Reach Out and Read Northwest, an affiliate of the national Reach Out and Read program, reaches 200,000 families annually across Washington and Oregon, distributing over 330,000 books through 3,200 medical providers in nearly 400 clinics. Our focus is on serving underserved communities, where 62% of the children we reach are from low-income families, 42% identify as children of color, and 21% speak a home language other than English. Together, we contribute to the broader impact of the organization, which serves 4.4 million children across the country and distributes over 7 million books annually.

The Grant Specialist (Grant Writer) is a highly motivated and detail-oriented professional who plays an essential role in supporting the sustainability and growth of Reach Out and Read in the states of Washington and Oregon. The Specialist is responsible for identifying, pursuing, and securing grants that will fund our impactful work and strategic priorities. The Grant Specialist will provide grant writing and management support for opportunities generated by multiple Reach Out and Read Northwest Directors and hold their own portfolio of current funders and prospects.

The Grant Specialist collaborates closely with development colleagues and program, policy, and finance teams to ensure successful grant applications, donor stewardship, and compliance. The Specialist will support key initiatives, allowing the organization to continue to expand our services and further our mission of making a meaningful difference in the communities we serve. This role reports to the Northwest Associate Director of Development.

Your Key Responsibilities Will Include:

Grant Management and Proposal Development (80%)

Prepare grant proposals by conducting research, gathering internal and external data, writing drafts, and obtaining approvals
Manage grants calendar for the Northwest Region, ensuring grant applications, deliverables, reporting, and stewardship activities are on track to meet deadlines
Maintain grant proposal quality and alignment with organizational priorities by creating, maintaining, and revising templates and resource documents
Manage and grow a portfolio of foundation and corporate donors, including research and qualification, proposal writing and submission, reporting, correspondence, and donor stewardship activities
Assist in the planning and preparation of stewardship and cultivation meetings to be led by the Associate Director of Development and the Executive Director. Draft and support grant applications and awards that result from these opportunities.

Data Management and Collaboration (20%)

Serve as the Salesforce lead user for the Northwest region: manage dashboard and giving pipelines, ensure data integrity and standards, provide guidance for the Northwest team’s use, and ensure alignment with National requirements for accurate and timely data entry and document submission
Accurately communicate grant requirements and restrictions to leadership and finance teams and submit back-up material promptly and in alignment with organizational finance requirements
Communicate and collaborate with all departments on project planning, developing and monitoring grant deliverables, and project evaluation and reporting
Support additional development projects and activities as requested

* This job description outlines the general nature and level of work expected but is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or tasks required.

We’ll honor your lived and professional experience as key aspects of your candidacy for the role and prioritize applicants with experience dismantling the structural inequities that disproportionately impact children and families with traditionally marginalized identities. We are most likely to be interested in your candidacy if you can demonstrate many of the qualifications and experiences listed below:

3-5 years of grant writing experience, preferably with foundations and corporations
Strong research, writing, and proofreading skills with consistent attention to detail
Experience with grant compliance activities, including reporting, managing deliverables, and budget monitoring
Analytical skills to use data for decision-making and building consensus/support
Strong organizational abilities to manage multiple projects effectively
Excellent interpersonal skills for effective interaction with colleagues and partners
Self-motivation and ability to work independently in a virtual environment while collaborating as a team member
Commitment to increasing equity in opportunities and outcomes for children
Ability to prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and adapt flexibly within a growing organization
Experience creating effective external communications for partners and supporters
Commitment to increasing equity in opportunity and outcomes for children and to recognizing factors known to significantly impact differential outcomes for children, including race, ethnicity, language, and socio-economic status
Interest in applying equity-driven fundraising principles and emerging models (e.g., Community-Centric Fundraising, ethical storytelling)

Preferred Qualifications:

Experience with Salesforce or similar donor management software
Experience with graphic design or email marketing

Position Specifications

Full-time, exempt position
Remote work from King, Pierce, or Snohomish Counties, WA
Occasional travel to local meetings during the day and attendance at three to five out-of-town in person meetings per year is required (overnight travel).

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range for this position is $70,000-$77,000, commensurate with experience. ROR offers a robust benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k) retirement plan with match, paid time off, and more.

Commitment to Diversity

Reach Out and Read is committed to building an organization that embraces diversity, pursues equity, and fosters an environment of inclusion. ROR sits at the intersection of health and education, uniquely positioned to play a critical role in addressing systemic disparities and inequities in the public health framework. ROR strives to be an antiracist organization, using its influence to fight against social injustice by supporting a culture of learning, empowerment, equity, and a deep appreciation for the unique experiences that we each bring to our communities. And we believe that changing the world begins with holding ourselves and our workplace to that same standard.

About Reach Out and Read

Founded in 1989, Reach Out and Read is a national non-profit organization working to ensure all families have the opportunity to create meaningful everyday moments through shared reading aloud and building relationships. By leveraging pediatric care to champion the positive effects of reading daily and distributing books, Reach Out and Read gives young children a foundation for success and reaches 4.4 million children across the county – half of whom identify as BIPOC and two thirds of whom come from low-income families.

Reach Out and Read’s tens of thousands of trained pediatric providers use books as a diagnostic tool during regular check-ups and teach parents how to engage their child with a book to promote positive parent-child interactions during the rapid brain growth between birth and age five. The daily practice of reading aloud with a parent supports children’s literacy and math skill development, their social-emotional development, and prepares them for future success in school. Working together with our sites and providers, we leverage our three decades of expertise, build on our literacy foundations, and engage our shared networks as a catalyst for change, focusing on equitably strengthening and deepening our impact on the children, families, and communities we serve.

The Impact:

Reach Out and Read program sites are located in 6,200 clinics, safety net hospitals, medical systems, and other healthcare settings in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
Reach Out and Read serves 4.4 million children and their families annually.
More than 7.1 million new, developmentally appropriate books are integrated into well child visits with families annually.
36,000 clinicians currently participate in Reach Out and Read
Our peer-reviewed body of evidence demonstrates that Reach Out and Read parents are two-and-a-half times more likely to read regularly to their children, and that children experiencing Reach Out and Read show enhanced language development.

To learn more about Reach Out and Read, visit www.reachoutandread.org.

ROR is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Reach Out and Read is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, cultural heritage, ancestry, political belief, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability or veteran status. Reach Out and Read is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and we are committed to making special accommodations for your interview or work as a member of our team. If specific accommodations are needed, please email HR @ reachoutandread.org and our HR team will work to accommodate your needs.

Reach Out and Read jobs

Grant Specialist