Associate, Private Grants

START EARLY•Chicago, IL

2d•$58,800 - $66,700

About The Position

Start Early is dedicated to advancing early learning and care from a child's earliest moments to ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive in school and life. The organization aims to close the opportunity gap and foster more inclusive experiences for young learners. As a leader in early learning and care, Start Early shares its expertise across program, policy, and research through nationwide partnerships. The Associate, Private Grants is crucial for developing accurate, strategic, and compliant budgets for grant proposals and funding opportunities. This role acts as a liaison between Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), Program, Research, Policy, Development, and accounting teams, ensuring alignment between programmatic goals, organizational priorities, and funder requirements. Through cross-functional collaboration, the Grants Associate manages the timely preparation, review, and oversight of proposal budgets, ensuring financial accuracy, consistency, and compliance throughout the grant lifecycle. This position supports sound financial planning, enhances organizational accountability, and promotes effective stewardship of grant resources, thereby contributing to Start Early's mission and the success of its funding initiatives.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in related field or minimum 3 years of related experience in grant and contract administration
Proficient in grant budgeting, financial monitoring, and analysis for private funding.
Experience with financial systems (e.g., Awards Management and a solid understanding of basic accounting principles, including GAAP and revenue recognition.
Strong data analysis skills with attention to detail.
Effective time management, ability to handle multiple deadlines across teams and funding cycles and incoming last minute funder requests.
Skilled at cross-functional collaboration with internal teams (Program, Policy, Development, FP&A, Accounting).
Clear written, verbal communication, and interpersonal skills, particularly in grant proposals.
Capable of supporting onboarding and leading financial training sessions.
Capable of working in a fast-paced, changing environment.
Ability to work independently or with a team.

Responsibilities

Partner with Program, Research, Policy and Development teams to prepare and submit detailed, funder-compliant budgets and proposals for all private funding opportunities and divisions.
Provide strategic financial guidance during proposal development, ensuring budgets reflect realistic program delivery and align with organizational goals.
Maintain accurate grant budget records within Awards Managment (grant management system), ensuring timely updates and system integrity.
Collaborate with Accounting to reconcile pledges and received private funds, providing accurate reporting on the financial status of awards.
Ensure adherence to internal policies, funder requirements, and applicable regulations in all aspects of grant budget preparation.
Support onboarding of new team members and deliver financial training sessions (group, individual, or recorded) to strengthen organizational knowledge of grant budgeting and compliance.
Serve as a resource for staff in navigating financial systems, processes, and reporting requirements.
Act as a financial partner to internal teams, advising on resource allocation, budget compliance, and allowable costs.
Support leadership and program staff in interpreting funder requirements, aligning spending with budgets, and maintaining compliance throughout the grant lifecycle.
Foster collaborative, solutions-oriented relationships across Finance, Development, and Program teams to strengthen grant management processes.
Contribute to process improvements, system enhancements, and cross-departmental initiatives as assigned.
Provide back-up support for other Finance or Development functions as needed.