Grant Writer at Kids in Need of Defense – KIND


Title: Grant Writer

Location: US National

About KIND

Kids in Need of Defense (KIND) is a global leader in the protection of unaccompanied refugee and migrant children. Launched in 2008, KIND champions a world in which every child’s rights and well-being are protected throughout their journey to safety. Since 2008, KIND has accepted over 23,000 referrals of children seeking legal representation in their immigration proceedings. KIND has welcomed more than 41,000 attendees to trainings since its founding, cultivating partnerships with over 700 law firms, corporate legal departments, law schools, and bar associations across the country.

KIND’s social services program ensures that migrant and refugee children who have often endured trauma receive counseling, educational support, medical care, and other comprehensive services.

To address the root causes of child migration from Central America and strengthen protection of unaccompanied children, KIND advocates for policy changes and educates lawmakers, the media, and the broader public on the conditions that drive these children to flee their home countries. KIND supports children returning to their home countries by connecting them to essential support services and sponsors gender-based violence prevention programs in Central America to protect children in countries of origin and transit.

KIND is also building upon its expertise in the protection of unaccompanied children to encourage the development of pro bono initiatives across Europe in partnership with European NGOs.

Position Summary:

KIND seeks a Grant Writer to prepare persuasive fundraising and institutional development materials for a wide range of audiences, including foundations, governments, and corporations. This position collaborates with KIND’s program departments to clearly and compellingly convey the urgent work KIND is doing to protect unaccompanied children in their search for safety through grant proposals, donor reports, talking points, and briefs. The Grant Writer is fluent in a variety of styles, ranging from narrative storytelling to highly technical writing, and can navigate a complex workload while moving from project to project with ease. This position requires strategic thinking, excellent project management skills, and deep knowledge of KIND’s mission, values, and goals. The Grant Writer is a key member of the institutional development team and reports to the senior grant writer.

This a headquarters position based remotely from any location in the U.S.

Essential Functions:

  • Learns and maintains a deep working knowledge of KIND and its mission, values, strategic goals, and programs.
  • Proactively gathers information related to multiple varied and complex programs, and conveys this information succinctly and compellingly, tailored to different audiences.
  • Partners with program departments to write, edit, and format grant proposals, reports, cover letters, donor communications, and related materials.
  • Serves as proposal coordinator for assigned proposals and reports. This includes preparing summaries of opportunities, facilitating kickoff meetings, creating responsibility matrices and calendars, and keeping the team on schedule to ensure deadlines are met.
  • Coordinates with finance department to ensure alignment of technical proposal and budget.
  • Liaises with sub-recipients to collect any required inputs from partners as needed.
  • Collaborates with development colleagues to prepare concise and compelling talking points and briefs to support donor solicitations.
  • Ensures all materials are professionally formatted, visually compelling, and adhere to KIND brand guidelines.
  • Ensures responsiveness and compliance with funder requirements.
  • Edits and proofreads drafts of proposals, reports, presentations, and other materials, as requested.
  • Gathers supporting documentation as needed.
  • Submits proposals to funders. This is typically via email or online portal but may occasionally require printing and collating hard copy submissions.
  • Supports maintenance of data in Salesforce.
  • Supports departmental initiatives, including process improvements, updating tools, drafting standard operating procedures, and developing trainings.

Qualifications and Requirement:

  • Undergraduate degree required.
  • Minimum of 4 years of experience in grant writing, journalism, or programmatic research/writing, preferably for advocacy or mission-driven organizations.
  • Demonstrated track record of success securing six-figure grants from foundations, governments, and corporate funders.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills in English; Spanish preferred but not required.
  • Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suites (such as Teams, Excel, etc.).
  • Ability to work collaboratively and multi-task in our KIND environment, managing numerous priorities and emerging opportunities.
  • Excellent organizational skills with ability to work on multiple projects in a deadline-oriented environment. Ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate as appropriate.
  • Ability to work effectively with people of diverse backgrounds, lived experiences, and communication styles.
  • Committed to prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as embracing transparency and authenticity in daily work life.
  • Be disciplined and nimble to ensure delivery on our core mission of access to justice and protection of children’s wellbeing and rights.
  • Showing the ability to multi-task and work with a sense of urgency in a dynamic, fast paced environment.
  • Committed to practicing and supporting wellbeing and a work-home life balance.
  • Experience working and communicating in a remote environment.

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