Grant Writer - Part-Time

Organization Summary

The Unusual Suspects Theatre Company’s (USTC) mission is to mentor, educate, and enrich youth in under-resourced communities through the creation of collaborative original theatre. Our mission powers our vision of a world where all youth are given the opportunities and support they need to succeed.

The Unusual Suspects meets talent with opportunity. Founded in the wake of the 1992 Los Angeles uprising, USTC has grown from a small, volunteer‑led youth intervention program into an award‑winning leader in arts education, youth development, mentorship, and community building. Our participants collaboratively create and perform original stories on stage. Committed to ensuring that all young people have access to the benefits of arts education, we bring our free theatre programs to public schools, juvenile detention facilities, and community‑based sites throughout Los Angeles County, providing personalized mentorship and safe spaces for self‑expression and community celebration.

The Unusual Suspects’ Advancement Department seeks a Part‑Time (30 hours/week) professional Grant Writer to join our Institutional Giving team. Under the direction of the Senior Manager of Institutional Giving, the Grant Writer will be responsible for gathering and organizing information for use in proposals and reports, preparing and submitting materials related to grant funding opportunities, and assisting with records management. The Grant Writer is an integral part of the Advancement Department’s Grants Team.

The Unusual Suspects has a well‑established grants pipeline, a full calendar of submissions, and many long‑term relationships with institutional funders. The Grant Writer is a part‑time position responsible for aiding the Advancement Department with Institutional Giving support and development duties in order to keep USTC submissions and fundraising on track with growing annual budget needs. Reporting to the Senior Manager of Institutional Giving and working closely with the Advancement Department, the Grant Writer will compose grant proposals and reports, conduct prospect research, assist with data management and analysis, participate in team project planning and strategy meetings, and perform ongoing administrative duties to help generate funds from private/public institutions and individuals that support and sustain USTC programs and services.

The ideal candidate will have excellent attention to detail, excellent writing skills, and an unmistakable work ethic.

• Become deeply familiar with the organization’s history, current programs and initiatives, and established grants language.
• Develop, write, package, and occasionally submit grant funding LOIs, applications, proposals, and reports.
• Create and/or gather relevant grant collateral, assets, and attachments, including photos, videos, success stories, testimonials, budgets, and financial statements.
• Conduct prospect research to identify, review, and prioritize grant opportunities.
• Work with Advancement and Programs Teams to analyze survey data, statistics, demographic data and/or participant testimonials for use in grant proposals and reports.
• Assist in the development of strategic fundraising goals.
• Participate in regularly scheduled meetings.
• Draft acknowledgement letters and other relevant correspondence for funding partners.
• Solicit letters of recommendation and/or testimonials from program partners, participants’ families, alumni, and other stakeholders.
• Maintain grant‑related records (including funder profiles, grant deadlines, funder acknowledgment, and outreach campaigns) using our fundraising database (Little Green Light) and other internal tracking systems.
• Regularly review public‑facing materials for accurate funder recognition.
• Assist in the maintenance of the annual grants calendar, along with project management software to track key deadlines, deliverables, and meetings, as necessary.
• Support Senior Manager of Institutional Giving as necessary to update grant‑related findings to ensure that community/participant statistics and studies are current and new USTC program data and initiatives are accurately…