Grants & Contracts Manager

RFK Community Alliance•Lancaster, MA

2h•Hybrid

About The Position

The Grants & Contracts Manager is responsible for identifying, assessing, and securing funding opportunities that advance the mission of RFK Community Alliance. In partnership with the SVP of Advancement and the Chief Operating Officer, senior leaders, program leaders, and administrative staff, this role leads the development of compelling grant proposals and provides project management, writing, and coordination support for responses to Requests for Responses/Proposals (RFR/RFP) from state and federal agencies. The Grants & Contracts Manager plays a critical role in sustaining, expanding, and improving programs, as well as ensuring people can access our services. This position is based at our Lancaster headquarters, with a hybrid schedule of three days onsite and two remote days each week, if preferred.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
Minimum of 3–5 years of experience in grant writing, grants management, or nonprofit development, preferably within human services.
Demonstrated success securing funding from foundations, corporations, and/or government agencies.
Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills with the ability to build relationships across diverse teams and external partners.
Strong understanding of human service models, including outcome measurement and evaluation.
Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills, with the ability to communicate complex programmatic and data-driven information effectively.
Proven project management skills with the ability to manage people well, as well as multiple proposals and deadlines simultaneously.
Familiarity with donor/grants database systems (e.g. Bloomerang).
Strong research, analytical, and organizational skills with high attention to detail.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of funding streams supporting human services.
Experience responding to government RFRs, RFPs, or similar procurement processes a plus.
Experience working with underserved or vulnerable populations and a commitment to equity and inclusion.
Ability to interpret data and evaluation metrics to strengthen proposals and reporting.
Experience with grant tracking and research tools and data systems preferred.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with leadership to develop and implement a strategic grants and contracts plan aligned with organizational priorities.
Identify, research, and evaluate foundation, corporate, and government funding opportunities.
Lead the full lifecycle of grant development, including prospecting, proposal writing, editing, submission, and post-award management and reporting.
Assemble cross-functional teams to develop competitive proposals and RFR responses; manage timelines, content development, and submission processes.
Partner closely with program staff to understand service delivery models, program outcomes, and community impact, translating this into clear, compelling, and data-driven narratives.
Ensure compliance with all grant requirements, including programmatic and financial reporting, in collaboration with Finance and program teams.
Conduct ongoing prospect research to build and maintain a robust pipeline of funding opportunities; track engagement and likelihood of support.
Maintain accurate grant records, reporting calendars, and supporting documentation in the organization’s database and file systems.
Monitor federal, state, and local funding announcements.
Manage the internal review and prioritization process for funding opportunities.
Coordinate with other departments to gather required documentation (e.g., program budgets, program narratives, audited financials, IRS Form 990, policies and procedures).
Work with Performance and Quality Improvement and program teams to define, track, and report outcomes and impact metrics required by funders.
Create clear, persuasive narratives for major donor proposals and related fundraising materials.
Collaborate with Organizational Advancement team members and program staff to collect program participant stories, success narratives, and data that demonstrate program effectiveness and/or community impact.
As a member of the Organizational Advancement team, provide support for fundraising and community events as needed.
Perform other duties as assigned.