Grants Specialist
About The Position
Habitat for Humanity of Orange County (Orange Habitat) is seeking a Grants Specialist to join the Development Department and support the organization's growing grants program. Reporting to the Major Gifts Manager, this full-time, non-exempt role will help secure funding for affordable homeownership initiatives across the community. This role is ideal for an early-career professional with strong writing and organizational skills who is eager to grow in nonprofit fundraising. The Grants Specialist will support the full lifecycle of grants-including research, proposal development, submissions, and reporting-while working closely with the Major Gifts Manager and cross-functional teams. This is a hands-on role that offers the opportunity to build experience in institutional fundraising while contributing directly to programs such as new home construction, mixed-income communities like Auman Village, and critical home repair and disaster recovery efforts.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in communications, nonprofit management, public policy, or related field.
- 1–3 years of professional experience (internships or relevant coursework considered).
- Strong writing and editing skills with attention to detail
- Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office (especially Word and Excel).
- Ability to learn new systems and processes quickly.
Nice To Haves
- Experience in grant writing, research, or nonprofit fundraising.
- Familiarity with affordable housing, community development, or social impact work.
- Experience with CRM systems (e.g., Raiser's Edge NXT).
Responsibilities
- Maintain and manage the grants calendar, including deadlines, submissions, and reporting requirements.
- Prepare and submit grant applications, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and timeliness.
- Track grant requirements and maintain organized records of proposals, reports, and funder communications.
- Support the preparation of grant reports, including collecting data and drafting content.
- Draft grant proposals, letters of inquiry, and reports using templates and guidance from the Major Gifts Manager.
- Collaborate with program and development staff to gather program information, outcomes, and budgets.
- Assist in translating Habitat's work into clear, compelling narratives for funders.
- Partner with the Communications Manager to refine messaging and storytelling.
- Conduct research to identify potential foundation and corporate grant opportunities.
- Maintain a pipeline of prospective funders and track opportunities in the CRM.
- Monitor deadlines and eligibility requirements for new funding opportunities.
- Attend funder meetings and calls to determine eligibility and meet foundation staff.
- Assist with maintaining relationships with foundation and institutional funders through timely communication and follow-up.
- Support the preparation of stewardship materials, updates, and impact reports.
- Track funder engagement and requirements to ensure strong stewardship practices.
- Work closely with the Development Associate to track grant revenue, reporting requirements, and data accuracy.
- Collaborate with program staff to collect data, success stories, and outcomes.
- Support alignment between grants, events, corporate partnerships, and major gifts efforts.
- Provide administrative support for data entry, donor stewardship, event logistics, and other development team duties as necessary.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
