to moderate.
• May be expected to lift for move up to 25 pounds
• Must have reliable transportation and the ability to occasionally work evenings, weekends, and holidays

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIP

Reports to: Director of Development

Supervises (if any): None

Supports: Department Team members, Mission and department activities and events

Peer collaboration/communicates with: Finance, Marketing, Education regularly and on occasion with other departments and team members across the organization

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Beginning salary starting at $52,000 - $60,000k annually commensurate with experience and qualifications. New hires are typically brought into the organization between the minimum and midpoint of the range posted depending upon qualifications, years of experience in a similar role, internal equity, and the budgeted amount for the role.

All offers of employment are conditional pending the successful completion of background and reference checks.

Some of the great benefits available to Zach Employees:

• Affordable Healthcare Coverage for Full-Time Employees and their Dependents
• Employer Paid Life and AD&D insurance
• Employer Paid Short and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• 401K Matching Program
• Vacation, Sick, and Personal Time
• Paid Holidays
• Free Parking
• Tickets to Mainstage and Family Series shows and enrollment in Camps/Classes

Zach Theater is committed to ensuring an equitable and inclusive workforce and we strive for a team that reflects Austin’s diverse culture. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, sex or age.

Requirements:

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Four or more years of progressively responsible experience in grant writing, institutional fundraising, or nonprofit development required.
• Bachelor’s degree in arts administration, communications, business, marketing, theatre, or public relations preferred or an equivalent combination of education and experience to facilitate success.
• Demonstrated success securing foundation and/or government grant funding.
• Experience in the performing arts or cultural nonprofit sector is highly preferred.
• Experience interpreting program outcomes and impact data for funders.
• Experience developing grant budgets in partnership with finance staff.
• Familiarity with Foundation Directory, Guidestar, iWave, or similar prospect research tools

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:

• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills.
• Strong organizational and project management abilities with careful attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships across departments and with external stakeholders.
• Proficiency with Google Suite, Asana, Slack, and constituent relationship management databases (Tessitura experience preferred).
• Commitment to Zach's mission and a passion for arts and culture.