Sr. Grant Specialist

Sr. Grant Specialist

Join YMCA of Greater Seattle as a Sr. Grant Specialist to steward corporate, foundation, and public funder grants through our grants pipeline. This role reports to the Director of Grants and Foundations and supports the Financial Development department and organization strategic goals.

The Y actively promotes a culture free from bias and injustice. We are dedicated to removing institutional and systemic barriers that result in oppression and racism. We hold ourselves accountable to marginalized communities to create equitable and sustainable environments where social justice is woven into every facet of our programs, and we care for our communities in a culturally versatile and respectful manner.

• Membership to YMCA of Greater Seattle for you and your household
• Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life insurance
• Retirement with generous employer contributions
• Free access to mental health resources
• Rapidly-accruing paid time off (PTO) available immediately upon hire
• Discounts on qualifying YMCA of Greater Seattle childcare and day camp programs

Hiring range: $84,000 – $103,000 per year

• Draft and ensure timely submission of letters of intent, grant proposals, and funding reports on our organizational grant calendar; maintain a portfolio of 5–7 grant-related submissions per month.
• Learn the Y’s programs, goals, and financial needs to develop compelling proposals, seek new funding opportunities, and report on funding impact.
• Critically assess financial documents, including program budgets, organizational 990s, financial audits, and contract revenue.
• Project‑manage proposals with staff at all levels and departments, ensuring all aspects of an application are complete, organized, and flow together cohesively.
• Ensure seamless and timely process for all grant process tasks, including contract review, letters of inquiry, proposals, reports, and stewardship activities.
• Maintain accurate records of proposals, declinations, awards, reporting requirements, and application timelines, tracking proposals electronically and in shared drives.
• Critically assess RFPs and determine which program(s) and partnerships align to respond to the RFP.
• Work proactively with other Y leaders to comply with all programmatic and fiscal reporting requirements.
• Collaborate with stakeholders across Finance, Financial Development, and Program teams to meet financial and reporting requirements.
• Demonstrate strong communication and positive interaction with all group employees, volunteers, external agencies, and the community.
• Evaluate systems and processes for best practices that align with the Y’s mission and values.
• Perform special projects as assigned in support of organizational objectives.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

• Education or experience in Journalism, English, Communications, Marketing, Social Services, Sociology, or a closely related field.
• Three years or more of grant writing or related experience in fundraising or writing in social services/humanitarian development programming, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Full understanding of the grant lifecycle process (research, application, post‑award reporting).
• Ability to handle multiple projects while meeting strict deadlines, working under pressure, and producing quality work within tight time constraints.
• Demonstrated success in obtaining grant funding from foundations, corporations, and public agencies (local, state, federal).
• Highly persuasive, effective writing with the ability to synthesize information from multiple sources to develop a convincing case for funding.
• Excellent attention to detail, strong computer skills, and general understanding of budgets and financial statements.
• Exceptional editing skills and consistency in written materials.
• Knowledge of current grant writing trends and best practices.
• Ability to interpret grant requirements, business periodicals, professional journals, financial information, technical procedures, or government regulations.
• Ability to represent the organization professionally to a wide variety of audiences.
• Strong computer skills and proficiency with…