Associate Director of Grants

Associate Director of Grants

Location: In‑person / CIST Administrative Office / Austin, Texas

Employment Type: Full‑Time, Exempt

Reports to: Director of Grants

Supervises: May supervise Ameri Corps or VISTA members, interns, and/or volunteers.

Starting Salary: $5,833.34/month (contingent on experience)

Please include a cover letter with your application

Communities In Schools of Central Texas (CISCT) is a sophisticated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in Austin, Texas. CISCT is rooted in community for over 40 years. CIS is a national organization that ensures every student has what they need to realize their full potential in school and beyond. At CISCT, our mission is simple: surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life.

We are a nearly $24 million organization serving tens of thousands of students annually across Central Texas.

• Lead pre‑award public funding prospecting efforts, including federal, state, and local opportunities.
• Monitor public funding trends, policy shifts, and procurement pipelines relevant to education, mental health, student supports, and youth development.
• Conduct in‑depth research to assess opportunity fit, competitiveness, and capacity requirements.
• Coordinate with CIS National’s grants team to stay aligned with network‑wide public funding strategy, guidance, and opportunities.
• Participate in RFP workshops, information sessions, and webinars, translating learnings into actionable recommendations.
• Advise the Director of Grants on public funding opportunities, feasibility, risks, and strategic alignment.

• Serve as lead writer for many complex and technically demanding public grant proposals.
• Draft full proposal narratives or major sections of large public grants, often in collaboration with the Director of Grants.
• Translate program models, outcomes, and budgets into clear, compelling, and compliant narratives.
• Coordinate with program, finance, evaluation, and operations staff to develop scopes of work, budgets, and required attachments.
• Ensure proposals are responsive to funder priorities, clearly articulated, and aligned with CISCT’s strategic
  goals.
• Partner closely with the Director of Grants on proposal positioning, messaging, and prioritization.
• Collaborate with the Grants Manager to ensure strong handoff from awarded proposals into post‑award compliance and reporting.
• Draft proposal narratives with clear attention to future reporting requirements, measurable outcomes, and deliverables.
• Respond to funder questions related to proposal content or narrative intent as needed.
• Support private foundation proposals and reports during peak cycles or surge periods.
• Contribute to the refinement of grants templates, tools, and internal processes.
• Build strong cross‑functional relationships to support effective grants development.
• Promote agency culture, standards, and systems.
• Participate in the CIS team approach to service delivery and problem‑solving.
• Other duties as assigned by the Director of Grants or Chief Development Officer.

• Bachelor’s degree required;
  Master’s degree preferred.