Grant Writer, Government, Foundation & Corporate Grants

About CivicAction

CivicAction brings together leaders and communities across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area to understand the issues shaping our region and turn collective leadership into action.

Through leadership development, civic intelligence, engagement and mobilization, CivicAction works across sectors to help build a more inclusive, prosperous and resilient region.

The Opportunity

CivicAction is seeking an experienced Grant Writer, Government, Foundation & Corporate Grants, to strengthen our capacity to identify, develop and secure funding for our work across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area.

This is a hands-on grant research and writing role. The Grant Writer will identify relevant funding opportunities and develop high-quality applications to government funders, private and public foundations, family foundations, corporate foundations and corporate giving programs.

Working with the Manager, Grants & Institutional Funding and colleagues across CivicAction, the Grant Writer will take opportunities from initial research and assessment through proposal development, submission, reporting and renewal.

We are looking for an excellent writer and researcher who can understand a funder's priorities, determine where CivicAction's work is a strong fit, and turn programs and ideas into clear, persuasive and competitive applications.

This is a contract opportunity until March 31st, 2027.

What You'll Do

Identify and Research Funding Opportunities

· Proactively research new grant opportunities from federal, provincial and municipal governments, foundations, family foundations, corporate foundations and corporate giving programs.

· Monitor open calls for proposals, funding announcements and upcoming application opportunities.

· Research prospective funders, including their priorities, eligibility requirements, previous funding and areas of interest.

· Assess opportunities based on eligibility, strategic fit, potential funding value, timing and application requirements.

· Maintain an active pipeline and calendar of prospective, current and upcoming grant opportunities.

· Recommend which opportunities CivicAction should pursue based on evidence of fit and likelihood of success.

Develop and Submit Grant Applications

· Lead the writing and submission of grant applications, proposals, expressions of interest and letters of intent.

· Translate CivicAction's programs, strategy and impact into compelling funding proposals.

· Adapt strong existing proposals and program concepts for new funding opportunities while ensuring each submission responds directly to the specific funder.

· Develop project narratives, needs statements, objectives, activities, workplans, outcomes and performance measures.

· Work with program and Finance colleagues to develop accurate project budgets and financial information.

· Coordinate supporting documentation and information required for applications.

· Manage applications from initial opportunity assessment through final submission.

· Ensure applications are accurate, complete, persuasive and submitted on time.

· Maintain a strong library of proposal language, program descriptions, organizational information, outcomes, budgets and other reusable application materials.

Government, Foundation and Corporate Grants

Manage applications across a diverse range of institutional funding sources, including:

· Federal government programs.

· Ontario government programs.

· Municipal and regional funding opportunities.

· Public and private foundations.

· Family foundations.

· Corporate foundations.

· Corporate community investment and charitable giving programs.

· Other grant opportunities aligned with CivicAction's charitable mandate and strategic priorities.

Corporate sponsorship sales and broader corporate partnerships are managed separately through CivicAction's corporate partnerships function.

Support Grant-Related Funder Relationships

· Communicate with prospective and existing funders when appropriate to clarify funding priorities, eligibility and application requirements.

· Participate in funder meetings related to grant opportunities.

· Prepare briefing materials for the CEO, senior leadership and other colleagues participating in funder conversations.

· Follow up with funders regarding applications, decisions and feedback.

· Help maintain strong relationships with existing grant funders to support renewals and future applications.

· Identify opportunities to convert successful grants into renewed or multi-year funding.

This is not a major-gifts, individual-giving or sponsorship-sales position. Relationship development is focused on supporting successful government, foundation and corporate grant funding.

Grant Tracking, Reporting and Renewals

· Maintain accurate records of prospects, applications, amounts requested, decisions, deadlines and reporting requirements.

· Track commitments, outcomes and deliverables contained in successful applications.

· Coordinate with program and Finance teams to gather information required for grant reporting.

· Draft high-quality interim, final and renewal reports.

· Monitor grant end dates and begin renewal planning well in advance.

· Maintain accurate grant information in CivicAction's CRM and internal tracking systems.

· Support forecasting by maintaining current information on the status and potential value of grant opportunities.

What You'll Bring

· 3-5 years of demonstrated experience in grant writing, proposal development or a closely related role.

· A track record of developing successful grant applications.

· Exceptional writing, editing and proofreading skills.

· Strong research skills and demonstrated ability to identify and assess funding opportunities.

· Experience developing applications for government, foundations and/or corporate grant programs.

· Ability to interpret complex funding guidelines and translate them into clear application requirements.

· Experience developing project objectives, activities, outcomes, workplans and performance measures.

· Comfort working with project budgets and financial information.

· Excellent project-management skills and ability to manage multiple applications and deadlines simultaneously.

· Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.

· Ability to work independently and move an application from opportunity identification through submission.

· Strong collaboration skills and ability to obtain information efficiently from program, Finance and leadership colleagues.

Strong Assets

· Experience writing grants for a Canadian charity or nonprofit organization.

· Experience with federal and Ontario government funding programs.

· Experience securing funding from private or family foundations.

· Experience with corporate foundations and corporate community-investment programs.

· Experience securing five- and six-figure grants.

· Experience developing multi-year funding applications.

· Knowledge of the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area and the civic, economic and social issues affecting the region.

· Experience with CRM, grant-management and funder-research systems.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role means CivicAction is consistently identifying and pursuing strong funding opportunities rather than waiting for opportunities to come to us.

Within the first year, the Grant Writer will:

· Build and maintain a strong pipeline of qualified government, foundation and corporate grant opportunities.

· Increase the volume of high-quality grant applications CivicAction can pursue.

· Produce compelling, competitive applications that contribute to new and renewed revenue.

· Expand the range of foundations and corporate grantmakers supporting CivicAction.

· Ensure grant opportunities, submissions, reporting requirements and renewals are systematically tracked.

· Develop reusable proposal content and systems that make future applications faster and more efficient.

· Strengthen CivicAction's internal grant-writing capacity and reduce reliance on any single individual for grant production.

How to Apply

To apply please upload your résumé, along with a cover letter outlining your interest, relevant skills and experience.

Application Deadline: September 22, 2026

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis. We encourage interested candidates to apply early, as interviews may begin before the application deadline. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

CivicAction is committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment and encourages applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and lived experiences.