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Seeking: Grant Writers (Contracted Role)

The National Charter Schools Institute is seeking experienced, high functioning, results-oriented grant writers to join our team as proposal specialists (contracted role). These individuals will help expand our influence and impact as we seek to strengthen performance and productivity, grow capacity and support states and organizations in the charter sector.

Our mission is to serve those who support and educate kids. Our vision is for every student to discover their gifts and experience the transformative power of education. That’s why every member of our team passionately pursues excellence. We are relentless about encouraging, equipping and supporting the needs of schools, boards, authorizers, support organizations and associations across the nation – from Washington D.C. to Hawaii, Maine to Florida and Michigan to Texas. Facilitating the growth, start-up and replication of high-quality schools is imperative and is a responsibility we care deeply about.

Successful candidates will join us in providing high-quality assistance to charter schools, networks, and support organizations in conjunction with the development of high-stakes applications, through the United States Department of Education’s Charter Schools Program (CSP) grants in 2025. Working under the leadership of an experienced grant-writing professional, successful candidates will be responsible for researching, writing, and editing complex applications for competitive federal funding streams. These individuals will help build capacity and work strategically with key stakeholders within charter school organizations, positioning those organizations effectively when serving as an external writing partner. 

This is a writing-intensive role. Full submissions typically run several hundred pages and include a 60-page Project Narrative, a detailed Budget Narrative, Letters of Support, and a multitude of appendices that must be created, customized, and collated for submission purposes. Applicants must excel in writing (without inappropriate over-reliance on AI writing or editing tools) dense, lengthy applications that accentuate an organization’s capabilities to carry out a highly regulated federal program. Candidates will interface directly with state-level stakeholders, co-constructing a strategic vision for the program that would be implemented with the support of federal CSP support and translating that vision into a well-written proposal that makes a compelling case for funding.

Ideal candidates will have prior experience working in or around charter schools and a comfort level with writing applications that adhere to a very specific set of statutory and regulatory requirements. Candidates should possess an intellectual curiosity that propels them to seek out information that they may not have in their immediate possession and an eagerness to refine their organizational, analytical, and writing skills within this particular context. Ideal candidates will have a strong interest in supporting charter school organizations as an external proposal support specialist. 

Candidates will need to be available from February through June to work on these proposals. A project plan with clear milestones, deadlines, and deliverables will be created. Candidates will be expected to work both independently and collaboratively to produce narrative drafts and accompanying visuals (e.g., tables, figures, and logic models) within prescribed timelines. 

Ideal candidates will have a track record of success, a passion for quality and excellence, and a steadfast commitment to changing the arc of education.

Responsibilities

The Institute expects these individuals to: 

  • Be astute in understanding the authorizer-board-school relationship
  • Have a strong understanding and depth of experience in the education and charter sector
  • Excel in written communication 
  • Establish credibility with authorizers, boards, schools and other stakeholders, quickly developing rapports built on trust and confidence
  • Develop proposals, creating strong and persuasive content that adheres to the stated requirements
  • Create detailed scopes and budgets based on needs, context, and timelines
  • Be a compelling storyteller, incorporating knowledge of personas, needs, pain points and motivations – ultimately translating these stories into compelling statements of impact
  • Work across contributors to gather information needed 
  • Value equity and access for all, especially for students and communities who need it most 
  • Develop and customize written content for different audiences with clarity and purpose
  • Approach responsibilities and work with passion, ownership, and urgency
  • Provide thought leadership to help build momentum for the Institute’s scope of influence
  • Remain solutions-oriented and hold yourself and others accountable for outcomes 
  • Excel at building relationships and demonstrating awareness of others to collaborate effectively in reaching common goals 
  • Seek to understand others’ perspectives, and leverage expertise other than your own
  • Conduct yourself so that colleagues can rely on you to keep projects moving forward and on track, timely and with the intended outcomes
  • Respect professional and personal commitments and boundaries between them

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree required
  • Strong experience and knowledge of the charter sector
  • Strong ability to analyze and problem solve
  • Superior written communication skills
  • Ability to utilize data to narrow the focus on the target market and adjust strategy as needed
  • Bring confidence, sincerity and credibility to build trusted relationships with school-board-authorizer-support organization leaders and other external and internal stakeholders
  • Strong technical, time management and organizational skills

Location:

The Institute operates in a virtual/remote work environment, with in-person meetings arranged as necessary.

The Institute is a non-profit, mission driven organization headquartered in Mt. Pleasant, MI (www.CharterInstitute.org).

Apply Today!

This role is a project-based contracted, position. Depending on scope, the Institute expects each project assignment to range between $5,000 – $10,000.  

The review of candidates will begin immediately and on a rolling basis until the positions are filled. Applications should consist of a resume, one-page statement of interest summarizing relevant qualifications and explaining why you would like to serve in this capacity, as well as a relevant writing sample (e.g. a grant proposal, charter application, legal or data analysis, etc.). 

Please submit all materials to grants@CharterInstitute.org. All qualified applicants will be considered for engagement without unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, military status, prior record of arrest or conviction, or current employment status. The Institute encourages individuals of all ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds to apply for this position. We are committed to maximizing the diversity of our organization, as we seek to engage all those who can contribute to this effort.

Benjamin Feit, J.D., Ed.D.

National Charter Schools Institute
711 West Pickard Street, Suite M
Mount Pleasant, MI 48858