Main Responsibilities and Required Skills for a Grants Manager
A Grants Manager is a professional who holds the key to unlocking opportunities for organizations and projects through securing and managing grants. This multifaceted role involves a combination of strategic thinking, financial acumen, and excellent communication skills. In this blog post, we explore the primary responsibilities and the most in-demand hard and soft skills Grants Managers.
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Main Responsibilities of a Grants Manager
The following list describes the typical responsibilities of a Grants Manager:
Adapt
Adapt strategies based on feedback and changing priorities.
Address
Address and resolve any grant-related issues.
Administer
Administer all components of grants processing and management.
Advocate
Advocate for the organization's mission and vision in grant applications.
Align
Align work performance with SBP's core values.
Analyze
Analyze and evaluate experiments - reporting on results and follow-up test ideas.
Analyze grant guidelines and criteria.
Apply
Apply division project reporting systems to fit to CORE functionality and reporting.
Assess
Assess, analyze, and share departmental and programmatic performance to find ways to optimize impact.
Assist in
Assist in creation and staff Board Development Committee.
Assist in the preparation of financial reports related to grants.
Assist Technical team with development of benefit cost analysis.
Assist the communities with post disaster planning.
Assist with special events and complete other relevant tasks as assigned by Director.
Assist with Stakeholder Engagement.
Build
Build and maintain relationships with funding organizations.
Collaborate with
Collaborate with finance teams to create accurate budgets.
Conduct
Conduct briefings and support the client's Mitigation / Recovery Team through activities as assigned.
Conduct post-award debriefs for continuous improvement.
Conduct risk assessments for grant applications.
Contribute to
Contribute to grant submittals, including coordination of process and budget development.
Coordinate
Coordinate and collaborate with customers, stakeholders, and organization leaders.
Coordinate logistics of board and committee meetings, both virtual and in-person.
Coordinate site visits and evaluations for funders.
Coordinate with program managers to understand project needs.
Create
Create and maintain a database of grant contacts.
Create and maintain gift recognition programs.
Create and maintain systems to gather and track financial reports and data from each sub-grantee.
Create and maintain systems to gather and track financial reports and data from each subgrantee.
Create reports and summaries that evaluate projects as part of the grants review process.
Cultivate
Cultivate foundation relationships through timely impact reports and regular touchpoints.
Decipher
Decipher and define the best execution in order to test a given hypothesis.
Design
Design and update grantmaking forms, including correspondence, applications, and reporting.
Develop
Develop and execute a plan to operationalize this new grants program.
Develop and implement a comprehensive grants strategy.
Develop and implement department-wide systems to track and record indirect cost.
Develop and maintain a grants management system.
Develop and manage the Project functionality in CORE.
Develop and manage the reporting process for grantees.
Develop quality control procedures to safeguard grants data.
Develop relationships with prospective individual and foundation donors to increase funding.
Develop, review, and approve COEUS-submitted grant proposals for externally-funded projects.
Develop, route and / or approve COEUS proposals for subcontracts flowing from VUMC to VU.
Draft
Draft and review supplier and service provider contractual agreements.
Draft correspondence, review documents for accuracy and completeness.
Draft grant-related policies and procedures.
Ensure
Ensure all DNR cash and indirect cost allocations are correct and processed in a timely manner.
Ensure all reporting requirements are met for all our live grants.
Ensure compliance with grant regulations and reporting requirements.
Ensure excellent customer service and training is provided by, and for, staff.
Ensure period inventory checks take place both at country and project level.
Ensure the quality, timeliness, and consistency of all aspects of grants management.
Establish
Establish, maintain, and document grant-related business processes and workflows.
Evaluate
Evaluate and recommend the necessary resources and tools for grants management.
Evaluate applications for administrative content and compliance with policy.
Evaluate the effectiveness of grant programs.
Facilitate
Facilitate communication between program and finance teams.
Identify
Identify and collect required supporting documentation for eligible activities.
Interact
Interact with various levels of the project team and client.
Interpret
Interpret grants administration policies and provide advice to grantees and stakeholders.
Lead
Lead grants operations and compliance.
Lead on continuous improvement of ARK's subgrants policies and procedures.
Lead the delivery of individual tests with support from consultants.
Maintain
Maintain accurate records of all grant activities.
Maintain a flexible work schedule to meet the demands of executive management.
Maintain and continuously improve ARK's procurement system.
Manage
Manage and monitor internal HR and financial systems.
Manage complex contracting.
Manage contracts and vendors in accordance to organizational priorities and values.
Manage donor relationships at national level.
Manage his / her grant portfolio.
Manage prospecting efforts for institutional funders with advisement from Director.
Manage the clinical drug supply responsibilities for all research grants.
Manage the DNR Federal Grants and cash grant database.
Manage the financial component of the AmeriCorps National Direct Program.
Manage the financial relationship with YB affiliates that are AmeriCorps National Direct subgrantees.
Manage the global competitive grant program.
Manage the grant application and reporting calendar.
Manage the grants calendar ensuring proposal and report deadlines are met.
Manage the grant system user access roles.
Monitor
Monitor and track grant proposal deadlines.
Monitor approaching end dates to ensure funding documents for ensuing budget periods are received.
Negotiate
Negotiate grant terms and conditions.
Negotiate, track, and process awards in the Electronic Grant Systems (EGS) database.
Optimize
Optimize the functionality of the grants management system through regular system improvements.
Oversee
Oversee and provide guidance on subgrantee Organisational Capacity Assessments.
Oversee ARK's asset management database, supervising asset entries done at country level.
Oversee fundraising database and tracking systems.
Oversee grant recording and revenue earning which is tied to expenditures and grant billing.
Oversee the contracting process for those that deviate from standard templates.
Oversee the CRM / grants management database and provide ongoing training to staff.
Participate in
Participate in grant-related conferences and workshops.
Participate in monitoring visits, audits and related activities.
Participate in the development / revision / review of future Grants Manuals.
Perform
Perform full-range of supervisory duties for a grant accounting staff of three accountants.
Plan
Plan and execute both fundraising and / or cultivation events with assistance from staff.
Plan and manage initiatives that further WHC's goals and mission.
Prepare
Prepare agendas, transcribes meeting notes, tracks necessary information, and create reports.
Prepare and deliver presentations to potential funders.
Prepare and submit progress reports to funders.
Prioritize
Prioritize accessibility needs of grant applicants.
Provide
Provide guidance and oversight to the grants filing system.
Provide guidance on the FEMA Sections 404 and 406 Hazard Mitigation Programs.
Provide high-level oversight for assigned division's accounting transactions.
Provide holiday cover and support for consultants as required.
Provide input and feedback for the senior consultants on client optimisation strategy.
Provide relevant and necessary training on donor management, & compliance matters.
Provide technical assistance to improve their overall financial management at local YB programs.
Provide technical assistance to improve the overall financial management at local YB programs.
Provide technical guidance on subgrantee capacity building and monitoring requirements.
Provide technical support by editing and updating written communications and programmatic websites.
Provide training on grants management procedures.
Recommend
Recommend new and innovative tools and processes to further FPWA's institutional giving capacity.
Research
Research and identify potential funding opportunities.
Research, identify, and prioritize relevant grant opportunities.
Research prospective institutional and individual funders.
Review
Review and analyze financial information for department and divisions.
Review and approve payment requests initiated by the procurement team.
Review and approve subgrant agreements.
Review and edit proposals for clarity and coherence.
Review benefit cost analysis.
Solicit
Solicit contributions from major individual donors and steward long-term relationships with donors.
Stay updated on
Stay updated on industry trends and grant opportunities.
Supervise
Supervise office lease administration across the Group.
Support
Support internal stakeholders regarding compliance on budgetary issues.
Support research, analysis, and development of written products for strategy and policy documents.
Support the consultant and wider team to enable test delivery.
Track
Track cultivation and prospecting activity and ensure the execution of action items.
Track grant spending and submit invoices as needed.
Troubleshoot
Troubleshoot grants management system issues for applicants, grantees, and staff.
Upload
Upload additional pages if necessary to fully explain your experience and accomplishments.
Use
Use data analysis and visualization tools to interpret the Foundation's grantmaking.
Work with
Work closely with Grant Officers to identify External Review Panel (ERP) members.
Work together to develop annual workplan, helping to establish benchmarks for the year.
Work with collaborative partners to establish working relationships for Partner RFPs.
Work with internal and external partners to draft and edit proposals and reports.
Work with program colleagues to develop strategy for advancing work to be pitched.
Write
Write and submit compelling grant proposals.
Most In-demand Hard Skills
The following list describes the most required technical skills of a Grants Manager:
Proficiency in crafting persuasive and effective grant proposals.
Ability to create and manage detailed budgets for grant proposals.
Strong research skills to identify relevant funding opportunities.
Understanding of grant regulations and compliance requirements.
Ability to analyze financial data and create accurate budget proposals.
Skill in developing and maintaining comprehensive data management systems.
Effective presentation skills for engaging potential funders.
Ability to negotiate grant terms and conditions.
Skill in assessing and mitigating risks associated with grant applications.
Proficient in preparing detailed and accurate progress reports.
Capability to manage multiple grant projects simultaneously.
Effective communication and relationship-building skills.
Ability to build and maintain relationships with funding organizations.
Awareness of trends and changes in the funding landscape.
Ability to evaluate the effectiveness of grant programs.
Skill in using and managing databases for grants.
Ability to draft grant-related policies and procedures.
Capability to provide training on grants management procedures.
Ability to adapt strategies based on feedback and changing priorities.
Skill in advocating for the organization's mission and vision in grant applications.
Most In-demand Soft Skills
The following list describes the most required soft skills of a Grants Manager:
Clear and effective communication with internal and external stakeholders.
Meticulous attention to detail in grant writing and reporting.
Efficient time management to meet grant application deadlines.
Effective problem-solving skills to address grant-related challenges.
Strong collaborative skills to work with program and finance teams.
Flexibility in adapting to changing grant landscapes and priorities.
Leadership qualities to guide grant-related initiatives.
Ability to adapt to new technologies and tools in grants management.
Understanding the diverse needs and challenges of both the organization and funders.
Resilience in the face of rejection and challenges in the grant application process.
Conclusion
By encompassing these responsibilities and developing the required hard and soft skills, Grants Managers can contribute significantly to the success and sustainability of organizations by securing essential funding and ensuring effective grant management.
