Job Title: Proposal Writer/Editor
Department: Advancement, Grants Team
Location: Remote or in Sierra Club offices in DC or Bay Area
Reports To: Director, Grants
Supervises: n/a
Context: At the Sierra Club, we believe in the power of interdependence. Together, we remain committed to the fight for a healthy climate built on a foundation of environmental, racial, economic, and gender justice – a future where all people benefit from a healthy, thriving planet and a direct connection to nature. As the climate crisis and deeply entrenched systemic racism all fuel injustice, we will continue to fight for a bold, transformational agenda that recognizes the interconnectedness between our planet, our humanity, and our future. By recognizing that our destinies are tied, we continue to name that all things are fundamentally connected, and the overlap between ecology, race, gender, and representative government will move to either advance our collective humanity or to oppress it. Sierra Club has close to 800 staff across the country and a network of 64 local chapters that are led and fueled by thousands of volunteers. We are also proud to be a unionized employer, with three labor unions representing more than half of our employees.
Scope: The Proposal Writer/Editor works as an integral part of the Sierra Club’s Donor Communications efforts, focusing primarily on fundraising for national projects from foundations, and assisting in major donor cultivation where needed. Helps the Sierra Club meet its annual fundraising goals by working with project directors and other Program staff, Operations, Finance, and Advancement gift officers—and in coordination with Sierra Club Foundation (the Sierra Club’s fiscal sponsor)—to write, edit, and get approval for proposals and reports. Coordinates all aspects of the proposal and report development, submission, and administration processes.
As an integral part of the Grants Team, the Writer/Editor is responsible for writing and editing proposals to support Sierra Club national projects, in accordance with the requirements of the donor and those of the Sierra Club and Sierra Club Foundation. The Writer/Editor also prepares reports on grant-funded activities and helps coordinate related grants administration such as scheduling, filing, and systems tracking.
\n- Preparing grant proposals. Works in cooperation with project directors and other staff, Office of Advancement staff, and Sierra Club Foundation staff to prepare grant proposals for foundations, corporations, and major donors for national programs and projects, ensuring that they are well-written, engaging for intended audiences, persuasive, accurate, well-structured, and in-line with overall Sierra Club priorities.
- Preparing grant reports. Prepares reports for foundations, corporations, and major donors on grant-funded activity by working with national project directors and other Program staff, Office of Advancement staff, and Sierra Club Foundation staff.
- Advising Program staff. Provides advice to national Program staff about how to develop effective, charitable content for new and revised projects and reports.
- Keeping up to date on programs and issues. Keeps up-to-date with current foundation, corporate, and major donor grant-making priorities and Sierra Club priorities, and tailors proposals and reports to reflect these priorities.
- Coordinating report and proposal submission. Coordinates the submission of proposals and reports to foundations by working with regional gift officers.
- Helping with training. Helps prepare and update training materials, guidelines, and other materials as necessary, and helps conduct training for national staff and volunteers on proposal writing and program development, as needed.
- Assisting with grants administration tasks. Assists with maintenance of various grants administrative processes including: the Salesforce Grants Management System for all solicitations and reports; maintaining schedules of proposal and report submission deadlines; filing documents in Google Drive; managing tasks and documents in Salesforce; tracking and distributing grant and gift award letters and updating files; conducting research on foundations and corporations; and maintaining and updating Grants Team proposal and report files.
- Ability to efficiently write and edit content according to specific guidelines, in short timeframes and in collaboration with others.
- Strong written and oral communication skills.
- Experience working as a member of a team to develop and complete projects under tight deadlines. Ability to work effectively with a variety of people at various levels within an organization.
- Excellent word processing skills and ability to learn in-house and enterprise software systems.
- Excellent organizational skills and experience budgeting time, scheduling and tracking projects, and managing multiple projects with multiple phases at one time. Ability to work independently, prioritize assignments, and involve manager as necessary to accomplish daily tasks.
- Committed to evolution. You are committed to continuously deepening and evolving your own understanding of systems of oppression through study, openness, and humility. And you easily recognize your own relationship to privilege and power, examining and shifting your behaviors as appropriate.
- Uplifting and additive. You see mistakes as opportunities for growth; problems as catalysts for solutions, and inspire others along the journey. You carry a constructive approach, can-do attitude, a sense of humor, and authentic kindness wherever you go.
- Proven experience writing/editing grant proposals, technical/scientific reports, or other fundraising documents.
To Apply
The Sierra Club provides equal employment and advancement opportunities to all staff members. Employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, lived experience and skills. The Sierra Club does not discriminate in employment opportunities or practices on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, immigration status, socioeconomic status, ancestry, age, size, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, familial status, veteran status, disability, AIDS/HIV status, medical condition, prior conviction, arrest history, traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles, or any other characteristic protected by law.
The Sierra Club values applicants who are people that identify as Black, Indigenous, and other minoritized groups; women; queer, transgender, gender non-conforming, and gender fluid people.
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