Director of Grants and Community Initiatives

United Way of South Central Tennessee

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Job Summary

POSITION SUMMARY: The Director of Grants and Community Initiatives helps advance the mission of United Way of South Central Tennessee through excellence, flexibility, diplomacy, and accountability. This role combines grant writing and grant management with community outreach, including Continuum of Care (CoC) coordination and support for the agency’s Community Data Collaborative, and works alongside United Way’s collective impact team on strategic initiatives, partnerships, community planning, and outcomes-based impact. This role spans three areas of work: grant writing, CoC/HMIS coordination, and data collaboration support, with the approximate time split reflected below.

A Note on This Role: This role draws on three different skill sets that don’t always live in the same person: persuasive grant writing under deadline, steady relationship, compliance, and administrative work within the Continuum of Care, and comfort working with data and reporting. We’re not expecting equal strength in all three, but we are looking for someone who can move between them, and who’s honest with us (and themselves) about which one they’ll need support growing into.

Job Responsibilities

Grants Management (Approx. 60% of role)

• Develop and implement a comprehensive grants strategy aligned with United Way’s mission and strategic goals
• Research and identify potential grant opportunities from government agencies, foundations, corporations, and other funding sources
• Write, edit, and submit high-quality grant proposals, applications, and supporting documents
• Collaborate with program and finance staff to gather necessary information for grant applications and reports
• Maintain accurate records of all grant applications, awards, and related communications
• Develop and maintain relationships with funding sources, including foundations, government agencies, and corporate grantmakers

Continuum of Care (CoC) & HMIS Coordination (Approx. 30% of role)

• Serve as the Collaborative Applicant (CA) for the Continuum of Care, coordinating and managing the annual CoC Program Competition process, including preparing and submitting the consolidated application and applying for the planning grant and HMIS grant
• Work collaboratively with the local Continuum of Care to serve those experiencing homelessness in Rutherford County
• Support United Way’s role as the HMIS Lead Agency, serving as the primary point of contact for the worker contracted to carry out the day-to-day HMIS Lead functions
• Identify and collaborate with local housing stakeholders and community partners
• Represent United Way’s interests at community leadership tables and public or private convenings

Community Data Collaborative Support (Approx. 10% of role)

• Coordinate CoC-related data needs, including HMIS extracts and Coordinated Entry data, partnering with the HMIS Data Analyst and VP of Collective Impact to support the Community Data Collaborative’s quarterly reports and funder-facing analyses
• Help translate CoC data into the Community Data Collaborative’s reporting and represent United Way’s role as a data and coordination backbone in related funder and partner conversations
• Contribute to the Community Data Collaborative’s long-term strategy, including its role in United Way’s broader efforts to diversify revenue

Additional Responsibilities

• Play a role in the development and execution of short- and long-range goals and strategies for United Way
• Promote the mission and vision of United Way
• Take on special projects and support as needed and determined by the VP of Collective Impact
• Collaborate with other departments to meet organizational and departmental goals
• Primary duties and responsibilities are not all-inclusive; employee will be asked to fulfill other duties as required

Qualifications

QUALIFICATIONS: To do this job well, a person needs to be able to handle each of the responsibilities below. The list reflects the knowledge, skills, and abilities the role calls for. Reasonable accommodations can be made for individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in a related field
• Experience writing and managing grants, including government, foundation, or corporate, preferred
• Experience with HUD Continuum of Care programs, HMIS systems, or homeless services coordination preferred

OTHER SKILLS:

• Strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills
• Ability to communicate effectively with a diverse range of individuals
• Highly developed organizational and planning skills
• Highly developed oral and written communication skills
• Creative and detail-oriented
• Ability to handle multiple projects and tasks simultaneously
• Ability to analyze data and conduct effective research
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office
• Familiarity with HMIS platforms, data visualization tools), or community data systems is a plus, but not required

WORK ENVIRONMENT: Position is in an office setting that involves everyday risks or discomforts that require normal safety precautions. Frequent off-site meetings and events are also a component of this position

Additional Information

Benefits

How to Apply

Interested and qualified candidates should submit the following items as a single PDF attachment to ella.weaver@yourlocaluw.org. 1)         Cover Letter 2)         Resume 3)         References (minimum of three) Consideration will only be given to applications submitted as outlined above. Applications submitted with multiple attachments or not including all three items listed above will not be considered. Priority consideration will be given to applications submitted by Monday, July 20th.

Details

• Date Posted: September 11, 2026
• Type: Full-Time
• Job Function: Other
• Service Area: Other
• Salary Range: $55,000-$65,000
• Working Hours: M-F, 8:00am - 4:30pm