The Organization: Merit America

The American economy is broken. Today, 53 million working adults–nearly half of the U.S. workforce–do not earn a living wage. These talented workers have few options to advance: college is too long and expensive, full-time boot camp programs don’t offer enough flexibility, and online courses don’t have the structure or support to translate learning into a new career. The result? Talented workers, disproportionately people of color and women, get stuck in low-wage roles with no way to build a better life for themselves and their families.

Merit America is a national nonprofit that creates pathways to family-sustaining careers for Americans stuck in low-wage work. Our fast, flexible solutions are built for working adults: We start by analyzing tens of millions of job postings to identify in-demand, high-paying tech careers and then work with industry-recognized partners to train for these roles with part-time programs that combine flexible online learning with best-in-class coaching. Finally, we support our learners in their job search, helping them connect with a broad constellation of local and national employers such as JPMorgan Chase and Infosys to land higher-earning, family-sustaining jobs. Merit America is on a mission to build a scalable pathway for workers to join the middle class through merit, not money. Since our founding in 2018, we’ve generated a projected $1 billion in near-term wage gains for our learners.

Role Overview

Reporting to the Director of Institutional Giving, the Grants & Development Specialist will play a central role in stewarding Merit America’s institutional funding portfolio. This is a writing-forward, relationship-oriented position designed for someone who enjoys crafting compelling narratives grounded in data and takes pride in producing high-quality funder communications. You will lead the development of grant reports and contribute to proposals, while also helping build our pipeline of funders.

We are looking for someone who thrives in a fast-paced, startup environment, is expected regularly to use AI tools as a core part of their workflow to enhance efficiency, storytelling, and research, and approaches both stewardship and pipeline development with curiosity, ownership, and initiative.

Responsibilities

Stewardship, Communications & Funder Experience (50%)

• Develop compelling, customized grant reports for our portfolio of 30+ funders aligned to each funder’s priorities and deliverables; translate program data and learner outcomes into clear, persuasive narratives
• Produce high-quality funder communications and stewardship materials (impact updates, acknowledgements, briefing memos, etc.)
• Develop and refresh learner and alumni stories tailored to specific funder interests and geographies
• Coordinate with external partners on joint grants (or subgrants) to gather required data and reporting inputs
• Support stewardship campaigns and “big idea” engagement strategies throughout the year
• Draft proposals, LOIs, and grant applications in partnership with the Development Manager, as needed
• Prepare for and participate in funder meetings, as needed
• Leverage AI tools to streamline writing and reporting, and enhance efficiency

Data Management & Administration (25%)

• Serve as central liaison for grant reporting, managing the reporting calendar and upcoming deadlines
• Coordinate cross-functional information sharing and data collection to ensure timely, accurate submissions
• Monitor progress toward funder deliverables and flag risks early to internal teams when appropriate
• Maintain accurate grant records in Salesforce and Google Drive, and support continuous improvement of tracking and reporting systems
• Organize post-award meetings and communicate funder data requirements internally

Funder Pipeline Development (25%)

• Conduct proactive prospect research and qualification of new funder and grant opportunities; identify alignment, assess fit, and recommend next steps for cultivation
• Continuously monitor funder news and trends, and share insights with the team to strengthen funder engagement
• Regularly analyze program data (with support from the Data team) to identify funder-relevant insights that strengthen reporting, stewardship, and strategic positioning.
• Collaborate with the Development Team to identify partnership opportunities that grow revenue

Skills and Competencies

We recognize that some individuals from underrepresented backgrounds may hesitate to apply if they don’t meet 100% of the listed qualifications. Please don’t let that discourage you from applying! We value the unique skills, experiences, and perspectives that each applicant brings, and we encourage you to apply if you believe your background demonstrates the required skills and competencies:

Must Haves for all roles at Merit America:

• Committed to Merit America’s mission to pave pathways to family-sustaining careers, break the poverty cycle, and create upward mobility for low-wage workers
• Demonstrated history of embodying our values, which inform our work and drive our organization's culture
• Shared sense of responsibility and ownership for our collective work in making a positive impact on the community we support, true to our value of Win & Lose Together
• Committed to continuous learning and growth in advancing inclusive excellence and closing gaps across lines of difference
• Passionate about fostering a workplace culture that embraces and values individual differences, aligned with our core value of inclusivity

Must Haves for this role:

Writing & Storytelling

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated success in grant writing and reporting
• Ability to craft persuasive narratives grounded in quantitative and qualitative data
• Strong editorial judgment, grammar, and attention to detail

Data Fluency

• Comfortable working with data and translating it into compelling insights
• Ability to partner with Data Team(s) to fact-check and refine information
• Experience using CRM systems

Strategic Thinking & Initiative

• Experience conducting prospect research and assessing funder alignment
• Proactive, independent work style with strong follow-through
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities in a fast-paced environment

Collaboration & Culture

• Strong cross-functional communication skills
• Comfort working in a startup environment where roles evolve

AI Fluency & Technology Adoption

• Demonstrated experience using AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity) to enhance writing, research, and productivity
• Comfort leveraging AI to draft grant narratives, conduct prospect research, and synthesize data insights
• Proactive approach to adopting new technologies and tools to improve efficiency and output quality

Nice to Haves for this role:

• Experience with Salesforce
• Familiarity with the workforce development sector
• Familiarity with grant management software beyond Salesforce (e.g., Submittable, Fluxx)
• Prior experience in education, workforce development, or social impact sectors
• Familiarity with interpreting compliance and legal requirements related to grants management, contracts, and audits

Other Logistics

• This position is full-time: 4-day work week (Fridays are an operating day if there is a holiday closure during the week)
• Location: Remote
• Salary: $88,000

Our goal is to have competitive and equitable compensation. We have a market-based compensation approach, which means we benchmark each role from reputable data sources. We compare our benchmarks against similarly sized non-profit organizations with comparable annual budgets and geographical areas. We pay the same rate for the same roles and adjust to comply with statutory mandates.

We take care of our employees by providing the following perks and benefits (please note that some of the benefits do not apply to temporary employees):

• Medical, Dental and Vision insurance (100% Paid Employee Only Coverage)
• Flexible Spending Account and Health Savings Account
• Dependent care Flexible Spending Account
• Health Reimbursement Account fully funded by Merit
• Education & personal development reimbursement
• Catalog of courses for professional learning and development
• Short and long-term disability
• Unlimited vacation (after a 90-day introductory period)
• Paid Parental Leave and Adoption benefits (after 1 year of employment)
• 11 federally recognized holidays
• 2 week holiday office closure in December/January
• 401(k) retirement plan with automatic Merit contribution
• Wellness Benefits/Wellness Resources
• Discount perks at work program
• Phone/technology stipend
• Home office setup stipend
• Affinity groups and community building via virtual, in-person, and/or regional meetups

• Eligibility for some benefits may vary based on employment status, full-time or part-time. Eligibility will be outlined during the hiring process.

Remote Work & Sponsorship

Candidates must reside within the 50 states or District of Columbia and have full authorization to work in the 50 U.S. states & the District of Columbia (international work abroad, including the U.S. territories (Puerto Rico, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, and other islands are excluded). In addition, Merit America doesn't offer employment visa sponsorship.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Building an inclusive, high-performing team that is diverse across lines of personal identity is integral to our success and we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.

This means we do not discriminate against any job applicant or employee because of their race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This applies to all terms and conditions of employment.

We actively strive and evolve to develop and maintain workspaces that are fully inclusive. We encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to apply.

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Fair Chance Ordinance

Applicants who have arrest or conviction records and are in unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County will be considered in accordance with the state’s fair chance ordinance law. Employment under the ordinance includes part-time work, seasonal work, contract work, contingent work, work on commission, and work through the services of a temporary or employment agency.

E-Verify Statement

This employer participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, this employer is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before the employer can take any action against you, including terminating your employment. Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the I-9 Form.