The Grants Officer will lead New England Science & Sailing Foundation's (NESS) grant writing, grants management, and reporting efforts and serve as a key member of the development team. This position plays a critical role in advancing NESS's mission by securing and stewarding funding from government agencies, foundations, corporations, and community partners.
The ideal candidate will have demonstrated experience independently researching, writing, submitting, and managing successful grant proposals, as well as developing strong relationships with funders. The Grants Officer will manage and oversee NESS's grants portfolio and pipeline, ensuring timely submissions, compliance, and reporting while working collaboratively across departments to identify funding opportunities and communicate program impact.
Through successful grant acquisition and stewardship, this role will help NESS expand its reach and deepen its impact by:
- Improving K-12 academic outcomes
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Strengthening social-emotional learning and student agency
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Advancing STEM education and achievement
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Expanding access to high-quality after-school and out-of-school programs that build academic and social-emotional skills
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Develop and maintain a grant calendar and pipeline, tracking proposal, reporting, and stewardship deadlines
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Research current and prospective foundation partners and analyze grant-making strategies and histories
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Prepare or update partner profile documents and briefing materials
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Write fundraising materials using a variety of styles ranging from the highly technical submissions typical for major institutional foundations, to the more personal style appropriate for some family foundations
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Collaborate with program and finance staff to develop project budgets and grant requests
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Maintain a working knowledge of the interests and expectations of the organization's major foundation funders
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Assimilate information about NESS's programmatic work from a variety of sources and describe its activities in clear and compelling language
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Work with the program and finance staff to collect necessary information to report on current grant programs
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Comply with all grant reporting as required by grantors
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Develop and maintain a comprehensive understanding of NESS programs, funding history, and strategic priorities
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Partner with program directors to identify funding needs and develop grant strategies to support program growth
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Other research, writing and reporting duties as assigned
Skills/Knowledge/Experience:
- 2+ years of grant writing, fundraising, development, or related nonprofit experience
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Demonstrated success by securing foundation, corporate, or government grants preferred
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Superior writing skills and demonstrated experience developing proposals for a variety of institutional foundations
- Experience interpreting program data and outcomes and translating them into compelling narratives
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Familiarity with donor databases, CRM systems, or grant management software preferred
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Strong communications and interpersonal skills
- Ability to make independent judgment calls in a variety of situations
- Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
- Able to work independently while managing multiple deadlines
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Highly skilled and proficient in Microsoft Suite
Education:
What we Offer
Beyond monetary compensation, Full-time, year-round employment includes a comprehensive benefits package. Compensation commensurate with experience.
Location: Stonington, CT (hybrid schedule available based on organizational needs)
About the New England Science & Sailing Foundation
For 25 years, the New England Science & Sailing Foundation (NESS) has inspired confidence, curiosity, and connection through ocean-based experiential learning. Since 2002, NESS has served nearly 50,000 students through hands-on programs that combine marine science, sailing, adventure sports, and environmental stewardship. Guided by its Core Values of Experiential Learning, InclusiveNESS, Personal Growth, and Stewardship, NESS partners with schools, families, and communities throughout New England to help students of all ages build confidence, resilience, leadership skills, and a lifelong connection to the water.
www.nessf.org (http://www.nessf.org)
NESS is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer
