Senior Grants & Contracts Analyst

Inside Philanthropy; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Inside Philanthropy seeks an experienced Sponsored Projects Analyst to manage financial administration for federally funded and donor-restricted grants, contracts, and gifts. You will liaise with program, development, and finance teams to ensure compliant budgets, award setups, and reporting across multiple funders.

The role emphasizes strong knowledge of 2 CFR 200, GAAP, andUnanet; you will monitor expenditures, prepare financial analyses, and support audits in a hybrid/DC-based/remote work

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Economics, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• Minimum five years of grants/contracts financial administration experience, including federal funding.
• Experience supporting the full sponsored project lifecycle: proposal development, award setup, post‑award administration, closeout.
• Strong knowledge of 2 CFR 200 and nonprofit grants management.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with program, development, and finance teams to create accurate proposal, grant, contract budgets.
• Review awards, gift agreements, and funder policies, ensuring compliance and communicating requirements to project teams.
• Set up new projects in the financial system with budgets, staffing, billing, and reporting.
• Monitor project expenditures to ensure compliance with donor restrictions and organizational policies.
• Track billing, reporting, and donor/funder deadlines; coordinate closeout activities.
• Support training and systems use for grants management and Unanet financials.

Skills

GAAP familiarity

2 CFR 200

Excel proficiency

Financial analysis

Communication skills

Multitasking

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Unanet ERP

SAM.gov

Microsoft Office

Job description

Position Summary

Position can be DC based/Hybrid OR Remote

The Sponsored Projects Analyst/Senior Sponsored Projects Analyst supports the financial administration of a portfolio of federal, private foundation, corporate, and philanthropic funding awards, including grants, contracts, cooperative agreements, and restricted gifts. This position partners closely with program, development, and finance staff to ensure externally funded projects and donor‑restricted funds are managed effectively, comply with funder and donor requirements, and support organizational goals.

The role serves as a key liaison between functional teams and is responsible for supporting proposal budgeting, award setup, project financial monitoring, forecasting, compliance reviews, donor and funder financial reporting, and financial systems administration. The ideal candidate brings strong experience in nonprofit financial administration, sponsored projects management, and federal compliance requirements.

This is an individual contributor role with potential for growth into a management position through demonstrated expertise, leadership, and expanded responsibility.

Role Responsibilities

Sponsored Projects and Restricted Funding Administration

• Collaborate with program, development, and finance teams to ensure the development of accurate and cost‑effective proposal, grant, contract, and restricted gift budgets.
• Review grant awards, contracts, gift agreements, and applicable funder policies through a budget and expenditures compliance lens and communicate financial compliance requirements to project teams.
• Establish new projects and funding sources in the financial management system, including budgets, staffing assignments, billing schedules, award records, and custom financial reports.
• Coordinate financial administration and monitoring of project expenditures to ensure compliance with organizational policies, donor restrictions, and sponsor requirements.
• Track project billing, financial reporting, and other funder‑related deadlines.
• Monitor and help coordinate project and funding closeout activities.

Project Budget Planning, Monitoring and Analysis

• Partner with National Program Managers (NPMs), development staff, and senior leadership to support effective budget planning, monitoring, forecasting, and spending of grants, contracts, and restricted gifts. Alongside NPMs, facilitate communication between RCAP functional teams regarding necessary project expenditures and up‑to‑date cost estimates to ensure project budgets are sufficient to meet project requirements and flag any potential funding shortfalls or overages.
• Facilitate regular project budget review meetings to evaluate financial performance, spending trends, and potential risks.
• Coordinate with Contracts and Compliance Analyst to ensure all subaward and procurement engagements, and subsequent amendments, are accurately reflected in project budgets and financial commitments.
• Monitor project expenditures and budget variances, identifying issues that may require corrective action or funder‑approved budget modifications. Ensure any necessary actions such as journal entry adjustments or funder approvals are properly executed to resolve identified issues.
• Review subrecipient budgets for compliance with approved budget categories and indirect cost/fringe benefit rates and methodologies. Review subrecipient financial reporting and cost‑share matching in conjunction with the NPMs for accuracy, completeness, and adherence to award requirements.
• Monitor restricted gift balances and spending against approved purposes and donor restrictions.
  • Maintain working knowledge of Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200), Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), and applicable sponsor requirements. Review project expenditures for allowability, allocability, and compliance with all applicable requirements.

Financial Operations

• Review employee expense reports for appropriate documentation, coding, funding allocations, and allowability.
• Coordinate project workplan assignments to support accurate staff effort reporting and cost allocations.
• Communicate with RCAP staff regarding allocations of time and expenses across projects.
• Maintain organized financial records and supporting documentation to ensure audit readiness.
• Assist with project accounting activities, including journal entries, billing, deposits, and other financial transactions.
• Support assessment of subrecipient financial performance for risk assessments and compliance reviews.
• Coordinate with Contracts & Compliance Analyst to ensure all federal reporting requirements related to subawards and contracts are completed in SAM.gov and serve as an alternate for reporting submissions.
• Support annual financial audits by compiling supporting documentation and conducting research and analysis as needed.
• Serve as an alternate for completion of monthly bank reconciliations.

Training and Systems Support

• Develop and deliver training for subject matter relevant to effective project financial management including budget tracking, expense reports, grants & donor‑restricted funding compliance, and the Unanet financial system.
• Provide day‑to‑day support to staff regarding financial procedures, system usage, compliance requirements, and funding restrictions.
• Contribute to continuous improvement efforts related to grants management processes, reporting, and internal controls.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and relevant experience.
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience in grants and contracts and financial administration and compliance of externally funded projects, including a significant portion of federal funding.
• Experience supporting the full sponsored project lifecycle, including proposal development, award setup, post‑award administration, and closeout.
• Strong knowledge of 2 CFR 200 Uniform Guidance and nonprofit grants management principles.
• Working knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
• Intermediate to advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including formulas, pivot tables, and financial analysis tools.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem‑solving skills.
• Experience serving as a financial and compliance resource to cross‑functional project teams.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines with a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with internal stakeholders and external partners in a hybrid or remote work environment.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications.

Preferred Qualifications

• Knowledge of Unanet ERP financial system.
• Experience working with federal contracts subject to FAR regulations and GSA reporting requirements.
• Experience conducting subrecipient monitoring and Single Audit‑related compliance activities.
• Experience managing donor‑restricted funds and gift compliance.
• Professional certification related to grants management, finance, accounting, or project management is a plus.