Senior Grant Writer

Company Description

With a mission to build affordable homes with site-based services that offer opportunities to change lives and strengthen communities, People’s Self-Help Housing is the longest-serving nonprofit developer on California’s Central Coast. We serve low-income working families, farmworkers, seniors, and veterans and provide welcoming environments for those living with disabilities and for the formerly homeless. Along with building and managing beautiful and accessible neighborhoods in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties, we offer a broad array of programs to promote health, education, and connections to community-based resources.

Salary DOE, with a very competitive benefit package including

• Employer-paid medical/dental/vision, LTD/STD
• Pension Profit Sharing Plan
• Paid Vacation, Holidays and Sick Time
• Employer investment in professional education and employee wellness
• An excellent supportive staff and work environment.

Role Description

This is a full-time role for a Senior Grant Writer based in San Luis Obispo, CA, with opportunities to work remotely (hybrid schedule). The primary responsibilities include identifying grant opportunities, conducting prospect research, developing proposals, and managing the grant application process. The role involves working closely with the fundraising team to secure funding and maintain relationships with grant-giving organizations. The Senior Grant Writer will also collaborate cross-functionally to ensure alignment with organizational goals and strategies.

• Support and contribute to the development and implementation of the PSHH grant program strategy.
• Research government, foundation, and corporate funders at the local, state, and federal levels to evaluate opportunities in relation to PSHH fundraising goals.
• Assess the viability of grant opportunities in relation to potential funding amounts, alignment with organizational priorities, and internal administrative requirements.
• Independently manage the full range of activities required to prepare, submit, and manage complex grant proposals to government, foundation, and corporate funders.
• Write and lead development of high-quality grant proposals, letters of interest/inquiry, concept papers, and related materials aligned with funder priorities and organizational strategy.
• Generate complex proposals, narratives, applications, and supporting documentation in response to solicitations, ensuring accuracy, competitiveness, and compliance with funder requirements.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration with accounting, department leads, external partners, and subject matter experts to establish timelines, compile financials, and develop programmatic content for grant submissions.
• Monitor application and reporting timelines and proactively communicate deadlines interdepartmentally to ensure compliance with funder requirements.
• Regularly follow up on the status of submitted proposals and maintain accurate, up-to-date records in the Grants Tracker.
• Maintain and manage Grants Tracker entries for assigned submissions, including tracking deadlines, reporting requirements, and interdepartmental tasks.
• Maintain complete and accurate grant records and files in accordance with PSHH record-keeping policies, including funder communications, contracts, and documentation.
• Track progress of grant-funded programs and facilitate communication between funders and internal stakeholders.
• Provide guidance to staff on grant compliance, including the allowability of expenditures and reporting obligations.
• Analyze grant outcomes and provide recommendations to improve proposal competitiveness and funding success rates.
• Participate in the creation of fundraising campaigns and appeals, ensuring accurate and strategic grant-related content.
• Provide data, analysis, and draft content for donor stewardship, public communications, and internal reporting.
• Support donor cultivation efforts through participation in meetings, events, and strategic communications.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in a related field or relevant work experience.
• Minimum 4–6 years of experience in grant writing for a nonprofit organization.
• Proven experience successfully managing complex grant cycles, from research and identification through award, compliance, and reporting.
• Advanced knowledge of grant funding processes, including research, application, award management, and reporting.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to draft clear, persuasive, and strategic grant proposals and reports.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple complex projects and deadlines simultaneously.
• Experience synthesizing programmatic, financial, and evaluation data into cohesive grant narratives.
• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook) and CRM platforms such as Donor Perfect.
• Ability to work independently while contributing effectively to cross-functional teams.
• Strong problem-solving skills in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments.
• High level of attention to detail, confidentiality, and professionalism.
• Ability to type 40 words per minute.
• Demonstrated success securing competitive grants from government, foundation, and/or corporate funders.
• Experience leading or managing significant proposal efforts or multi-departmental grant submissions.
• Experience collaborating with finance and program departments to develop comprehensive grant materials.
• Familiarity with affordable housing funding and wrap-around service programs in California is highly desirable.
• Experience working in deadline-driven environments.

Starting Compensation Range: $73,000.00 to $80,000.00 annually (final salary will be determined based on experience and skills)