Grants Manager

About the ABF

The American Bar Foundation (ABF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit research institute that expands knowledge and advances justice through rigorous empirical research on law, legal processes, and legal institutions. The ABF's primary sources of funding are an annual unrestricted grant from the American Bar Endowment (ABE) and contributions by the Fellows of the ABF – a global honorary society of attorneys, judges, faculty, and scholars. Approximately 15% of the ABF's $9 million revenue comes from a diverse portfolio of public and private grants for faculty-led research and programming. The ABF offices are located on Northwestern University’s Chicago campus in Streeterville. The ABF offers a rich intellectual community for staff to interact with scholars and attend weekly research presentations.

Position Overview

The ABF seeks a Grants Manager to manage and grow the ABF’s grants portfolio and to support the ABF’s Development team with donor research and data entry. This position reports to the Director of Major Gifts and Grants and works closely with the Director of Accounting, ABF Faculty, and other members of the Development, Finance, and Operations teams.

Key Responsibilities

Grants Management (65%)

• Develop and maintain internal grants management policies and procedures in collaboration with Director of Major Gifts and Grants and Finance team.
• Monitor grant compliance with contractual award terms and institutional policies and procedures.
• Collaborate with Finance team and principal investigators (PIs) to submit timely grant applications, reports, and renewals.
• Collaborate with Finance team to monitor research budgets, timelines, and expenditures.
• Research and analyze public and private grant opportunities.
• Maintain calendar of active and prospective grants and relevant documentation.
• Draft grant activity update reports for ABF Board and Executive Committee meetings.
• Support grant-funded workshops and events as needed.

Major Gift Prospect Research (25%)

• Identify individual, corporate, and foundation prospects and maintain prospect management system.
• Design and run queries and provide report exports as requested.
• Collaborate with Director of Major Gifts and Grants on personalized strategies to cultivate and steward potential and active donors.

Development Data Support (10%) 

• Execute timely entry of gifts to Raiser’s Edge.
• Assist with ongoing data cleanup, including processing event RSVPs.

Other duties not listed above may be required of this position.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
• 3+ years of experience in grants management.
• Strong understanding of grant compliance and reporting requirements.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency in grant management systems and CRMs.
• Familiarity with techniques for prospect research.
• Outstanding project management skills, attention to detail, and time management skills.
• Strong contributor in a team environment.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of donor and grantor information.
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, Outlook, SharePoint, OneDrive, PowerPoint).
• Commitment to furthering the mission of the ABF.
• Illinois residency and U.S. work authorization required throughout employment. Please note that the ABF does not have the institutional capacity to sponsor visas, and we are unable to advise on individual visa matters.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with Raiser’s Edge and/or Financial Edge NXT
• Experience with National Science Foundation (NSF) and other federal grants
• Experience working in an academic institution or research institute

The ABF strives to foster a community that represents many backgrounds and experiences. We encourage you to apply for this position, even if you do not meet every qualification listed. Please note that experience need not be professional in nature; unpaid or informal experience may also be relevant. We are committed to providing support and training to help our staff members grow and succeed in their roles.

Work Structure and Environment

This is a full-time (35 hours per week), exempt position. ABF staff work on a hybrid schedule (40% in office, 60% working remotely within the state of Illinois). Standard work hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm CT, with a one-hour lunch period. Occasional work outside of these hours is expected in connection with ABF events (e.g., Board meetings). Close mental and visual attention are required, primarily for using a computer and/or extensive reading. Out-of-state travel is not required for this position.