The Grants Specialist is an important part of Maryland Humanities’ (MH) advancement efforts and serves as a key member of the MH team. They will lead the organization’s grant application process and reporting. They will actively incorporate MH’s racial equity lens in all their work.
The Grants Specialist reports to the Director of Advancement and collaborates closely with MH Staff to understand the organization’s needs and contribute to resource growth to meet those needs.
Salary Range: $56,000-$62,000
FLSA Status: Exempt; Permanent; Full-time (35 hours/week)
Reports to: Director of Advancement
Working Conditions: Hybrid, remote first
Supervisory Responsibilities: None
Duties/Responsibilities:
• Lead the organization’s grant application process and reporting including maintaining accurate and up-to-date records of grant proposals and reports
• Write and submit grant proposals and letters of inquiry in a clear, compelling, and timely manner in collaboration with program staff and other stakeholders
• Manage deliverables of grants, including maintenance of acknowledgment on website and social media platforms
• Stay current with trends and best practices in grant writing and philanthropy to enhance the organization’s grant-seeking strategies
Required Skills/Abilities:
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively
• Experience in grant writing or project management
• The ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams
• Demonstrated initiative to learn and enhance skills that promote equity, inclusion, and cultural responsiveness, and an understanding of systems of oppression and their impact on communities
• Excellent writing, editing, and communication skills, with the ability to articulate the organization’s mission and funding needs in a clear and compelling manner
Preferred Skills/Abilities:
• Skilled in examining and re-engineering program operations and procedures
• Familiarity with or excitement around the application of a racial equity lens to development efforts
• Commitment to Maryland Humanities’ mission, vision, and values (see https://www.mdhumanities.org/about-us/mission-vision-values/)
Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:
• Maryland Humanities offices are located in Baltimore, MD. The office is open for staff to work from as needed. Each staff person is expected to join on-site team meetings at least 1 day per month
• Must be located in or willing to relocate to Maryland
• Prolonged periods of sitting and working on a computer
Additional Details:
The right candidate will have a strong background in project management, some experience with grants, and enthusiasm for learning the ins and outs of grant writing and administration with coaching by our external consultant.
The current grant portfolio includes 9-10 non-competitive grants with a goal of obtaining 1-2 competitive grants in the first year.
No one candidate will be perfect for this job. The skills and experience needed to be successful in this job exist on a spectrum. Frequently cited statistics show that candidates with disabilities, BIPOC candidates, women, and members of marginalized and/or systematically excluded groups apply to jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. Maryland Humanities is happy to leave that statistic in the past. No one ever meets 100% of the qualifications. Please just apply.
What we are offering
• The annual salary for this position is $56,000-$62,000.
• 35-hour work week with flexible scheduling.
• Employees are eligible for employer-provided health and dental insurance coverage (two plans offered, including one 100% employer paid), flex benefits, retirement (including a 4% employer contribution), monthly stipend to offset parking and/or work-from-home expenses, and annual funding for professional development.
• We have 21 days of vacation per year and 12 days of sick leave per year as well as access to advance and donated leave if needed
• 15 paid holidays and 2 floating holidays prorated for part time. Access to holiday exchange (i.e. observing Eid Al-Adha instead of Christmas)
• We offer a sabbatical with up to 6 weeks after five years of service and up to 10 weeks after 10 or more years of service.
• Employees have access to Volunteer Time Off.
• We offer Extended Family and Medical Leave of 12 weeks with additional eligibility for 4 weeks of a gradual return to work
• We traditionally close the offices at the end of the year, Dec 24–Jan 1.
Maryland Humanities’ staff have established shared working values, linked here.
What to expect
Step one: All submissions will be initially reviewed after February 19, 2024 and the initial candidate pool will be formed. Not all submissions will make it into the candidate pool. Once the pool of candidates is established, a brief phone interview will be set up.
Step two: Remaining candidates will take part in an interview with members of the Maryland Humanities Team via Zoom.
Step Three: Selection and placement of the final candidate. Placement for this position is anticipated to occur in March 2024. Once the final candidate has accepted their offer of employment, all other applicants will be notified of their status.
To Apply: To be considered for the role, we require that you submit your résumé along with responses to the following 3 prompts. Please limit your responses to 1 page.
1) Summarize your experience with grant writing and/or grant administration. If you do not have prior experience, please share which skills and/or education you possess that apply to this position.
2) Provide a summary of your experience with project management. If you do not have prior experience, please share which skills and/or education you possess that apply to this position.
3) Provide your definition of racial equity and describe your experience in promoting equity, inclusion, and cultural responsiveness in your work.
We believe that the responses to these questions will give us a better understanding of your qualifications for the role, as well as your alignment with our organization’s values. We appreciate your time and effort in providing this information.
Please email materials to hr@mdhumanities.org with the subject line as “Grants Specialist;” no phone calls please. For best consideration, applications are due by February 19, 2024. Search will remain open until filled.
Maryland Humanities is an equal opportunity employer. It is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. Accordingly, all terms and conditions of employment will be carried out without regard to race, creed, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, marital status, age, or disability. Maryland Humanities will not tolerate acts deemed to constitute discrimination or harassment based on gender, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, religion, national origin, marital status, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.