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Job Title: Grants Writer (Independent Contractor)
Compensation: Hourly rate or project-based compensation negotiable depending on experience.
Schedule: Averages 33-37 hours/month with workload dependent on grant cycles and deadlines.
Location: Portland, OR (mostly remote, with occasional in-person meetings)
Deadline: Position open until filled.

About Gather:Make:Shelter:
Gather:Make:Shelter collaborates with people experiencing houselessness and poverty through arts workshops and mentorship to empower participants to forge creative paths to stability and community. We believe in the profound impact of creative expression in building bridges and creating a more inclusive society.

Position Overview:
Gather:Make:Shelter is seeking an experienced Grant Writer with a passion for the arts, community engagement, and social justice to serve as an independent contractor supporting our fundraising efforts. This contractor will research, develop, write, and submit compelling grant proposals and reports to foundations, government agencies, and corporate funders. While the role typically requires around 33-37 hours per month, the workload will shift based on grant cycles, with more hours required during key deadlines. The ideal candidate should be well-versed in the regional and national funding landscape and should have experience identifying grant and project proposal competitiveness to help Gather:Make:Shelter make the most of potential grant opportunities.

Employment at Gather:Make:Shelter involves writing about, and occasional contact with, people experiencing houselessness and poverty. The ideal candidate should be excited to tell people’s stories with dignity and sensitivity. This role offers a real opportunity to make a difference in the lives of people experiencing homelessness through contributing to Gather:Make:Shelter’s ability to secure grant funding.

Key Responsibilities:
Identify, research, and evaluate grant opportunities that align with Gather:Make: Shelter’s mission and programming.

Strategically assess which programs, projects, or organizational needs best fit each funding opportunity.

Write high-quality LOIs, grant applications, and reports that reflect the organization’s voice, priorities, and impact.

Meet regularly with the Founding Director and Operations Manager to understand programming, budgets, organizational language, and strategic goals.

Collaborate closely with the Founding Director and Operations Manager to develop grant budgets and content.

Develop and maintain a grant calendar, tracking deadlines, submissions, and reporting requirements.

Build and maintain a strong understanding of the funding landscape in Oregon, particularly in areas related to arts, community development, and houselessness.

Regularly communicate progress, needs, and recommendations to organizational leadership.

Qualifications:
Proven experience writing successful grants for nonprofits.
Strong knowledge of the regional and national philanthropic and public funding landscape.
Excellent writing, editing, and storytelling skills.
Ability to translate program information, financials, and community impact into persuasive proposals.
Strong organizational and project management skills; able to manage fluctuating workloads and tight deadlines.
Collaborative mindset with the ability to work independently and communicate effectively.
Passion for community engagement, social justice, and the arts.
Preferred: Experience in the arts (personally or professionally) in order to write fluently about art media, processes, and impact.

Contract Structure & Compensation:
Independent contractor position.
Approximately 33-37 hours per month, with flexibility based on deadlines.
Hourly rate or project-based compensation negotiable depending on experience.

If you are enthusiastic about using your communications skills to make a positive impact in the lives of individuals experiencing houselessness, we invite you to apply for this rewarding opportunity.

How to Apply
Please submit a resume, cover letter, and 2 short writing samples that showcase your experience writing grants or for fundraising to info@gathermakeshelter.org. Your cover letter should briefly address your experience with regional or national funders.

Gather:Make:Shelter is an Equal Opportunity Employer:
Gather:Make:Shelter is an equal opportunity employer. We recognize that the strength of our organization is in our community. We value equity, diversity and inclusion and are dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse and pluralistic team committed to working in a multicultural environment. We strongly encourage applicants from underrepresented, BIPOC and queer communities to apply.

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications as described in a job description. We recognize that experience can be gained in a variety of ways: lived, professional, volunteer and other experience. We thoroughly look through applications,and consider interview questions and resumes in order to qualify candidates for this position. If you are interested in this position, but think you may not meet all the above criteria, please do apply!

Opportunity Website

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Arts EmploymentGrant WriterPortland