Temporary Grant Writing Assistant Job at First Book in Washington

Overview

Join to apply for the Temporary Grant Writing Assistant role at First Book.

About First Book: First Book believes that education offers children the best possible path out of poverty. Since 1992, First Book has distributed more than 250 million books and educational materials to children from low-income families. First Book operates a network of educators serving kids in need and has a range of social enterprises including the First Book Marketplace, The First Book Accelerator, and First Book Insights. First Book has received recognition from multiple institutions for its impact and accountability.

About the position: Are you a skilled grant writer with a passion for advancing educational equity? First Book seeks a detail-oriented, motivated, and mission-driven professional to provide temporary support to the organization’s grant writing function. The Temporary Grant Writing Assistant will support the Development team in securing and managing grant funding.

Responsibilities

• Draft, edit, and format grant proposals, letters of inquiry, and supporting materials to ensure accuracy and alignment with funder requirements.
• Conduct research on potential funding sources (foundations, corporations, government agencies) to identify opportunities that support educational equity initiatives.
• Gather and organize information from internal teams to build narratives, budgets, and supporting documents for proposals and reports.
• Maintain grant calendars, databases, and records to track deadlines, reporting requirements, and renewal opportunities.
• Assist with interim and final reports for funders, compiling data, outcomes, and impact stories.
• Provide administrative and logistical support to the Development team, including attaching documents, coordinating internal reviews, and maintaining organized files.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree is preferred; equivalent relevant experience will be considered.
• Minimum of five (5) years of direct experience in grant writing, prospect research, or nonprofit development is required.
• Temporary, 35 hours per week, to support grant writing needs during a defined project period.
• Strong writing, editing, and organizational skills; ability to develop clear, persuasive proposals from complex program content.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; ability to adapt to new systems as needed.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; ability to collaborate across teams.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion.
• Reasonable accommodation will be provided to qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this role.

Key Competencies

• Ability to craft compelling, clear proposals that reflect programmatic impact and funder priorities.
• Attention to detail in writing, data entry, and file management; ability to meet deadlines.
• Strong cross-team communication to gather program information and prepare funder-ready content.
• Maintains confidentiality and integrity in all interactions.

Benefits and Work Arrangement

• Hybrid work environment (some work from home and some from office).
• 401K with employer matching.
• Transportation benefits; commuting costs covered for the duration of the temporary position.

To Apply

Submit a resume and a cover letter detailing your interest to https://firstbook.bamboohr.com/careers. Applications submitted through external sites will not be considered. If you need assistance, contact Tasha McNeill at tmcneill@firstbook.org.