Community Outreach; M25 Director

Community Outreach (M25) Director

Department:
Ministries - Matthew 25 Alive

Reports To:

Executive Director of Ministries

Status:
Full-Time, Exempt

Location:

Cleveland, OH

Position Summary

The M25 Director is a mission-driven leader coordinating all Matthew 25 Alive programming while serving as the primary grant development and management professional for The Word Church. This dual role requires expertise in both hands-on ministry coordination (Food Pantry, Visitation, Prison & Re-Entry Support, Community Outreach) and strategic grant work including research, proposal writing, compliance tracking, budget management, and funder relationships.

The ideal candidate translates ministry impact into measurable outcomes and compelling narratives for faith-based and government funding sources while embodying Matthew 25:35-40 through tangible service to vulnerable families in Cuyahoga County.

Key Responsibilities

Grant Development & Management

• Research,identify, and pursue grant opportunities from federal, state, foundation, and corporate sources aligned with M25 programming.
• Write compelling proposals including narratives, budgets, and supporting documentation with clear goals, target populations, and measurable outcomes.
• Manage full grant lifecycle (application throughcloseout) including compliance,deliverablestracking, monthly financial reports, and quarterly program reports.
• Partner with Finance Team on budgets, spend-down monitoring, and compliant accounting (separation of grant vs. general funds).
• Maintain funder relationships and develop systems for tracking deliverables, participant outcomes, and success stories.

M25 Program & Event Coordination

• Plan and execute all M25 events: bi-monthly Food Pantry (2nd & 4th Saturdays), cooking/nutrition classes, school tours, prison ministry, re-entry programming, and seasonal initiatives (Back to School, Word Mart).
• Recruit, train, and develop volunteer teams and leaders, supervising volunteer coordinators over M25's four core areas:
  Visitation, Outreach, Word on the Street (Evangelism), and Prison & Re-Entry.
  • Provide mentorship, accountability, and leadership development to volunteer coordinators while empowering them to build and manage their respective teams.
• Coordinate eventlogisticsand volunteer deployment to create meaningful servant-leadership opportunities at every level.
• Manage food pantry operations, partnerships with food banks, inventory, and participant intake/eligibility verification for grant programs (e.g., TANF criteria).
• Coordinate visitation services, prison ministry visits, and re-entry support including job readiness, life skills, mentorship, and resource navigation.
• Build partnerships with community organizations, schools,correctional facilities, and social service agencies.

Reporting, Evaluation & Collaboration

• Collect and analyze program data; prepare reports documenting M25's reach, outcomes, and community impact for leadership, funders, and stakeholders.
• Maintain documentation systems including participant databases, volunteer rosters, financial tracking, and compliance records.
• Collaborate with Executive, Finance, Communications, and Pastoral teams to align M25 programming with church vision, promote events, and ensure spiritual integrity.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in grant writing, grant management, and nonprofit fundraising withdemonstratedsuccess securing competitive awards.
• Experience with compliance-heavy government grants (TANF, CDBG, or other federal/state programs) and complex regulatory requirements.
• Strong program coordination and event management skills withabilityto handle multiple complex initiatives simultaneously.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to craft compelling narratives, prepare professional reports, and present to diverse audiences.
• Strong organizational skills withabilityto develop tracking systems for participants, expenses, outcomes, and compliance documentation.
• Leadership ability to recruit, train, and motivate volunteers; passion for serving vulnerable populations withdeepunderstanding of community outreach and ministry impact.
• Flexibility for evenings/weekends; commitment to The Word Church's mission, values, and leadership culture.

Preferred Experience & Skills

• 3-5 years in community outreach, social services, ministry leadership, or nonprofit program management.
• Bachelor's degree in nonprofit management, social work, public administration, theology, or related field (advanced degree a plus).
• Direct experience managing faith-based grant programs or government-funded ministry initiatives; knowledge of food security, nutrition education, prison ministry, or re-entry programming.
• Familiarity with Cleveland/Cuyahoga County social service landscape;proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, database management, and grant tracking platforms.

Spiritual Alignment & Ministry Philosophy

The M25 Director must embody Matthew 25:35-40, recognizing that in serving "the least of these," we serve Christ Himself. This role…