Grants Support Specialist

BUILD, Inc. (Broader Urban Involvement and Leadership Development) is presently seeking a committed, self-motivated, and innovative individual to join our team. BUILD is a nationally respected gang intervention, violence prevention, and youth development organization based on Chicago’s West Side. Since 1969, BUILD has worked to save lives and mentor young people who live in the city’s most challenged neighborhoods. When you work at BUILD you make an important difference to the thousands of youth and families we serve.  

Our Core Values: Empathy, Passion, Persistence and Innovation.

Position Summary 

BUILD is seeking a highly organized and talented individual familiar with writing, researching, and database management to join the development team as a Grant Support Specialist, supporting the organization’s growing portfolio of institutional funding from foundations, corporations, and government agencies. Working closely with the Managers of Public and Private Grants, this role will focus primarily on post-grant award management, including critical tracking and internal cross-departmental communication functions plus support for external funder communication.

The Grant Support Specialist will also play a key role in grant and report writing, prospecting, and supporting grant application and report submissions, helping to secure funding for youth services across Chicago’s West Side. 

The ideal candidate will be highly organized, able to manage multiple deadlines, and comfortable collaborating with program, finance, and evaluation staff to gather and organize the information needed to produce high-quality proposals and reports. 

Detailed Job Responsibilities

Post-Award Grant Administration (60%) 

1. Support post-award grant launch, including tracking, documentation, and internal and external communication: 

• Entering information and uploading documents pertaining to new grants and maintaining digital grant files in our grant management database, in coordination with BUILD’s finance and gift entry teams. 
• Sharing grant award details internally, with BUILD’s finance, Impact, development, and program teams. 
• Sending acknowledgement letters to private grant funders. 

1. Support the preparation of materials for funder meetings, site visits, and presentations when needed. 
2. Assist with drafting funder communications and stewardship materials when needed. 
3. Respond to grant information requests from finance, Impact, and program teams. 

Grant Writing and Reporting Support (30%) 

1. Maintain and update boilerplate library of standard grant language, including organizational descriptions, program summaries, and statistics. 
2. Periodically support Managers of Public and Private Grants, writing grant applications and reports, when needed. 
3. Help maintain internal documentation related to proposal development and submission requirements.   
4. Work with program, finance, and Impact staff to collect data, outcomes, and stories needed for reports.
5.  

Prospect Research (10%) 

1. Conduct prospect research on foundation, corporate, and government grant opportunities. 
2. Assist in reviewing grant guidelines to determine program fit and required submission materials. 
3. Provide writing support for internal summaries of new grant opportunities and present to program leadership

A Successful Candidate Will: 

• Be an exceptional writer with the ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and persuasively. 
• Have strong editing skills and meticulous attention to detail. 
• Be highly organized and able to manage multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously. 
• Have the flexibility to adapt a work schedule to the variable demands of the BUILD grant workload – specifically, being in person or remote as work might require, and adjusting hours to what the work requires.  
• Be comfortable working with data and familiar with databases. 
• Demonstrate strong collaboration skills and the ability to gather information from staff across departments. 
• Be passionate about BUILD’s mission and committed to advancing opportunities for youth facing systemic barriers. 
• Be resilient, curious, and eager to learn about the organization’s programs and impact.

Required Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree required. 
• 1 years of experience in nonprofit organizations, especially in grant writing, grant administration, or research. 
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills. 
• Strong project management and organizational abilities. 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office. 
• Ability to synthesize program information, data, and research into compelling narratives. 
• Comfort working with diverse teams and maintaining respectful relationships with staff and community stakeholders. 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience writing grants for nonprofit organizations. 
• Familiarity with youth services, violence prevention, education, or community-based programming. 
• Experience working with program evaluation data or social science research. 
• Familiarity with donor databases or grant tracking systems. 

Other Requirements 

• Must successfully pass a background check. 
• Helpful: automobile with insurance and valid driver’s license. 

Benefits:

• 401(k) plan 2% match 
• Medical, Dental and Vision 
• Life Insurance 
• Paid Vacation 
• Wellness Days 
• Flexible Spending Accounts 

Salary Range:

$51,000 - $53,000 per year

Interested applicants should apply with resume and cover letter via BUILD's Hiring Portal: https://recruiting.paylocity.com/Recruiting/Jobs/Details/4232023, or by emailing kirstenmallik@buildchicago.org directly. Top candidates will be invited for an interview with development and finance team members.