About Miami Waterkeeper

Miami Waterkeeper (MWK) is an award-winning non-profit organization dedicated to protecting Biscayne Bay and the surrounding watershed. Launched in 2010, MWK has become a leading advocate for clean water, inspiring a movement of empowered citizens dedicated to protecting South Florida’s waterways by advocating for resilient solutions grounded in science, rooted in nature, and driven by community. Addressing issues on multiple fronts, we use community outreach, scientific research, and civic and legal action to advance our mission. Miami Waterkeeper is a fast-paced and dynamic work environment. We are a small and hard-working team that is mission-driven and passionate about our environment and our community.

Position Overview

The Grants Specialist is a hands-on role focused on writing grant proposals and reports for MWK and supporting the full grants lifecycle. This position will collaborate across organizational teams to identify funding opportunities, prepare and submit grant applications, develop proposals, maintain compliance with grant requirements and reporting, and track opportunity status. This position combines exceptional writing skills with strong organization and attention to detail.

Apply Now

Key Responsibilities

Proposal Development & Grant Writing (55%)

• Prepare, write, and submit competitive LOIs, grant proposals, and renewal requests, including narratives, budgets, and supporting documentation.
• Collaborate with program staff to gather necessary information and data for grant proposals, co-developing programming and projects as needed to align proposals with funder priorities while maintaining focus on the organizational mission.
• Coordinate with program, marketing, and finance teams to collect content, data, and budgets for proposals.

Grant Management, Compliance & Reporting (30%)

• Submit timely grant reports on behalf of Miami Waterkeeper, meeting all funder deadlines.
• Lead assigned post-award grant launch meetings with relevant staff to streamline understanding of grant deliverables, timelines, marketing, and reporting expectations.
• Manage the report development process, ensuring compliance with funder guidelines and deadlines.
• Track grant report deadlines and communicate updates to relevant stakeholders.
• Prepare, write, and submit high-quality grant reports — including narratives, output and outcome data, expense reports, and supporting documentation — that highlight the impact a funder had.
• Support post-award grant management, including follow-up with program teams as needed to ensure grant deliverables are on track to be met on time, and with finance to ensure grant funds are spent in alignment with the grant budget on time.
• Collect information on grant project progress from program teams, including metrics, success stories, photos, and videos, and anything else that’s needed to accurately and comprehensively draft reports.
• Collect expense information from finance and develop expense reports for funders in the required formats.

Prospect Research & Relationship Management (10%)

• Identify and qualify potential funding opportunities to assess fit with MWK priorities and funding needs.
• Recommend approaches for funder cultivation and projects for grant opportunities based on MWK priorities and funding needs.
• Proactively build and maintain a pipeline of prospective grant funders using prospecting tools, databases, team referrals, and strategic outreach.
• Stay informed on current environmental issues, policy developments, scientific research, and funding trends relevant to Miami Waterkeeper’s campaigns and mission areas, ensuring alignment with emerging opportunities and challenges.
• Collaborate with finance to understand grant budgets, ensuring budgets align with allowable expenses, and draft budget justifications that are aligned with proposal narratives and goals.
• Identify potential program partners for collaborative grant projects alongside program teams.
• Support relationship-building activities with funding and programmatic partners through emails and meetings.
• Manage the proposal development process, ensuring compliance with funder guidelines and deadlines.
• Track grant application timelines and communicate updates to relevant stakeholders.
• Submit grant proposals on behalf of Miami Waterkeeper.
• Maintain accurate records of grant applications, awards, and correspondence.

Administrative (5%)

• Create and maintain organized and clearly labeled grant folders, documents, and contracts
• Use grant tracking software to manage the timely submission of project deliverables, including proposals, reports, and any supplemental documentation needed to execute grant agreements.

Additional Responsibilities

• Participate, support, and contribute to organization-wide initiatives and events, including State of the Water, staff and team retreats, and collaborative fundraising efforts.
• Participate actively in internal meetings, cross-functional planning sessions, and collaborative team building.
• Support miscellaneous administrative and troubleshooting tasks as needed to ensure seamless grant operations.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in English, writing, environmental science, nonprofit management, communications, public administration, or a related field, or equivalent work experience that demonstrates the necessary knowledge and skills.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in grant writing, coordination, or administration, preferably with organizations in environmental or conservation fields.
• Proven track record of securing and managing grants from foundations, corporations, and/or government sources.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills with a strong ability to translate complex programs into compelling narratives.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Collaborative and detail-oriented, with excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Proficiency in grant management and project management software, Google Workspace, and CRM/database systems.

Preferred

• Master’s degree in a relevant field.
• Familiarity with South Florida’s environmental landscape, water quality issues, and community-based environmental advocacy.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision plan
• Retirement Account (with 3% 401K matching)
• Generous time off policies
• Remote work flexibility (2 days remote/week)
• Relaxed work atmosphere and dress code

Salary: $50,000-$65,000

Job Type: Full-time

Reports to: Senior Grants Manager

Location: Coral Gables

Apply Now

Miami Waterkeeper is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds. We encourage candidates who are passionate about environmental conservation and share our commitment to sustainability to apply.

Miami Waterkeeper is committed to the principles of sustainability and environmental stewardship. We thank all applicants for their interest, but only those selected for an interview will be contacted.