Prospect Researcher Remote Jobs in Norwalk, CT (NOW HIRING)

Location: Remote (anywhere within the United States)
Reports to: Executive Director

Organization Overview

The Elba Hope Foundation is a nonprofit organization. At the heart of our mission lies a steadfast commitment to sustainable progress and better futures for Africans and the African Diaspora through the interconnected tools of agriculture, conservation, food security, education, youth advocacy, and social justice. Our mission is to drive transformative change by fostering innovation, empowering communities, and forming strategic partnerships that will have a lasting impact on these sectors, both today and for future generations.

Position Overview

The Grant Writer will be an execution and owner role within the Development Department, ensuring that the research, assets, and systems that underpin fundraising are strong, reliable, and proactive. This role is responsible for independently driving fundraising production forward, owning timelines, and delivering concrete outputs each week. This position is hands-on in grant writing, proposal ownership, and grants prospect research.

The role is ideal for a detail-oriented, highly organized, independent professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment and is eager to build the infrastructure of the development function through actively owning grants pipelines. This role requires urgency, follow-through, and comfort working against firm deadlines. Candidates who require step-by-step direction, have difficulty meeting swift deadlines, or prefer highly structured environments will not be successful. This role is best suited for someone who enjoys building systems from scratch, moving quickly, and being accountable for results.

Key Responsibilities

• Prospect Research & Pipeline Management
  • Conduct research on foundation, NGO, and institutional grant opportunities aligned with EHF programs.
  • Build and maintain a live grants pipeline in Asana and Hubspot, ensuring all records are current and actionable.
  • Track deadlines, touchpoints, and follow-up tasks for timely and accurate follow-through.
• Grants & Proposal Development
  • Research and identify new grant opportunities from foundations, NGOs, and institutional funders aligned with EHF’s mission, strategic priorities, and timelines.
  • Write, edit, and submit high-quality grant proposals, concept notes, letters of inquiry, and supporting documentation.
  • Proactively engage various internal stakeholders on program-specific quantitative and qualitative impact data, grant proposal needs, and grant budget development.
  • Maintain and track a 6-12 month forward-looking grants pipeline and submission calendar to ensure application deadlines and EHF’s funding timelines are met.
  • Support reporting requirements for awarded grants and maintain strong funder relationships.
  • Own and advance a live grants pipeline with weekly progress updates and clear next actions.
  • Independently identify, prioritize, and move forward 3-5 qualified prospects per month.
  • Maintain a library of compelling boilerplate text, budgets, attachments, and narratives (e.g., mission, theory of change, program descriptions).

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of successful grant writing experience with demonstrated ownership of grants, grant project budget development, building funding pipelines, and prospective funder communications from start to finish.
• Strong grant prospect research skills and familiarity with funding databases (e.g. Candid/Foundation Directory, GrantStation, Instrumentl, or similar).
• Familiarity with CRM and project management systems (Hubspot, Asana, or similar).
• Excellent writing, editing, and storytelling skills to translate programmatic work into clear, compelling funder narratives.
• Self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
• Strong attention to detail, and organizational and project management skills.
• Comfortable operating with minimal oversight and recommending improvements to systems, templates, and workflows.
• Proactive and resourceful, able to anticipate needs and take initiative.
• Background in mission-driven or nonprofit organizations.
  

Compensation & Time Commitment

$25/hour, up to 15 hours per week, with the expectation of meaningful ownership and accountability. This is a contracted, part-time, and high-accountability role with the potential to grow in scope and hours based on performance.

Benefits

• Opportunity to lead high-impact projects with real community outcomes.
• Direct access to organizational leadership and influence over program direction.
• Flexible, remote work structure.
  

Application Instructions

To apply, submit a resume, cover letter outlining relevant experience and interest in the role, and a short writing sample for a successfully awarded grant proposal (redacted versions are welcome). Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

We are seeking candidates who bring a deep contextual understanding of Africa and a strong alignment with our mission and values. This may come through lived experience, long-term professional engagement, or meaningful personal connection to the regions and communities we serve. Our work is rooted in respect for local leadership, cultural knowledge, and community-driven solutions, and we prioritize applicants who demonstrate humility, accountability, and a clear commitment to working in partnership with diverse stakeholders. 

The Elba Hope Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic.