Grant Writer - Urban Resource Institute

ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW:

Urban Resource Institute (URI) is a dynamic, innovative, and well-respected organization founded in 1980 that transforms the lives of domestic violence survivors and homeless families through safe shelter and comprehensive services; delivers prevention and intervention programs that break cycles of violence and poverty; and actively works for sustainable systemic change.  URI is the oldest licensed provider of domestic violence (DV) shelter and services in New York State, and is the largest provider in the United States of DV shelter services, as well as a leading provider of shelter and services for homeless families. URI has a deep commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion among leadership, staff, and clients at residential and nonresidential sites across New York City.

URI’s work is grounded in survivor-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive care. In addition to emergency and transitional housing, URI delivers a robust continuum of Justice Initiatives—including economic empowerment, legal education and advocacy, prevention and youth programming, and abusive partner intervention—designed to break cycles of violence, instability, and poverty. URI also develops permanent affordable and supportive housing, advancing long-term pathways to safety, healing, and stability for families and communities.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

Reporting to the Senior Director of Institutional Giving, the Grant Writer is responsible for developing high-quality funding proposals, donor prospecting for major gifts and institutional giving, foundation and corporate grant requests, and assisting in preparing government grants when needed. The Grant Writer will work closely with the Senior Director of Institutional Giving to craft funding requests that align with URI’s highest areas of need, with an emphasis on URI’s non-residential programs and capital requests. Assist in managing grant-related workflows, deadlines, and documentation using Monday.com, EveryAction, Salesforce, and external donor and funder portals. They will also carefully review RFPs and funding guidelines, summarize opportunities for internal consideration, and assemble supporting documents needed for a successful submission. They will work with program staff and program leadership to develop compelling and accurate content, while also aligning with donor interests.

Corporations and Foundations:

• →Develop, write, and assemble proposals and reports to corporations and foundations.
• →Conduct prospecting of major gifts, corporations and foundations. Prospecting to align with areas of core needs, as determined by leadership. Includes research through various available tools. 
• →Ensure that the prospect list and all donor information is maintained in the CRM database.
• →Track stewardship information and donor interests in donor database.
• →Serve as the lead writer on assigned portfolio of grants and serve as secondary writer on proposals led by Senior Director.
• →Collaborate with program staff and leadership to translate programmatic information, outcomes, and organizational priorities into clear and compelling funding proposals.
• →Assemble supporting documents as directed, ensuring that application and reporting materials are complete and compliant with funder requirements.
• →Collaborate with the Senior Director, Finance, and program representatives on budget development.
• →Support preparation for donor visits and communications.
• →Prepare background information on prospects and brief leadership in advance of visits. 
• →Support reconciliation of corporate and foundation funds with finance, as specified by the donor.
• →Assist in government grant writing as needed.

Other:

• →Complete other duties as requested based on department, organizational need and as directed by the Senior Director. 
• →Assist with the CRM database to steward relationships and track grants received, reports due, pending proposals, and prospects. 
• →Provide editorial review/support to Development team as requested. 
• →Attend workshops, conferences, and events, as requested, to keep current in the fields of fundraising, domestic violence, and homelessness.

SPECIFICATIONS FOR EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS/LICENSES:

• →Bachelor’s Degree required.

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• →Exceptional writing and editorial skills.
• →Minimum of three years in an institutional fundraising role.
• →Experience with the New York fundraising landscape.
• →Excellent organizational, interpersonal and communication skills and strong attention to detail.
• →Demonstrated record of developing successful grant proposals, letters of inquiry, and reports for government, foundation, and/or corporate funders.
• →Ability to translate complex programmatic information into clear, compelling, and funder-appropriate narratives.
• →Strong computer skills and experience with CRM and project management systems.
• →Passion for URI’s mission and core values.
• →Ability to collaborate with other departments in a professional, respectful manner to submit Letters of Inquiry, proposals, and reports on time and with accuracy.
• →Capability of working independently and seeking guidance as needed from the Senior Director.
• →Ability to collaborate with coworkers who have diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences.
• →Ability to multi-task and prioritize within a fast-paced working environment.
• →Experience with most of the following platforms: Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, MS Teams), Adobe Acrobat, Zoom, Monday.com, Salesforce, and EveryAction etc.
• →Must also be knowledgeable of grant portals and can troubleshoot when needed.

SPECIFICATIONS FOR PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• →Will be required to read printed and handwritten materials.
• →Will be required to manipulate the computer mouse and keyboard.
• →Will be required to read information on computer screen.
• →Must be able to enter information in digital forms and spreadsheets.
• →May require prolonged periods of sitting and working on a computer.
• →May require occasional work outside established working hours.

Salary: $65,000

At URI we are committed to cultivating an inclusive work environment.  We actively seek a diverse candidate pool and encourage candidates of all backgrounds and abilities to apply. At URI we offer equal opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic disposition, neurodiversity, disability, veteran status, or any other protected category under federal, state and local law.