Grants Officer
What is the work like?
As a grants officer, you would assess applications for grants and funding from charitable trusts, government or public bodies. It might be your responsibility to decide to award funding, or you might put the applications through to a senior grants officer, programme director or a committee for a final decision.
Your key duties would include:- checking that applications are suitable for your organisation to fund
- advising people how to apply and helping to them improve their application
- assessing applications against a strict set of rules
- giving information and recommendations to the decision-making panel
- keeping people informed about the progress of their application
- administering grant payments
- supporting a caseload of grant holders and monitoring their progress
- keeping accurate records of applications and grant payments
- giving presentations to publicise grant schemes.
You could assess applications from individuals, charities, community groups or university research departments, depending on the type of organisation you work for.
What qualifications and experience will employers look for?
The qualifications and experience you need would depend on the grant-making organisation and the type of projects they fund. For example, many organisations ask for experience in community work, others in conservation or the arts. Organisations that award scientific research grants may prefer you to have a science degree. You should check entry requirements with each employer.
Whatever your background, you will find it useful to have experience in relevant skills such as:
- basic accounting and budget management
- database administration
- project management
- information gathering.
You will also need to show an understanding of the voluntary and community sector, so you will find it helpful to have paid or unpaid work experience in these areas.
If you want to gain experience in the voluntary sector, you can find out about local opportunities from Volunteering England, Volunteer Scotland, Volunteering Wales or Northern Ireland's Volunteer Development Agency. You could also contact Working for a Charity about their short courses and work placement scheme.
What further training and development can I do?
You will learn on the job from experienced grants officers and trustees. Your employer may also arrange for you to take part in short courses and seminars such as the Association of Charitable Foundations (ACF) professional development programme. See the ACF website for details.
You may find it useful to work towards a relevant postgraduate qualification such as the part-time Postgraduate Diploma/MSc in Grantmaking Management, run by City University in London.
Several other universities offer postgraduate courses in charity management, fundraising and voluntary sector management, which you may find useful as your career progresses. Courses are usually part-time or distance learning.
Where can I go for more information?
NCVORegent's Wharf
8 All Saints Street
London
N1 9RL
Tel: 020 7520 2512
14 Upper Woburn Place
London
WC1H 0AE
Tel: 020 7255 4499
If you would like to discuss your career options with a learning adviser, call 0800 100 900 or use our online enquiry form
Alternatively, you can visit our website at: www.direct.gov.uk/careersadvice
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What salary and other benefits can I expect?
Salaries are generally between £20,000 and £35,000 a year.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
What are the hours and working conditions?
In a full-time job your standard working hours would be between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. Flexitime and part-time work may be available.
You would be office-based, but may also spend some of your time travelling to meet applicants and consultants, visit projects and give presentations.
What skills and knowledge will I need?
- excellent written and spoken communication skills
- the ability to analyse complex information and figures
- fair and objective decision making ability
- a willingness to work to strict guidelines
- good organisational and planning skills
- good computer and administrative skills
- the ability to work well individually and as part of a team
- tact and empathy
- the confidence to give presentations.
For some jobs you will also need specialist knowledge, for example in heritage or the arts.
What opportunities are there?
You could work as a grants officer for various kinds of organisation, including grant-making trusts and charities, the Big Lottery Fund, local and national government, arts councils, academic research foundations and large public companies.
Competition for jobs can be strong because only a small proportion of the largest grant-making trusts employ paid staff.
Jobs may be advertised in the local and national press, trusts’ own websites (see the ACF website for a list of charitable trusts) and some specialist charity recruitment agencies.
With experience, you could progress to senior grants officer, become a freelance grants consultant, or move into charity management.
You may find the following links useful for job vacancies and general reading (links open new window):
Third Sector
Working for a Charity (recruitment links)
Society Guardian
Charity Finance
We do not accept responsibility for the content of external sites.
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