Fundraising Development, Grant Writing

Position: Development Grant Writer & Coordinator
Organization: Coastal First Nations - Great Bear Initiative
Location: Hybrid, Vancouver Office OR Remote (some travel required)

DEVELOPMENT GRANT WRITER & COORDINATOR
Full Time, Hybrid OR Remote

PROTECTING OUR COAST. BUILDING OUR ECONOMY.
A unique alliance of eight First Nations in BC, creating jobs for the future and protecting the Great Bear Rainforest.

About Coastal First Nations – Great Bear Initiative

Coastal First Nations is a unique alliance of First Nations on British Columbia's North and Central Coast and Haida Gwaii that came together in 2000 and established the Great Bear Initiative Society as a not-for-profit Society in 2003. The principal goal of this group is to restore and implement ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable resource management approaches on the Central and North Coast and Haida Gwaii. To learn more about us, visit: coastalfirstnations.ca.

About Great Bear First Nations Foundation

The Great Bear First Nations Foundation (GBFNF) was created at the direction of the elected leadership of Coastal First Nations—an alliance of First Nations working together to protect and steward the Great Bear Rainforest and Sea. The Foundation supports charitable activities that advance environmental conservation, cultural revitalization, education, and community well-being throughout the region. As a First Nations-led organization, GBFNF is guided by the values, priorities, and laws of our member Nations. We are building a sustainable and values-aligned foundation to support Indigenous-led stewardship for the benefit of our communities and the world.

Who we are looking for

We are seeking a skilled and motivated Development Grant Writer & Coordinator to join our team. This is an exciting opportunity to work in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, contributing to the success of purpose-driven organizations. The successful candidate will possess strong research and analytical skills, as well as excellent communication skills. They will be able to work independently and as part of a team, meeting deadlines and delivering high-quality results. They will be responsible for researching grant opportunities, and developing successful grant proposals, persuasively communicating the organization's mission and programs to potential funders.

About the position

Position: Development Grant Writer & Coordinator

Reports to: Development Manager

Location: Hybrid, Vancouver Office OR Remote (some travel required)

Start Date: ASAP

Salary: $55,000 - $65,000 per annum

Responsibilities include the following:

The primary role of the Development Grant Writer & Coordinator is supporting the fundraising efforts of both CFN-GBI and GBFNF. This position collaborates with the Development Manager and Program Managers to assess funding needs, research and qualify opportunities, and co-develop compelling proposals to a wide range of funders. The Development Grant Writer & Coordinator position plays a key supporting role in the organizations’ financial sustainability by influencing funding strategy through research insights, funder alignment, and compelling proposals. In addition to program fundraising, this role will also support operational fundraising and operational grant reporting in partnership with the program administration and finance teams.

This role also provides essential administrative and logistical support to the Development team, including donor database management, contribution tracking, donor communications, file management and event planning and execution.

The Development Grant Writer & Coordinator is responsible for the following two (2) key responsibilities:

Grant Writing and Coordination

• Work with Development Manager, Program Managers and Senior Management to assess funding needs and timelines.
• Conduct research to identify aligned funding opportunities across government, foundation, and philanthropic sectors.
• Draft and/or support the development of Letters of Inquiry, concept notes, and grant applications.
• Prepare supporting materials for grant submissions (e.g., budgets, work plans, letters of support).
• Coordinate with Program Administration and Finance teams to support accurate grant reporting and data management and assist in monitoring compliance and deadlines.
• Support proposal development for core operations and cross-program initiatives.

Administrative and Development Support

• Maintain and update CRM donor database (e.g., contact information, gift tracking, grant deadlines).
• Assist with preparation of donor communications, acknowledgment letters, and reporting materials.
• Support planning and execution of fundraising and stewardship correspondence, events, including logistics, guest tracking, and coordination with vendors and partners.
• Compile data and impact stories to support stewardship and donor reporting. File management for Development Department files in SharePoint.

Other/ Participation in staff meetings

• Develop and maintain an individual workplan to record progress towards goals and milestones, updates and areas requiring support.
• Participating in scheduled meetings to celebrate successes and troubleshoot challenges, following up on action items, completing tasks and documenting results, volunteering to chair meetings.
• Other duties and tasks, as assigned/required.

Qualifications: Education and Experience

This list of desired qualifications is what we are ideally searching for, but not all are required. Other combinations of education and experience may be considered; thus, if you don’t have direct experience in some of these areas, feel free to let us know how other experiences have equipped you to succeed in those parts of the role.

• 2+ years’ experience researching and writing successful grant applications in a non-profit or community context.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.

Skills Sets and Competencies

• Strong personal interest and commitment to Coastal First Nation – Great Bear Initiative's mission and vision required.
• Strong writing, editing, and storytelling skills tailored to diverse audiences.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to manage multiple deadlines.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a remote or hybrid setting.
• Proficiency in computer applications including Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams, PowerPoint, and various video conferencing platforms including Zoom.
• Proficiency in fundraising CRM systems such as Donor Perfect of Keela, as well as Adobe software.
• Valid driver license (BC Class 5) and a satisfactory driving record.

The following skills and experience are not required but are considered an asset:

• 2–3 years of experience in grant writing or fundraising roles.
• Demonstrated experience in event planning and donor stewardship.
• Knowledge of Indigenous governance and environmental funding landscapes.
• Familiarity with reconciliation frameworks or Indigenous rights-based approaches to conservation and development.

How to apply

Interested candidates are invited to submit the following to hr@coastalfirstnations.ca no later than July 2, 2025, at 5:00 PM PST.

1. A letter of interest outlining how your previous experience and education would support this position. If you have an interest or expertise in grant writing for Indigenous organization or not-for-profits, please note this in your cover letter. Please also indicate if you self-identify as Indigenous.
2. An up-to-date CV.

Please mention you saw this at GoodWork.ca.

The successful candidate will be asked to provide references, and a satisfactory criminal records check. We encourage applicants to submit applications as soon as possible, as applicants will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. As this is a unique opportunity, we welcome and are open to discussing flexible arrangements. We thank all applicants for their interest; only those selected for an interview will be contacted.

We aim to provide support through this recruitment process for applicants with disabilities, including accommodation that considers an applicant's accessibility needs. If you require accommodation during the interview process, don't hesitate to get in touch with Hina Rafaqat (hrafaqat@coastalfirstnations.ca).

CFN-GBI hires based on skills, ability, and qualifications; however, in support of our strategy to achieve our employment goals for Indigenous Peoples, qualified Indigenous applicants will be given priority. Persons of Indigenous ancestry will be given preference. s16(1) CHRA