Support Grant Research and Proposal Writing

Volunteering

Overview

Support the fundraising team by researching grants and writing proposals.

You have:

• Proven experience researching grants and writing successful funding proposals (recommended 1+ years).
• Strong written English, ability to write concise concept notes and coherent proposals.
• Familiarity with budgets and basic financial narratives.
• Ability to work independently, meet deadlines, and collaborate with remote teams.
• Experience with monitoring & evaluation frameworks and logical frameworks is a plus.
• Understanding of our thematic area (e.g., community development, civic participation, livelihoods) is advantageous.

Contract

This is a UNV contract. More about UNV contracts.

Progressive Volunteers (PV) designs community-led programs that build leadership, strengthen local advocacy, and improve livelihoods through skills training, policy engagement and small-scale grant-supported projects. Our work combines direct community programming with evidence-based advocacy to influence local policy and expand opportunities for underserved groups.

This assignment supports our fundraising function. Securing grant funding is essential to expanding our programs, piloting new initiatives, and sustaining operations. The volunteer role in grant research and bid writing will directly enable project design refinement, preparation of competitive proposals, and ultimately the delivery of community-level interventions.

To effectively accomplish this task, a volunteer should understand:

The Organization’s Mission and Vision: Clear knowledge of our core purpose, values, and long-term aspirations. Programmatic Focus: An overview of our key projects, target populations, and geographic areas served. Strategic Priorities: Current goals and objectives that guide our growth and funding needs. Past and Current Funders: Familiarity with existing funding partners and the types of grants previously received. Organizational Impact: Evidence of outcomes and success stories that demonstrate the effectiveness of our work. Proposal Requirements: Awareness of common funding application components, deadlines, and funder expectations. Communication Style: The tone and language appropriate for representing the organization professionally and persuasively.

The online volunteers will support our fundraising team by researching suitable grant opportunities and drafting high-quality funding proposals aligned with our mission and program needs.

Key responsibilities include.

• Conduct targeted research to identify 5-10 relevant grant opportunities (foundations, bilateral donors, corporate CSR, and relevant calls from local/regional government or multilateral agencies).
• Map each opportunity to our program priorities and indicate fit (eligibility, funding size, deadlines, priority areas).
• Draft 1–2 full funding proposals (or a proposal and a concept note), including budgets and logical framework/theory of change inputs where applicable.
• Prepare short application-ready documents: a 1-page concept note for each opportunity and 2–3 tailored cover letters/statements of interest.
• Review and edit proposal drafts for clarity, alignment with funder guidelines, and compliance with submission requirements.
• Produce a short final report summarizing findings, recommended next steps, and a prioritized pipeline of opportunities.

The online volunteer will work closely with Fundraising Manager / Grants Lead and programme team.

Proven experience researching grants and writing successful funding proposals (recommended 1+ years). Strong written English, ability to write concise concept notes and coherent proposals. Familiarity with budgets and basic financial narratives. Ability to work independently, meet deadlines, and collaborate with remote teams. Experience with monitoring & evaluation frameworks and logical frameworks is a plus. Understanding of our thematic area (e.g., community development, civic participation, livelihoods) is advantageous.

Benefits to volunteers

Hands-on experience writing real funding proposals for an active non-profit. Mentorship and direct feedback from our Fundraising Manager and program leads. A certificate of volunteering and a written reference upon successful completion. Opportunity to have your work included on our public-facing portfolio and credited in successful grant applications. Networking opportunities with program staff, partners and funders. For eligible volunteers, a modest stipend or travel reimbursement may be available (specify if applicable).

Apply now

Potential interview questions

Added 6 months ago - Updated 6 months ago - Source: unv.org