Grants Officer

Zach Theater•Austin, TX

12d•$52,000 - $60,000•Hybrid

About The Position

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.

Requirements

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
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.

Nice To Haves

Experience in the performing arts or cultural nonprofit sector is highly preferred.
Tessitura experience preferred.

Responsibilities

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.
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.
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.
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.