Director of Program Funding

The YWCA West Central Michigan is seeking a Full-time Director of Program Funding to join our team. The hiring range is $65,000-$75,000 dependent on experience. This position is full-time exempt will report to the CEO.

The YWCA offers two options for medical coverage (including one option at no cost to the employee for single coverage), employer-paid dental, vision, and paid time off including both sick time and vacation accrual.

About YWCA West Central Michigan

Our mission is Eliminating Racism; Empowering Women and Girls; Promoting Peace, Justice, Freedom, and Dignity for All. Where racism and sexism give rise to domestic and sexual violence, we help empower survivors with expert, comprehensive services: 24-hour confidential helpline, safety planning, legal help, domestic violence emergency shelter and supportive housing, medical-forensic examinations, counseling and support groups for victims; supervised parenting time and safe custody exchange. We seek to reflect the diverse community it serves and be a welcoming, inclusive space for all. Applicants from diverse experiences, backgrounds, and identities are encouraged to apply.

About the Position

The Director of Program Funding is responsible for identifying, securing, and ensuring compliance with funding opportunities to support YWCA West Central Michigan programs. This role requires collaboration both internally and externally, representing the YWCA in grant and mission-related groups at the local, state, and national levels. By engaging in these spaces, the Director will stay informed on trends in our service areas and strengthen relationships with funders and community partners.

Working closely with internal stakeholders and external partners, this role develops compelling grant and funding proposals, tracks their status, and supports funder stewardship. The Director ensures compliance with funder requirements, including but not limited to contract and standards reviews, grant reporting, and policy adherence. This position is critical to securing resources that align with the YWCA’s priorities and support both programmatic and capital initiatives.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Develops and implements an annual plan to identify and secure funding opportunities that align with YWCA West Central Michigan’s priorities and needs. 
• Collaborates with internal staff and leadership to assess programmatic and capital needs, shape fundable projects, and develop proposals that match YWCA’s priorities with external funding opportunities. 
• Identifies and evaluates funding opportunities that align with YWCA’s values, capacity, and strategic direction. 
• Leads the drafting, review, assembly, and submission of grant proposals and stewardship reports, effectively communicating the organization’s mission and programs to funders. 
• Conducts thorough prospect research to evaluate grant opportunities, using various print and electronic sources to track upcoming funding opportunities, funder history, priorities, grant ranges, and application processes. 
• Attends relevant events, meetings, and conferences to enhance the organization's understanding of funder priorities and expectations. This includes participation in meetings with community partners such as the Domestic Violence Action Network (DVAN) and Continuum of Care (CoC). 
• Maintains active communication with YWCA leadership to share relevant funding opportunities and potential matches with organizational priorities. 
• Ensures accurate and up-to-date recordkeeping in the Philanthropy database/CRM, including tracking donor interactions, proposal submissions, and reporting deadlines. 
• Maintains a comprehensive grants calendar to ensure timely submission of letters of inquiry, proposals, reports, and compliance-related requirements. 
• Tracks grant compliance and coordinates related activities, including but not limited to contract reviews, standards assessments, and adherence to grant requirements. 
• Oversees the prompt acknowledgment of foundation gifts and the submission of grant reports as required. 
• Maintains a working knowledge of applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations related to grant compliance, ethical fundraising, and reporting requirements. 
• Demonstrates and actively promotes an understanding and commitment to the mission of YWCA West Central Michigan by performing behaviors consistent with our Core Values. 
• Performs other related duties as assigned. 

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES 

Knowledge 

• Bachelor’s degree strongly preferred, with an emphasis on writing, ideally in journalism, communications, marketing, public administration, public health, political science, or a related field. Significant related experience may be considered in lieu of a degree. 
• At least five years of experience working in related roles (such as grant writing or grant making for a public or private entity, journalism, communications, etc). Experience in non-profits with government funding strongly preferred. 
• Must be able to demonstrate understanding of and adherence to public grant guidelines. 

Skills 

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with strong attention to detail. 
• Excellent customer service skills, with the ability to engage effectively with internal staff, external partners, and community groups. 
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret and utilize both qualitative and quantitative data for problem-solving. 
• Proven project management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively. 

Abilities 

• Must be self-directed and meet deadlines. Must masterfully question inconsistencies and build strong cases for support.  
• Demonstrate ability to conceptualize projects that qualify for philanthropic funding and develop into compelling, professionally packaged proposals. 
• Ability to handle high stress and tough issues. 
• Physically able to: reach, pull, lift, grasp, talk, hear, see, and type. 
• Visual acuity is required to perform duties involving operating motor vehicles or other equipment, analysis of data, viewing a computer terminal, extensive reading and writing, or making general observations of facilities and/or surroundings.  

·        Has access to and willingness to use transportation for business purposes, with compensation as allowed by policy. 

·        Ability to be qualified as an approved driver for the YWCA. 

·        Employment is dependent upon satisfactory background and reference checks. 

Working Conditions

·        Typical office conditions exist including sedentary work involving sitting most of the time and exerting negligible amounts of force for the purposes of lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, or otherwise moving objects.

·        Physically able to: talk, hear, see, type, and perform repetitive motion.

·        Visual acuity is required to perform duties involving analysis of data, transcribing, viewing a computer terminal, extensive reading, or making general observations of facilities and/or surroundings.

·        Irregular work hours may exist, including early morning, weekends and evenings. 

·        Regional travel during the work day is required regularly. 

·        Conditions are subject to occasional exposure to agitated or threatening individuals.  

·        Requires concentrated, complex and variable mental efforts, with emphasis on synthesis of information, written and oral communication.  

·        Conditions include regular exposure to frequent repetitive motion of joints

·        Conditions are subject to occasional exposure to agitated or threatening individuals.

NEXT STEP

If you are interested in joining our team, submit your resume and cover letter by 8:00 am on Monday, March 17^th 2025.

Be sure to clearly and specifically outline how your experience will help make this position successful.