Reports To: Development Director
Salary Class: Specialist
FLSA Status: Exempt or Nonexempt depending on offer salary
Hours: 100% FTE; including occasional evenings and weekends
Salary Range & Benefits: $45,000-$65,000, depending on experience. (Starting organizers/specialists should expect to land on the lower part of the range between $45,000 – $55,000) To determine salary, we use a salary calculation system which takes into consideration nontraditional backgrounds, lived experience, community involvement, work experience, training, degrees, certifications, and more. Go to: https://landstewardshipproject.org/opportunities/ – “LSP Benefits Package” for additional information.
Location: This is a hybrid work position.
Note: This is a union-eligible position with bargaining unit OPEIU Local 12.
Application Deadline: 11/7/2024
Mission: The Land Stewardship Project (LSP) is an organization grounded in its mission and membership. LSP’s mission is to foster an ethic of stewardship for farmland, to promote sustainable agriculture, and to develop healthy communities. We seek to do work that ensures that people impacted by climate change and systemic oppression are driving solutions on the land, in communities, and through our democracy.
Job Summary: Reporting to the Development Director, the Grants Specialist supports LSP to achieve its mission by securing funding, stewarding positive relationships with funders, and leading essential administrative aspects of the fundraising process. The Grants Specialist will lead proposal and report writing and relationship stewardship for a portfolio of 5-10 institutional funders, track key deadlines and deliverables for LSP’s institutional fundraising, and assisting with financial tracking for select grants.
LSP has been working to grow its Development team since 2021. The creation of the Grants Specialist position will provide additional infrastructure to power our work to build a more just and sustainable food system. Because this is a new role, the ideal applicant will possess the ability to strategically adapt as needs within the department evolve.
Responsibilities Include:
- Lead all aspects of the grant process including research, LOI and proposal submission, deadline tracking, and reporting for a portfolio of 5-10 institutional funders including foundations, government, and values-aligned corporations
- Steward positive relationships with funders by providing regular updates (quarterly to semi-annually) about the impacts of LSP’s work, inviting funders to LSP events, and communicating relevant news or changes in a timely manner
- Research new funding opportunities that align with LSP’s work and goals as needed
- Maintain complete and up-to-date grant records including research, proposals, agreements, record of payments, and any grant-associated forms using SharePoint
- Track status and due dates for all grants using LSP’s CRM, EveryAction
- Work with LSP staff to document programmatic goals and highlights to support proposal and report writing
- Support Programs and Finance staff to accurately track expenses for government grants
- Contribute to annual financial planning by projecting expected income from your portfolio for the upcoming fiscal year
- With the Development Director, track performance of your funder portfolio against annual financial goals
- Develop deep understanding of LSP’s work and the communities we serve through engagement
Qualifications:
These qualifications are suggestions for what a successful candidate may offer. You do not need to check every box on this list, and you may bring more to this job than what is named below.
You demonstrate effective grant writing and grant management skills:
You bring at least 2 years of grant writing experience and have a track record of crafting concise, impactful proposals and reports. You have proven project management skills, can handle time-sensitive tasks, competing priorities and can work backwards from intended outcomes.
You build authentic relationships with colleagues, funders, partners, and community members:
You seek to engage and partner with funders and key stakeholders to deepen their connection to LSP’s work. You are enthusiastic about building a deep understanding of LSP’s work through conversations with colleagues and partners and occasional participation in programmatic and org-wide events. You are enthusiastic about working as part of a dedicated team.
You are committed to building a more just and sustainable food system:
You possess knowledge of and passion for critical issues related to rural communities, food, farming, social change, and/or the environment. You understand, support, and have the ability to effectively communicate about LSP’s mission, overall programs and strategies, and LSP’s analysis of economic, racial, and gender justice.
You are goal oriented and motivated to achieve results:
You are excited to set and achieve ambitious goals. You are committed to continuous learning and are excited to contribute to strengthening LSP’s fundraising efforts in order to meet goals. You bring a balance of collaborative spirit and independence that makes you a proactive, motivated self-starter who thrives in a team setting.
You embrace the use of technology:
You are comfortable using a range of tech tools to manage data, track progress toward goals, and communicate with colleagues. You take a systematic approach to integrating new tools to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of your work. You have experience with customer relationship management systems, such as EveryAction, Raiser’s Edge, or Salesforce as well as office suites like Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace.
Travel: Expected occasional travel for visits to LSP offices, field events, conferences, and meetings. Must have a valid driver’s license, reliable vehicle, active registration and insurance. Mileage reimbursement is compensated at the federal standard.
Supervisory Responsibilities: None
Work Environment: This is a hybrid work position and will require working from one of three LSP offices, work in the field, and work from home. Our physical offices are in Lewiston, Minneapolis, and Montevideo, Minnesota. You must have a dedicated workspace where you are able to maintain work hours reflective of office hours (Monday to Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.).
Physical Demands: This is a computer/office work-based role which requires extended periods of stationary positions such as sitting or standing. Occasional physical demands could include setting up for events, loading and unloading materials for training, tabling at outreach events, filming and photography at events or on farms. This would require the ability to carry 20-60 pounds, and bend or stand as necessary.
To APPLY: In one PDF document, send cover letter, resume, and a 1-page or less writing sample to: jobs@landstewardshipproject.org, with “Grants Specialist: YOUR NAME” in the subject line. Attn: Natalia Espina, HR & Operations Director. Accepting applications until end of day on Thurs 11/7/24. Phone calls will not be accepted.
Land Stewardship Project provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type on the basis of a person’s race, color, creed, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related disabilities), national origin, political or union affiliation, disability, genetic information, marital or familial status, status with regard to public assistance, protected veteran status, membership or activity in a local commission, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or that of the person’s friends, relatives, or associates, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
Applicants with Disabilities: Reasonable accommodation will be made so that qualified disabled applicants may participate in the application process. If you are seeking accommodation, please contact jobs@landstewardshipproject.org
Women, Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQIA+ candidates, people with disabilities, as well as rural and urban farmers are strongly encouraged to apply.
*This job announcement is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee.