Grant Writer & Fundraising Strategist
Music • Higher Education • TV/Film • Songwriting | Georgia
Location: Georgia — Remote/Hybrid Considered
Organization Type: 501(c)(3) Nonprofit
Engagement: Contract / Part-Time with Potential for Long-Term Partnership
About the Opportunity
We are seeking an exceptional Grant Writer & Fundraising Strategist to join our organization and play a critical role in expanding our ability to fund programs at the intersection of music, higher education, television/film, and songwriting.
This is not a position for someone who simply knows how to write a grant application.
We are looking for a highly connected, proactive fundraising professional with a proven track record of securing significant grant funding for 501(c)(3) organizations, particularly within Georgia's arts, entertainment, higher education, media, and creative communities.
Our ideal candidate understands that successful fundraising is about much more than submitting applications. It requires strategy, relationships, research, persistence, positioning, communication, and knowing who to call.
We want someone who will take ownership of the funding process and go above and beyond to identify and pursue every credible opportunity available to us.
Our Primary Focus: College & Post-Secondary Education
A critical distinction for applicants: Our educational focus is college-level and post-secondary education.
We are not an elementary school or high school music education organization, and we are not seeking a grant writer whose primary experience is securing funding for K–12 music programs.
Our work is focused on opportunities involving colleges, universities, post-secondary students, emerging artists, collegiate music programs, songwriting, entertainment, television/film, and preparation for careers in the creative industries.
Relevant experience may include funding for:
- College and university-level music initiatives
- Postsecondary arts and creative education
- Collegiate songwriting programs
- Emerging and aspiring professional musicians
- Artist development and professional development
- Music industry education
- Film and television education and career pathways
- Creative workforce development
- Career preparation within the entertainment industry
- Partnerships between nonprofits and colleges/universities
- Programs supporting students pursuing careers in music, media, film, television, and related creative industries
- Access, opportunity, mentorship, and professional development for emerging creative professionals
Experience securing higher-education, collegiate, arts, entertainment, music-industry, or creative-workforce funding is highly preferred.
What You'll Do
- Research, identify, qualify, and pursue high-value grant opportunities at the local, state, and national levels.
- Develop and maintain a comprehensive pipeline of foundations, corporations, government agencies, family foundations, arts organizations, higher-education funders, and other philanthropic partners.
- Write compelling, highly competitive letters of inquiry, grant proposals, applications, budgets, narratives, and supporting materials.
- Identify opportunities specifically aligned with our work in:
- College and post-secondary education
- Music and the music industry
- Songwriting and artist development
- Television and film
- Arts and cultural programming
- Creative workforce development
- Professional development and career pathways
- Media and storytelling
- Help position our programs and impact in ways that resonate with individual funders and their priorities.
- Develop relationships with program officers, foundation representatives, corporate giving teams, government agencies, higher-education contacts, and other funding decision-makers.
- Leverage your existing professional network and relationships in Georgia's philanthropic, arts, entertainment, education, higher-education, and nonprofit communities.
- Proactively identify opportunities we may not know about and bring them to the organization.
- Monitor grant calendars, deadlines, eligibility requirements, and reporting obligations.
- Collaborate with leadership to develop compelling program narratives, budgets, outcomes, impact metrics, and supporting documentation.
- Help develop multi-year funding strategies rather than focusing solely on one-off grants.
- Track submissions, follow-ups, awards, declines, and opportunities for future applications.
- Assist with grant reporting and stewardship to strengthen long-term funder relationships.
- Continuously evaluate what is working and refine our fundraising strategy accordingly.
The Person We're Looking For
We are looking for a closer, connector, and strategist — not simply a writer.
You should be someone who:
- Has a demonstrated history of successfully securing grant funding for 501(c)(3) organizations.
- Can provide specific examples of grants you have helped secure, including approximate dollar amounts, funders, and the organizations/programs supported.
- Has meaningful relationships and connections within Georgia's philanthropic and funding ecosystem.
- Understands the Georgia nonprofit, arts, higher-education, music, entertainment, and film landscape.
- Has experience with college-level, university, post-secondary, or creative workforce funding.
- Knows how to identify the right funders rather than taking a generic "apply everywhere" approach.
- Is an exceptional writer who can turn a mission into a compelling funding opportunity.
- Understands how funders evaluate organizations, programs, outcomes, sustainability, and community impact.
- Is highly organized and capable of managing multiple grant opportunities and deadlines simultaneously.
- Is persistent and comfortable following up, cultivating relationships, making introductions, and pursuing opportunities strategically.
- Thinks creatively about funding and is willing to explore opportunities beyond traditional foundation grants.
- Is resourceful, self-directed, and willing to go beyond the job description when an opportunity could materially benefit the organization.
- Communicates clearly and keeps leadership informed about opportunities, progress, challenges, and next steps.
A Major Requirement: Proven Results
Please do not apply if your experience is primarily academic, administrative, or theoretical grant writing.
We are specifically seeking someone who can demonstrate real fundraising results.
Ideal candidates should be prepared to share examples such as:
- Grants successfully awarded
- Approximate total dollars raised
- Types of funders secured
- Experience with Georgia-based funders
- Experience working with colleges, universities, post-secondary programs, music organizations, entertainment organizations, film/TV programs, songwriting initiatives, or creative workforce development
- Examples of successful introductions or relationships that led to funding
- Experience developing multi-year or significant institutional funding
We value relationships and results just as highly as writing ability.
What Success Looks Like
Within the first several months, we want to see:
A stronger funding pipeline.
A clearly organized list of qualified opportunities with realistic award potential and strategic fit.
More applications submitted.
A consistent, thoughtful cadence of high-quality proposals rather than rushed applications.
Stronger relationships.
Meaningful connections with funders, program officers, philanthropic organizations, corporations, colleges, universities, and community partners.
More funding secured.
Ultimately, the goal is simple: help us bring significantly more resources into our organization so we can expand our impact.
Why This Role Matters
Our work sits at a powerful intersection of music, higher education, songwriting, television, film, and the creative economy.
We believe students and emerging creative professionals deserve meaningful access to education, mentorship, professional development, and opportunities that can help them build sustainable careers in the creative industries.
The right person in this role will not simply help us write grants.
They will help us build the financial foundation to grow the mission.
If you are someone who sees a funding opportunity and immediately starts thinking about who we should call, how we should position the program, what relationship we should develop, and how we can win the funding, we want to hear from you.
Compensation
Compensation will be commensurate with experience, demonstrated fundraising success, and scope of responsibility.
We are open to discussing a project-based, hourly, retainer, or performance-oriented structure with the right candidate.
For an exceptional candidate with a substantial track record and strong Georgia connections, we are prepared to structure the engagement accordingly.
How to Apply
Please submit:
- Resume/CV
- Brief cover letter explaining why you are a strong fit for our organization
- Grant-writing samples (preferably successful applications or proposals)
- A brief list of grants you have personally helped secure, including:
- Funder
- Approximate award amount
- Organization/program
- Your role in securing the funding
- A brief description of your Georgia-based funder, philanthropic, higher-education, arts, music, and/or entertainment network
- Your proposed hourly rate, retainer, or project-based pricing
Most importantly:
Tell us what you have actually raised.
We are looking for someone who is confident in their ability to identify opportunities, build relationships, write compelling proposals, and ultimately help us secure meaningful funding.
If you have the experience, relationships, creativity, persistence, and track record to make a measurable difference,
we want to talk to you.
