Associate Grant Manager- Black Church Rural and Small Towns Initiative

Associate Grant Manager –

Black Church Rural & Small Towns Ministry Initiative

Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary (LPTS)
Full-Time Position with Benefits

Organizational Relationship

Department: Black Church Studies (BCS)Reports To: Director of Black Church Studies/ Grant Director – Black Church Rural & Small Towns Ministry Initiative

Position Overview

The Associate Grant Manager plays a crucial role in ensuring the successful administration of the Black Church Rural & Small Towns Ministry Initiative, a grant-funded program supported by the Lilly Endowment. This initiative focuses on empowering rural and small-town Black congregations and leaders through educational programming, leadership development and other support to enhance their ministry endeavors.

The Associate Grant Manager will oversee day-to-day grant operations, including budget tracking, sub grant administration, compliance monitoring, and reporting. This position requires strong analytical, organizational, relational, and communication skills to manage complex grant-related activities while supporting the broader goals of the initiative. The Associate Grant Manager will also be required to build strong collaborative relationships with denominational and organizational partners and engage in regional and occasional national travel to support program implementation and stakeholder engagement.

Core Responsibilities

Grant Administration

• Budget Management: Oversee and track the initiative’s budget, ensuring proper allocation and utilization of funds in alignment with grant guidelines.
• Sub grant and Microgrant Coordination:
• Manage the competitive sub grant and microgrant processes, including application review, selection, fund disbursement, and project monitoring.
• Work closely with collaborators to ensure that microgrants support projects aligned with initiative priorities, such as leadership development, evangelism, and heritage preservation.
• Maintain detailed records of grant recipients and their project outcomes.
• Compliance Oversight: Ensure all grant-funded activities comply with the requirements set forth by the Lilly Endowment, including accurate documentation of expenditures and activities.
• Reporting: Prepare financial and narrative reports for submission to the Lilly Endowment and internal stakeholders, documenting progress toward initiative goals.

Stakeholder Collaboration

• Collaborator Support: Serve as a point of contact along with the Grant Director for denominational and educational collaborators, providing guidance on grant processes and resolving challenges.
• Capacity Building: Work with collaborating organizations to strengthen their ability to administer subgrants, including providing training and tools for effective program implementation.
• Meeting Coordination:
• Organize regular virtual and in-person meetings with collaborators to discuss progress, share resources, and address obstacles.
• Facilitate the grant Advisory/Consulting Committee meetings to align collaborators and initiative leaders on goals and strategies.

Program Support

• Event Assistance:
• Support planning with the Black Church Studies staff team for leadership development workshops, annual consultations, and seminars that address religious leadership needs.
• Help execute programming in the Black Church Rural Heritage/Sankofa Project, documenting oral histories and engaging congregations in their historical and present contexts.
• Coordinate the logistics for launching leadership cohorts, appointing cohort facilitators including curriculum planning and tracking participant progress.
• Educational Resources: Assist in the creation of resources, such as program curricula, toolkits for rural & small towns church growth, and innovative evangelism models informed by Black Church traditions.
• Coordinate logistics for the Black Church Studies Certificate Program, including registration processes, participant communications, and tracking progress toward completion

Evaluation and Impact Assessment

• Data Collection: Develop and implement tools for gathering qualitative and quantitative data on initiative activities, such as participant surveys, collaborator interviews, and project evaluations.
• Impact Reporting: Analyze collected data to assess the effectiveness of programs and identify areas for improvement.
• Documentation: Compile insights into annual and final reports that detail the initiative’s outcomes, contributions to Black rural & small towns ministry, and sustainability efforts.

Compliance and Continuous Improvement

• Timelines and Deliverables: Manage schedules for grant milestones, reporting deadlines, and program deliverables, ensuring timely and accurate submissions.
• Policy Updates: Regularly review grant policies and propose refinements to improve efficiency and alignment with program goals.
• Sustainability Planning: Contribute to the development of strategies for sustaining program activities beyond the grant period, including identifying potential funding opportunities.

Travel

• Engage in travel related to grant collaboration initiatives and Black Church Studies (BCS) programming.
• Travel will include both local and national destinations, comprising approximately
• 25-33% of the candidate’s time.

Key Qualifications

• Education: Master’s degree preferred in theology, divinity, business administration, finance, nonprofit management, or a related field preferred. Bachelor’s degree in one or more of these areas is required. Equivalent experience will be considered.
• Experience: At least 3 years of experience in grant management, financial administration, or nonprofit program coordination as well as 3 years of experience in church leadership, black church/religious leadership.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly advanced knowledge in Excel, and familiarity with budgeting tools. Experience with grant management software is a plus.
• Analytical Skills: Strong attention to detail, with the ability to manage budgets, track metrics, and produce clear, actionable reports.
• Interpersonal Skills: Collaborative and culturally sensitive, with experience working in diverse faith-based environments including Black Church contexts and rural and small towns ministry settings.
• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication, with the ability to convey complex information to diverse audiences.
• Adaptability: Capable of managing multiple priorities and working independently in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Attributes

• Familiarity with Black Church traditions and ministry in rural and small-town ministry contexts.
• Experience administering multi-partner grant programs.
• Knowledge of nonprofit financial and reporting standards.

Application ProcessSubmit a cover letter, resume, and three references to Dr. Perzavia Praylow at bcs@lpts.edu. Applications will be reviewed starting January 6, 2025.

ABOUT LOUISVILLE SEMINARY

Founded in 1853, Louisville Seminary offers an inclusive and diverse learning community, welcoming students from wide ecumenical backgrounds while maintaining its long, historic commitment to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A). Louisville Seminary is led by the Holy Spirit to educate people to proclaim the Gospel, to care for all, and to work for justice in communities everywhere. It is distinguished by its nationally recognized marriage and family therapy and field education programs, the scholarship and church service among its faculty and a commitment to training persons to participate in the continuing ministry of Jesus Christ. For more information, call (800) 264-1839 or visit lpts.edu. To make a financial gift supporting Christ-centered education at Louisville Seminary.

Louisville Seminary is committed to providing our employees an environment that is inspiring, creative and respectful. Louisville Seminary is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, age, creed, sexual orientation or

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $62,000.00 - $70,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Employee discount
• Flexible schedule

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday
• Weekends as needed

Work Location: In person

Salary : $62,000 - $70,000