Manager, Grant Writing & Institutional

About CivicAction Leadership Foundation

CivicAction Leadership Foundation is a leading civic engagement organization working to build livable, inclusive cities across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). For over two decades, the organization has mobilized leaders from business, government, and community sectors to address complex regional challenges through collaboration, leadership development, and systems-level influence.

Operating at the intersection of sectors, CivicAction convenes decision-makers, fosters cross-sector partnerships, and advances initiatives that respond to critical issues such as workforce development, housing, and regional resilience. Its work includes high-impact leadership programs, strategic convening, and issue-based initiatives that connect emerging and established leaders to opportunities for collective action.

CivicAction plays a distinct role as a neutral convener and catalyst, bringing together diverse stakeholders to align perspectives, surface solutions, and accelerate progress on shared priorities. Through its programs and partnerships, the organization helps strengthen leadership capacity across the region while contributing to broader civic and economic outcomes.

As the regional context continues to evolve, CivicAction is working to further strengthen how it prioritizes its efforts, aligns initiatives, and demonstrates impact across its portfolio.

Position Details

Employment Type: Full-time, permanent
Reports to: VP, Philanthropy
Direct Reports: N/A
Salary Range: $70,000 to $80,000 annually with benefits and 3 weeks paid vacation
Anticipated Start Date: May 2026

Work Environment: CivicAction operates in a hybrid environment, combining in-office and remote work. Our office is located in downtown Toronto, and technology is provided to support both. This role may involve occasional evening and weekend work.

Position Purpose

The Manager, Grant Writing & Institutional Funding is responsible for securing new revenue through the development and submission of grant proposals to government, foundation, and corporate funders, with a focus on expanding CivicAction’s government funding portfolio.

The role builds and advances a pipeline of opportunities and works with internal teams and external partners to shape, develop, and position competitive funding proposals. This includes identifying opportunities, supporting partnership development, and translating CivicAction’s priorities into clear, fundable initiatives.

The Manager also contributes to the development of CivicAction’s institutional funding approach by identifying priority opportunities, advising on positioning, and supporting the alignment of program design with funder priorities.

Key Accountabilities

• Identify, research, and advance a pipeline of funding opportunities across government, foundation, and corporate sources, including early-stage engagement and pre-proposal development
• Lead the development and submission of grant proposals, including letters of inquiry, full applications, budgets, and supporting materials
• Manage the full proposal process from concept through submission, coordinating inputs from internal teams and external partners
• Contribute to the development of fundable opportunities by shaping initiatives with internal teams and partners, strengthening funding viability, and identifying opportunities to bundle projects into larger, multi-partner proposals
• Build and advance relationships with partners and funders to support joint funding opportunities and collaborative proposals to position CivicAction opportunities
• Ensure a consistent flow of submissions by prioritizing opportunities, managing timelines, and meeting all deadlines
• Define and document reporting and compliance requirements at the proposal stage, ensuring clear alignment and handoff to internal teams for post-award management

Qualifications and Skills

Required Education, Certification and Experience

• Five or more years in grant writing or institutional fundraising, including government, foundation, and corporate funding
• Direct experience securing municipal, provincial, and federal funding is strongly preferred
• Demonstrated ability to develop project budgets and lead complex funding proposals from concept through submission using strong project management approaches
• Ability to contribute to the design and scoping of initiatives, including costing activities and aligning resources to deliverables
• Strong understanding of theory of change and logic models, with the ability to translate program design into clear outcomes, impact, and measurable results
• Comfort working in a fast-moving environment with evolving priorities and early-stage initiative

Demonstrated Skills and Behaviours

• Excellent writing and editing skills, with the ability to develop clear and compelling proposals
• Project management skills to lead complex proposals, coordinate inputs across teams and partners, and manage multiple priorities and deadlines
• Generative and creative thinker, able to shape ideas into fundable opportunities
• Ability to translate complex programs and initiatives into clear outcomes and impact for funders
• Comfort engaging with public sector stakeholders and aligning proposals to policy priorities
• Understanding of systems-level challenges and leadership development, and how they connect to funder priorities and community impact
• Knowledge of the non-profit and broader civic landscape, including government decision-making processes and funding environments
• Collaborative approach, with the ability to work effectively across teams and with external partners

Apply here https://secure.collage.co/jobs/civicaction/61216 with your résumé and a cover letter in confidence by Friday, April 24th at 11:59. EST. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, so early submission is strongly encouraged. Late applications will not be accepted.

Only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

For more information about the organization and our work, please visit https://www.civicaction.ca/.

Our Commitment to Inclusive Workplaces & Inclusive Recruitment

CivicAction is committed to equity and inclusion in our workplace and in our recruitment processes. We encourage applicants of all gender identities and sexual orientations, ages, ethnicities, cultures, abilities, and life experiences to apply. Accommodations are available for candidates taking part in all aspects of the selection process.

AN IMPORTANT NOTE: Research shows that women and racialized candidates often only apply to positions when they feel 100% qualified. If you’re interested in this role but don’t see yourself fully reflected in the requirements of the posting, we still encourage you to apply or reach out to learn more by emailing careers@civicaction.ca.