Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation (DBEDC)
Seeks a Grants Manager
About the Role
Dorchester Bay Economic Development Corporation (DBEDC) is seeking a Grants Manager to join our Development team and help advance the organization's mission through strategic institutional fundraising.
This is an opportunity for an experienced grants professional who wants to do more than write proposals. The Grants Manager will play a key role in shaping DBEDC's institutional fundraising strategy, developing competitive funding opportunities, managing a portfolio of grants, and building strong relationships with funders.
You will work across the organization with program leaders, Finance, and senior leadership to connect DBEDC's work to the priorities of foundations, corporations, and public agencies, and ensure that once funding is secured, we deliver on our commitments.
If you are a strong writer, strategic thinker, organized project manager, and collaborative partner who enjoys turning ideas and impact into compelling funding opportunities, we'd love to hear from you.
What you can expect to do in the role:
Build and Drive the Institutional Funding Pipeline
You will help DBEDC think strategically about where our next dollars will come from.
- Develop and manage a multi-year pipeline of foundation, corporate, and public funding opportunities.
- Research and identify prospective funders whose priorities align with DBEDC's programs and strategic goals.
- Assess opportunities based on strategic fit, potential funding, organizational capacity, and likelihood of success.
- Partner with the Chief Development & Communications Officer to cultivate funder relationships and strengthen our institutional fundraising strategy.
- Monitor pipeline activity, upcoming opportunities, renewal risks, and funding gaps and provide recommendations to leadership.
Tell DBEDC's Story Through Compelling Proposals
You will turn the organization's work, impact, and data into stories that resonate with funders.
- Lead the development of grant proposals, letters of inquiry, applications, and other funding requests.
- Work with program and Finance staff to develop strong narratives, outcomes, and budgets.
- Coordinate information and feedback from multiple departments and keep proposal development moving toward deadlines.
- Ensure proposals are accurate, competitive, strategically aligned, and responsive to funder requirements.
- Help program teams translate their work into clear, measurable, funder-ready outcomes.
Own the Grant Lifecycle
Winning the grant is only the beginning. You will serve as the primary internal steward for an assigned portfolio of institutional grants.
- Manage grants from award through reporting, renewal, and close-out.
- Maintain grant calendars, deadlines, deliverables, and reporting requirements.
- Coordinate narrative and financial reporting with program and Finance teams.
- Monitor grant health and identify potential compliance, operational, or performance concerns early.
- Ensure DBEDC fulfills its commitments to funders and maintains strong post-award practices.
- Support funder stewardship and renewal efforts through thoughtful, timely communication and follow-up.
- Maintain strong institutional knowledge of funder priorities, relationships, requirements, and funding history.
Drive Cross-Organizational Grant Development
The Grants Manager will bring people, information, and priorities together to ensure funding opportunities are well-developed and successfully managed from concept through close-out.
- Coordinate cross-functional input to develop proposals that accurately reflect organizational priorities, program activities, outcomes, and funding needs.
- Facilitate conversations to assess whether prospective funding opportunities are strategically aligned and operationally feasible before commitments are made.
- Translate funder requirements into clear expectations, timelines, deliverables, and action items for internal partners.
- Help teams develop clear, measurable outcomes and compelling narratives that demonstrate the impact of DBEDC's work.
- Coordinate the development and review of grant budgets, deliverables, and reporting requirements to ensure consistency between proposed and funded activities.
- Support teams in addressing grant-related challenges, resolving gaps, and making adjustments when circumstances change.
Qualifications – What Success Requires
Mission Alignment
- Commitment to DBEDC’s mission and racial equity in community development.
- Ownership mindset with focus on high-quality results and team impact.
- Willingness to learn, explore new approaches, and implement improvements.
- Comfort navigating change and proposing innovative solutions.
- Ability to understand how institutional funding can advance the organization's strategic priorities and community impact.
Technical Expertise
- 5+ years of relevant experience in institutional fundraising, grant management, development, or a related field.
- Demonstrated success securing foundation, corporate, and/or public funding.
- Strong grant writing, project management, budgeting, and compliance skills.
- Ability to strategically assess funding opportunities and manage grants from proposal development through close-out.
- Ability to translate program data, outcomes, and budgets into clear, compelling narratives.
- Strategic thinker who can contribute beyond execution and connect day-to-day grant activity to broader organizational goals.
- Advanced proficiency with spreadsheets, CRM systems, Microsoft Office Suite, and other relevant technologies.
Collaboration & Execution
- Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex information clearly and persuasively.
- Strong relationship-building and listening skills, with the ability to build trust across teams and with external partners.
- Ability to coordinate diverse perspectives and information into cohesive, funder-ready proposals and grant deliverables.
- Comfortable giving and receiving constructive feedback and navigating differing priorities.
- Strong judgment, discretion, and professionalism in managing sensitive information and relationships.
Communication Skills & Leadership Approach
- Highly organized, proactive, and accountable, with strong attention to detail, follow-through, and deadline discipline.
- Ability to manage competing priorities, anticipate risks, and identify practical, solution-oriented approaches.
- Comfortable working through complexity, ambiguity, and organizational change.
- Demonstrated ability to take ownership, exercise sound judgment, and move work forward independently.
- Enterprise-level thinker who understands how individual grants and funding decisions affect broader organizational strategy, capacity, and sustainability.
Additional Requirements
- Ability to pass a background check.
- Availability for occasional evenings and weekends.
You’ll stand out if you:
- Are bilingual in (Spanish, Cape Verdean Kriol, Haitian Kreyol).
- Have working knowledge of affordable housing and/or economic development.
- Have lived experience in our community.
Other important details:
- Salary range: $80,000 - $95,000.
Why DBEDC?
Join an engaging team dedicated to creating equitable, thriving communities. You’ll work on impactful development projects while collaborating with committed colleagues and community partners.
At DBEDC, our culture is grounded in shared values:
- Accountability: We take ownership of our words, actions, and their impacts.
- Curiosity: We ask questions, try new things, and learn from experience.
- Collaboration: We build trusting relationships internally and externally.
- Transparency: We communicate directly, honestly, and with clarity.
- Innovation: We embrace change, challenge convention, and adapt with intention.
DBEDC proudly offers a total compensation package that goes above and beyond, supporting your health, well-being, and work-life balance. Here’s what you can look forward to:
Health and Wellness
- Choose from several generous medical insurance packages with no waiting period.
- Employer-paid dental and vision coverage to keep you smiling.
- Access to Flexible Spending Accounts and the Dependent Care Assistance Program for added flexibility.
- Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, Life Insurance, and Accidental Death coverage for peace of mind.
- On-demand Employee Well-being Services to help you thrive.
Lifestyle and Perks
- Access exclusive discounts through our Perks at Work Program.
- Enjoy a flexible hybrid work environment that balances work and life with ease.
Time Off That Works for You
- Generous amount of vacation time to recharge and relax.
- Seventeen paid holidays, including your birthday, because you deserve to celebrate.
- Fifteen sick days for when you need to rest and recover.
- Three personal days for life’s unexpected moments.
- Five volunteer days to give back.
Future-Focused Benefits
- Save for your future with our 403(b) retirement plan, featuring a generous employer contribution.
Professional Development
- Grow your career with access to professional development opportunities, including workshops, conferences, and training programs.
- Collaborate and learn in a dynamic environment that encourages innovation and skill- building.
At DBEDC, we’re not just offering benefits, we’re investing in you! Join us and experience a workplace that values your well-being and success while building a brighter future for Dorchester and beyond!
The Selection Process
To apply for this opportunity, please click here. Please submit a cover letter detailing your interest and qualifications for this opportunity, along with a resume. No phone calls or letters please.
DBEDC is a Community Development Corporation (CDC) and a certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). Founded in 1979, we work to build a strong, thriving, and diverse community in Boston’s North Dorchester and Roxbury neighborhoods. We develop and preserve, home ownership and rental housing across income levels. We create and sustain economic development opportunities for businesses and individuals. We build community through organizing, civic engagement, and leadership development.
We are one of Boston’s legacy agencies and most established community development organizations, with an annual operating budget of approximately $11 million and a staff of 30.
At DBEDC, we welcome and encourage applications from all backgrounds and experiences, including those from unconventional career paths and anyone who can bring fresh perspectives and lived experiences to our team. Together, we aim to build an organization that reflects and celebrates the vibrancy of the communities we serve.
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