Grants Manager

YWCA Delaware•Wilmington, DE

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Grants Manager leads the day-to-day development, writing, coordination, and timely submission of YWCA Delaware grant proposals, including complex federal and government applications and foundation and corporate requests. The role manages the full grant lifecycle from opportunity review through closeout, including the shared development inbox, grant calendar and tracker, application files, post-award requests, reporting, compliance follow-up, and internal coordination. The Grants Manager develops accurate, persuasive, funder-specific proposals based on historical materials and current program design, outcomes, budgets, and requirements. Working with the Chief Development Officer, Finance, and program leadership, the position keeps deadlines, approvals, compliance requirements, and funder deliverables on track. The Chief Development Officer leads agency-wide funding strategy, executive funder relationships, and high-level stewardship. The Grants Manager leads proposal development and submission across the grant portfolio; researches funding opportunities and guidelines; drafts tailored narratives and application materials; coordinates program and Finance inputs; manages portals, attachments, approvals, quality review, and submission records; and maintains current grant pipeline and opportunity information. The role also coordinates award acceptance, reporting schedules, funder reports and requests, monitoring and audit preparation, and compliance follow-up. As the operational point person for grant deadlines and documentation, the Grants Manager provides staff guidance, prepares leadership updates, improves workflows, and supports funder stewardship. The role may also involve attending agency and departmental meetings and representing YWCA Delaware with funders, partners, and community stakeholders.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in public administration, nonprofit management, business, human services, communications, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
Demonstrated experience developing, writing, coordinating, and submitting grant proposals and managing reporting schedules and post-award requirements.
Strong administrative and project-management skills, including managing concurrent deadlines and follow-up items.
Excellent grant writing, editing, proofreading, and document-production skills, including the ability to develop persuasive narratives and follow complex funder instructions.
Ability to interpret funding guidelines, contracts, budgets, reporting requirements, and compliance documentation.
Proficiency with Microsoft 365, shared mailboxes, spreadsheets, databases, and online grants portals.
Ability to collaborate with program, Finance, Development, and executive staff while maintaining accountability for deadlines.
Advanced working knowledge of Microsoft 365, including SharePoint document libraries, folder architecture, permissions, naming conventions, version history, and collaborative document workflows; Outlook shared mailboxes and calendars; Teams; Word; Excel; and PowerPoint.
Ability to build and maintain grant trackers and reporting tools in Excel using filters, formulas, data validation, conditional formatting, pivot tables, and other relevant functions.
Proficiency with Adobe Acrobat for preparing and reviewing PDF application packages, and Adobe Acrobat Sign or comparable electronic-signature platforms.
Experience navigating and troubleshooting online grants and government systems, including funder-specific platforms.
Strong digital research skills, including locating authoritative sources, assessing opportunity fit and eligibility, verifying information, and translating findings into recommendations.
Ability to use technology to monitor funding trends and communicate relevant changes, risks, and opportunities to leadership.
Knowledge of secure document handling, access controls, file naming, version control, records retention, and audit-ready electronic file organization.
Ability to learn grant management, CRM, project management, reporting, and collaboration systems quickly and protect confidential organizational, participant, and funder information.

Nice To Haves

Experience with federal, state, or local government grants and familiarity with government submission and reporting systems.
Knowledge of nonprofit grant compliance, grant accounting, cost allocation, match requirements, and Uniform Guidance principles.
Experience with a grants management or prospect research platform.
Experience in a nonprofit, human services, housing, victim services, workforce development, or community-based organization.

Responsibilities

Lead proposal development and submission across federal, state, local government, foundation, and corporate grant opportunities.
Analyze funding notices, requests for proposals, and guidelines, and summarize eligibility, priorities, evaluation criteria, attachments, and internal responsibilities.
Draft and tailor proposal narratives, letters of inquiry, concept papers, and related application materials using current program information, outcomes, data, and organizational priorities.
Coordinate with program and Finance staff to gather and reconcile narratives, budgets, outcomes, certifications, data, and supporting documentation.
Manage portal entry, formatting, attachment assembly, approval routing, proofreading, and final quality control for complete and compliant submissions.
Submit approved applications by required deadlines, retain submission records and confirmations, and update the grant tracker.
Manage the shared development and grants inbox, route requests, and track actions through completion.
Maintain the grant tracker, submission calendar, grant management system, electronic files, reusable materials, funder records, and historical applications.
Research funding opportunities and monitor notices, amendments, award communications, reporting requests, funding trends, and policy changes; prepare alerts and recommendations for leadership.
Develop submission and reporting workplans, checklists, and timelines; send reminders and escalate overdue items or risks.
Coordinate award acceptance materials, contracts, signatures, payment documentation, and internal post-award notifications.
Maintain award files and reporting schedules, including deliverables, due dates, approved budgets, performance periods, restrictions, match requirements, and responsible staff.
Track programmatic and financial reporting requirements and follow up with program and Finance teams for timely information.
Draft and submit funder reports, reimbursement or payment requests, modifications, extensions, and other post-award correspondence after review and approval.
Support monitoring visits, audits, desk reviews, and corrective-action requests by organizing records and coordinating responses.
Flag compliance concerns, spending delays, scope changes, missed deliverables, and documentation gaps to the Chief Development Officer and appropriate leadership.
Provide operational coordination across Development, programs, and Finance, including clear instructions, templates, and technical assistance on grant requirements, portals, and documentation.
Prepare grant pipeline, award, deadline, and compliance updates for the Chief Development Officer and leadership.
Identify workflow bottlenecks and recommend improvements to grant processes, templates, file organization, and internal controls.
Support funder stewardship by preparing reports, updates, background materials, and follow-up items for the Chief Development Officer.
Attend agency and departmental meetings as needed, represent YWCA Delaware professionally, support efficient use of organizational resources, and perform other related duties as assigned.