CDFI Grants Program Specialist

Background

Since 1987, the NC Rural Center has worked to improve the quality of life for the state’s rural people and places. We operate with the core belief that our rural communities have inherent cultural value and are vital to the overall economic health of our state. We recognize that the changing landscape of rural North Carolina brings with it significant challenges, but we also believe in the resiliency of our state’s rural people and their dedicated stewardship of the communities they call home.

The Mission

The mission of the NC Rural Center is to develop, promote, and implement sound economic strategies to improve the quality of life of rural North Carolinians. They serve the state’s 78 rural counties, with a special focus on individuals with low-to-moderate incomes and communities with limited resources.

Position Overview

The CDFI Grants Program Specialist reports to the Loan Portfolio & Revenue Officer and is responsible for overseeing a grant program that provides funding to CDFIs to strengthen their capacity and expand their operations. The role requires an experienced creative thinker who can building processes from the ground up.

Program Design  & Grant Administration

• Enhance the grantmaking framework to support CDFIs focused on financial inclusion, ensuring alignment with the organization's mission.
• Establish grant eligibility criteria, application guidelines, and evaluation processes to ensure transparency and effectiveness.
• Create standardized templates and workflows for application submission, review, approval, and reporting.
• Develop a due diligence process to assess the financial health, governance, and operational capacity of CDFIs applying for funding.
• Manage the grant cycle from application through award disbursement, ensuring smooth execution and adherence to timelines.

Grantee Monitoring & Compliance

• Conduct site visits and travel to CDFIs to assess their capacity, operational challenges, and impact of grant funding.
• Monitor grant performance through regular check-ins, financial reviews, and progress reports to ensure funds are used effectively.
• Establish risk management protocols to identify potential issues with grantees and develop corrective action plans as needed.
• Ensure compliance with grant agreements, including tracking key deliverables and ensuring proper documentation.

Impact Measurement & Reporting

• Design and implement an impact measurement framework to assess how grants improve financial inclusion and CDFI capacity.
• Collect and analyze data from grantees on key performance indicators, such as loan deployment, borrower demographics, and operational growth.
• Prepare detailed impact reports for internal stakeholders, funders, and policymakers to demonstrate program effectiveness.
• Develop case studies and success stories showcasing how grants have strengthened CDFIs and expanded access to financial services for underserved communities.

Process Development & Continuous Improvement

• Create operational policies and procedures for grantmaking, monitoring, and reporting to ensure efficiency and consistency.
• Implement a grant management system (or recommend tools/software) to streamline applications, tracking, and reporting, working in partnership with the Loan and Risk Portfolio Director and Director of technology. 
• Refine grant structures over time, incorporating lessons learned from initial funding rounds to improve impact and efficiency.
• Develop a technical assistance strategy to support grantees in strengthening their financial management, impact tracking, and sustainability.

Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration

• Build relationships with CDFIs, funders, and industry stakeholders to ensure alignment between funding priorities and financial inclusion needs.
• Represent the organization at industry conferences and networking events to promote the grant program and share insights on best practices.
• Work closely with internal leadership and advocacy team  to refine grant strategies, if needed.