Grant Writer I
Department/Care Stream: Public Affairs
LIA Reporting Structure
Timecard Approver: Director of Grants
Primary: Director of Grants
Secondary: Chief Public Affairs Officer
Status: Full-Time
FLSA: Non-Exempt
Location: Admin Center
Pay Range: $33.17-$43.12/hr
EEO-1: Administrative Support
Organization Information
WellSpace's mission is "achieving regional health through high quality comprehensive care." We believe that everyone deserves to be seen, no matter who you are, where you come from, where you work or what place you call home. At WellSpace, we see you!
We are driven to serve the whole person through comprehensive, integrated care, spanning medical, dental, behavioral health, and supportive services across the region. We do this by building a team of exceptional colleagues who are dedicated to our mission and becoming part of the communities we serve.
As the region's largest Community Health System, WellSpace utilizes a Confluence Model to integrate an internal network of healthcare modalities, including Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC), Certified Community Behavioral Health Center (CCBHC), Drug Medi-Cal and Specialty Mental Health programs, California's second largest 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Center, an independent Risk Bearing Organization (WellSpace Nexus), and more into a seamless confluence of care.
To ensure the highest quality of care, WellSpace is accredited by the Joint Commission for Ambulatory Care, Behavioral Health and as a CCBHC. Further, it is certified by the Joint Commission as a Primary Care Medical Home and a Behavioral Health Home. WellSpace's crisis programs are accredited by the American Association of Suicidology and the International Council for Helplines.
Position Summary
The Grant Writer develops clear, compelling, accurate, and competitive funding proposals that support WellSpace Health’s mission, strategic priorities, and programs. This position is able to identify and evaluate public and private funding opportunities, leads proposal development from initial review through submission, and collaborates with subject matter experts, Finance, executive leadership, and community partners to translate organizational priorities into persuasive and funder-responsive applications.
The Grant Writer is responsible for managing multiple proposal projects simultaneously, interpreting complex funding requirements, developing narratives and supporting materials, and ensuring that submissions are complete, compliant, and delivered on time. The position serves as a strategic thought partner to program and organizational leaders and contributes to the continued growth and diversification of WellSpace Health’s funding portfolio.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field preferred or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- At least 3 years of professional grant writing, proposal development, fundraising, technical writing, or closely related experience.
- Demonstrated experience developing successful proposals for government agencies, foundations, corporations, and other institutional funders.
- Exceptional writing, editing, proofreading, and verbal communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to interpret notices of funding opportunity, requests for proposals, regulations, application instructions, scoring criteria, and other complex documents.
- Strong research, critical thinking, analytical, and information-synthesis skills.
- Demonstrated project management skills, including the ability to establish timelines, coordinate contributors, manage competing deadlines, and move complex projects from concept through submission.
- Ability to translate clinical, operational, financial, and technical information into clear and persuasive narratives for varied audiences.
- Strong attention to detail and demonstrated ability to produce accurate, compliant, and polished work under deadline.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, and SharePoint, as well as experience using shared documents and collaborative workspaces across various online platforms and portals.
- Ability to work collaboratively with subject matter experts, executive leadership, Finance, data teams, community partners, and other stakeholders.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound professional judgment.
- Commitment to WellSpace Health’s mission and to advancing equitable access to healthcare and supportive services.
Essential Responsibilities
- Research and identify federal, state, local, foundation, corporate, and other funding opportunities aligned with WellSpace Health’s mission, programs, service areas, and strategic priorities.
- Review funding opportunities to assess eligibility, competitiveness, organizational fit, required partnerships, programmatic expectations, financial considerations, and operational feasibility.
- Prepare funding opportunity summaries and recommendations to support organizational decisions regarding whether to pursue specific opportunities.
- Lead the development of grant proposals, concept papers, letters of inquiry, applications, renewal requests, and other funding submissions.
- Develop clear, persuasive, and evidence-informed narratives that address funder requirements and accurately describe organizational need, program design, populations served, activities, partnerships, outcomes, evaluation, sustainability, and organizational capacity.
- Develop proposal outlines, work plans, writing assignments, application schedules, and internal review processes.
- Facilitate proposal development meetings and interviews with subject matter experts to gather programmatic, clinical, operational, and community information.
- Collaborate with Finance, Leadership and Executive Team and program staff to ensure that proposal narratives, budgets, budget narratives, staffing plans, objectives, activities, and performance measures are accurate and aligned.
- Coordinate the preparation and collection of required attachments, letters of commitment, memoranda of understanding, resumes, organizational documents, and other supporting materials.
- Edit and integrate contributions from multiple authors into a consistent, cohesive, and compelling final application.
- Ensure that applications comply with all funder instructions, formatting requirements, page limits, scoring criteria, assurances, certifications, and submission requirements.
- Manage assigned proposal projects from initial opportunity review through final approval and submission.
- Submit or coordinate the submission of completed applications through required electronic portals and other funder systems.
- Maintain current knowledge of WellSpace Health’s programs, outcomes, strategic priorities, service populations, partnerships, and organizational accomplishments.
- Maintain and update reusable organizational language, program descriptions, data, templates, and proposal content.
- Support the preparation of grant reports, continuation applications, amendments, and other post-award funder communications as assigned.
- Review funder feedback and application outcomes to identify lessons learned and strengthen future proposals.
- Develop productive relationships with internal stakeholders, external partners, and funder representatives.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Benefits
Successful candidate will receive a regionally competitive salary, above-average health benefits at reduced costs, paid life insurance & long-term disability insurance, an additional voluntary retirement plan with organizational match, and no vesting schedule requirement.
- Paid bereavement and jury duty leave
- 11 paid holidays per year
- Paid time off
- Paid sick leave
- Flexible Spending Program
- Company paid malpractice insurance for all providers
- Professional development hours offered annually
Physical Demands and Work Environment
The work environment is characteristic of an office environment. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; use hands and arms to reach. The employee is also required to stand; walk; and reach with hands and arms. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and the ability to adjust focus. The employee must also possess hearing and speech to communicate in person and over the phone. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet.
The employee may be in contact with individuals and families in crisis who may be ill, using substances and/or not attentive to personal health and safety for themselves or their homes. The employee may experience a number of unpleasant sensory demands associated with the client’s use of alcohol and drugs, and the lack of personal care. The employee may also be exposed to bodily fluids (blood, urine) and hazardous chemicals.
WellSpace Health is committed to the principles of equal employment. We are committed to complying with all federal, state, and local laws providing equal employment opportunities, and all other employment laws and regulations. It is the intent of WellSpace Health to maintain a work environment free of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation because of age, race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and/or related medical conditions), gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other status protected by federal, state or local laws. WellSpace Health is dedicated to the fulfillment of this policy in regard to all aspects of employment, including but not limited to recruiting, hiring, placement transfer, training, promotion, rates of pay, and other compensation, termination, and all other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
WellSpace Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer
