Institutional Grants Officer

Careers In Nonprofits•Berkeley, CA

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Institutional Grants Officer is responsible for the full lifecycle of institutional fundraising (prospect research, proposal development, submission, compliance, and stewardship) across foundation, corporate, and government funding sources. This role manages a portfolio of active grants, cultivates new institutional relationships, and works cross-functionally with programs and finance to ensure funded projects are well-designed, well-reported, and renewable.

Requirements

3–5+ years of professional grant writing and/or institutional fundraising experience, ideally within a nonprofit of comparable or larger budget size.
Demonstrated track record of securing five- and six-figure grants from foundation, corporate, and/or government sources.
Excellent, tight, persuasive writing skills; ability to synthesize complex information into clear narrative under deadline pressure.
Strong project management skills; comfortable juggling multiple concurrent deadlines and stakeholders without dropping details.
Experience building and managing budgets in partnership with finance staff.
Proficiency with donor/grants databases (Salesforce, Raiser's Edge, Fluxx, or similar) and standard office software.
Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience.

Nice To Haves

Experience with government grants (federal, state, or local) including compliance requirements (e.g., 2 CFR 200 / Uniform Guidance) is a strong plus.
Familiarity with health, development, LMIC funding landscape.
Experience working directly with program staff to develop logic models, theories of change, or outcomes frameworks.
CFRE or grant-writing certification a plus but not required.

Responsibilities

Research, identify, and qualify new foundation, corporate, and government funding prospects aligned with organizational priorities and funding gaps.
Maintain and continually refine a 12–18 month grants calendar and pipeline, in partnership with the Director of Development.
Track sector trends, funder priorities, and RFP announcements relevant to the organization's program areas.
Draft, edit, and submit compelling letters of inquiry, full proposals, budgets, and renewal requests to foundation, corporate, and government funders.
Write clear, accurate, and timely interim and final grant reports, coordinating data and narrative input from Program and Finance staff.
Translate complex program models and outcomes data into persuasive, funder-ready narratives.
Ensure all submissions reflect current organizational priorities, budgets, and messaging, and are reviewed by appropriate internal stakeholders before submission.
Own the grants tracking system (e.g., Salesforce, Fluxx, or similar CRM), maintaining accurate records of deadlines, deliverables, restrictions, and reporting requirements.
Monitor grant budgets and spend-down in partnership with Finance to ensure compliance with funder restrictions and timely, accurate financial reporting.
Manage the full grants compliance calendar, ensuring zero missed deadlines for reports, renewals, or compliance filings.
Support audit and 990 preparation as it relates to restricted grant funding.
Serve as a primary point of contact for a portfolio of current institutional funders, ensuring responsive, professional communication.
Coordinate site visits, funder briefings, and stewardship touchpoints (updates, invitations, recognition).
Partner with the Chief of Development and Communications and Executive Director on cultivation strategy for principal-level institutional prospects.