Massachusetts residents face some of the highest costs of living in the country, leading to high rates of family homelessness. At present, about 728,000 people live below the federal poverty level in Massachusetts. According to recent Census data, 265,000 households in the state are “rent-burdened,” paying over 30% of their income to rent alone. Currently, over 24-25,000 parents and children are in the Massachusetts Emergency Assistance family shelter system. This is the second highest rate of family homelessness in the nation, trailing only New York. Furthermore, this official number does not include the thousands more homeless families who are living doubled-up, couch surfing, or taking shelter in cars or campgrounds.

One Family’s philosophy is that education and career success are the foundations of lasting housing stability. In other words: families need stable income to afford stable housing. We offer three direct-service programs that help break down barriers to higher education and family-sustaining career paths, so that families who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness can achieve financial independence and afford safe housing. The organization pairs this direct-service work with public policy advocacy, thereby working to prevent family homelessness on both an individual and systemic scale.

THE OPPORTUNITY

As our Grant Specialist, you will have the unique opportunity to help shape the future direction of One Family (OFI). A member of a creative, collaborative team, the Grant Specialist will help drive the growth and success of OFI’s impactful work. You’ll be responsible for identifying and soliciting corporations and foundations to fund our organization, as well as inheriting a robust existing portfolio of grantors.The Grant Specialist will play a key role in helping the development team meet its $2.89 million dollar goal for this year. This role reports to the Director of Development & Communications.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage and expand an existing portfolio of foundation and corporate donors and its grants submission process, including prospecting, proposal writing, reporting, and correspondence

• Lead all stages of the grants and sponsorship process, from initial prospect identification to the proposal and budget creation through continued stewardship and reporting

• Liaise with departmental directors and other team members in order to fulfill data requests for grant applications

• Secure sponsorship and support the logistics for special events

• Contribute content to newsletters, annual reports, and other stewardship materials

• Manage grants calendar, ensuring team members are on track to meet deadlines

• Assist in the planning and preparation of stewardship and cultivation meetings to be led by the Associate Development Director and Director of Development and Communications.

• Work closely with all departments on project planning, grant deliverables, and project evaluation

• Support additional development projects and activities as requested

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

There are innumerable ways to learn, grow, and excel professionally. We respect this when we review applications and take a broad look at the experience of each applicant. We want to get to know you and the unique strengths you will bring to the work. This said, we are most likely to be interested in your candidacy if you can demonstrate the majority of the qualifications and experiences listed below. Successful candidates will demonstrate deeply held respect for and understanding of the power of our programming, even if their primary professional background is in another field.

• 2-5 years of grant writing experience, preferably with foundations and corporations with demonstrated success securing five and six figure gifts

• Strong interpersonal skills to interact effectively with colleagues and partners

• Exceptional research, writing, and proofreading skills with consistent attention to detail.

• Analytical skills and use of data to drive decision-making and to build consensus/support

• Organizational skills and ability to create systems to manage multiple projects

• Experience writing effective external communications to partners and supporters

• Self-motivated and organized independent worker who functions effectively in a virtual work environment while being an enthusiastic, collaborative team member committed to shared success

• Ability to prioritize multiple tasks, meet deadlines, and adapt flexibly within a growing organization

• Knowledge of the institutional funding landscape in Greater Boston is highly desirable

• Experience with Salesforce or similar donor management software is a plus

POSITION SPECIFICATIONS

This is a full-time, exempt position. The Grant Specialist will primarily work from a home-based office. Candidates living within commuting distance of One Family’s offices in Downtown Boston are preferred. Otherwise preference is for residents of Massachusetts, New Hampshire or Maine. New England-based employees are required to make monthly trips to One Family’s offices.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

The salary range for this position is $65,000-$75,000 To ensure internal parity, salary is set according to an explicit compensation policy and in line with the current staff in the same job group. One Family also offers a comprehensive benefits package to promote your professional growth and development, which includes:

• Medical and dental insurance, supplemented by healthcare reimbursement account

• 403(b) retirement plan and employer contribution

• Paid time off

• Paid parental leave

• Flexible spending accounts (healthcare and dependent care)

• Life insurance and disability insurance

• Pre-tax commuter benefits

• Tuition reimbursement

The summary of benefits can be found HERE

SUBMITTING YOUR APPLICATION

Interested candidates are encouraged to promptly submit their application through our online portal. All applicants will receive a response to their application. Please email rcostello@positivelypartners.org with questions or for support submitting your application.

While subject to change, candidates elected to advance throughout the process can expect:

• an initial phone interview with Positively Partners

• a follow up interview with Shira Lewin, Director of Development and Communications

• a multi-part final interview including a work exercise

The expected start date is Fall 2024. Positively Partners is committed to conducting an equitable, accessible assessment process. If you would like to request accommodation during the interview process, please email search@positivelypartners.org. Requests for accommodation will be handled confidentially.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

One Family, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we encourage applications from those with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences that reflect the populations we serve.

One Family provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

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