Grants Writer

ROLE: GRANTS WRITER

LOCATION: AUSTIN, DALLAS OR HOUSTON TEXAS

APPLICATION DEADLINE:  APPLICATIONS ACCEPTED UNTIL POSITION IS FILLED

*Posting will be removed from our website when the position has been filled. 

Workers Defense is seeking a full-time Grants Writer to grow our 501(c)3 and 501(c)4 foundation and government grants funding in Texas and nationally. The Grant Writer will work closely with the Grants Manager, Development Director, and others in securing grant funding to support our work building power for immigrant workers in Texas. 

This is a union eligible position. 

HOW TO APPLY:

Send resume, cover letter, and three professional references to jobs@wdactionfund.org. Please include the position title on the subject line of your email. 

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WHY WE’RE EXCITED ABOUT YOU:

• You are committed to social, racial and economic justice, furthering workers’ rights, and building a broader labor movement.
• You are an excellent writer and have a demonstrated ability in articulating and advocating for a body of work that advances the interests of workers and immigrant families to diverse audiences.
• You embrace the challenge of translating grassroots organizing into strong grant proposals and demonstrating to funders why this work is urgent and necessary.
• You are a strong project manager who is comfortable creating and following systems to organize large amounts of information, assign tasks to others, and achieve results.
• You are effective at managing a heavy workload and asking for help when you need it. 

THIS ROLE IN ACTION:

• You will develop a firm understanding of Workers Defense programs by meeting with program staff on an ongoing basis;
• Participate in the development of a grant-focused fundraising strategy for both Workers Defense Project and its affiliated 501(c)(4) organization, Workers Defense Action Fund, and WDAF-affiliated political organizations;
• Execute this strategy by providing clean, proofread drafts of applications, proposals, and reports related to grant opportunities;
• Support the creation of grant materials by assisting the Grants Manager in collecting relevant information from Program Directors, Co-EDs, and other staff;
• Help identify new funding opportunities, including grant prospecting and research about potential funders;
• Improve the Development Team’s infrastructure and operations by creating new systems and strengthening existing ones;
• Serve as a resource for staff regarding grant information and infrastructure;
• Collaborate with the Development Team to strengthen staff and member engagement and development opportunities as needed; and
• Other duties as needed to support the Development Team.

WHAT YOU’LL BRING:

• At least two years of previous fundraising experience, including applying for, securing, and reporting for foundation grants
• Superior writing skills and ability to persuasively convey program results
• Strong organizational skills and exceptionally detail-oriented
• Ability to work in a team environment and independently with the ability to meet unexpected demands
• Demonstrated commitment to racial and economic justice
• Commitment to grassroots fundraising and building community power
• Able to research and gather information quickly and easily through interviews, website and database research, and review of internal reports and meeting notes
• Enjoys taking ownership of projects with the ability to handle multiple tasks under deadline and a high volume of work
• Strong project management skills and ability to juggle multiple deadlines and priorities
• Ability to work irregular hours, including occasional nights and weekends
• Knowledge of statewide and national progressive funding landscape (Preferred)
• Experience with foundation grants for both 501(c)3 and 501(c)4 organizations (Preferred) 
• Bilingual in English and Spanish (Preferred)

*If you don’t meet all of the criteria above but still feel your experience could be a good fit for the role, please apply. Workers Defense recognizes that candidates who don’t check every box can still add value to our team.

WHAT WE OFFER:

• Salary scale of $58,000 to $63,000 annually.
• A $1,000 annual language stipend for English-Spanish bilingual staff.
• Employer-paid medical, vision, dental, and life insurance.
• Paid leave consists of 10 days vacation, 10 days sick, and 5 days personal. 
• 26 paid holidays annually (including your birthday, the week of Thanksgiving, and our winter break from Dec. 24th through Jan. 1st)
• Every other Friday off
• Retirement plan with company match (as per our Personnel Policies Manual). 
• Paid parental leave (as per our Personnel Policies Manual).

ABOUT WORKERS DEFENSE ACTION FUND:

We center the issues of workers rights first and foremost, and engage working Texans around the issues that are most important to their families while supporting year-round civic engagement.

ABOUT WORKERS DEFENSE PROJECT:

Created in 2002, WDP is a statewide, membership-based organization devoted to workers’ rights and advocacy, chiefly aiming to build power among Texas construction workers. Its mission – to empower low-income workers to achieve fair employment through education, direct services, organizing and strategic partnerships – is accomplished through a network of dedicated staff, volunteers and members. WDP has won numerous awards for its cutting-edge achievements within one of the country’s most difficult climates for workers. The New York Times described WDP as “one of the most creative organizations for immigrant workers in the country.”

Workers Defense organizations are equal opportunity employers and actively encourage and recruit people of color, immigrants, women, and LGBTQ+ individuals to apply.