Full-Time Federal Funding Program Specialist; Environmental Justice TCTAC Lead
Job Description
Candidate Profile: USDN’s federal funding program helps our members (and others) navigate the maze of funding and win grants to realize their projects! We work with federal, community, and technical partners to improve federal policy and grant programs in order to produce better, equitable outcomes for communities. The ideal candidate for this position will have deep knowledge and expertise in the federal funding landscape, experience advancing environmental justice efforts, and the ability to problem-solve, coach, and guide local governments and community-based partners working to advance equitable climate action.
Background: USDN is a subgrantee to the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) on a national Environmental Justice and Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center (TCTAC), a recent grant program of the Environmental Protection Agency. Other partners of the Center are the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals, the National Forum for Black Public Administrators, and the National League of Cities.
Position Overview: As a member of the Communications & Mobilization Team at USDN, the Federal Funding Program Specialist will be the lead of the TCTAC program, helping local governments and community-based partners navigate, partner, and apply for federal grants to advance equitable climate action. This program advances USDN’s larger goal to generate equitable and impactful outcomes in the movement toward an equitable, resilient, and sustainable world.
In partnership with the Director of Communications & Mobilization and the Federal Engagement Director, the Federal Funding Program Manager will:
- Help local governments and/or community-based organizations match projects to appropriate grant opportunities, tax credits, rebates, or Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund financing, and develop proposals.
- Coach and advise local governments and community partners on how to partner effectively on projects and grant agreements (e.g., equity-centered collaboration methods, developing MOUs, navigating procurement and grant risks, etc.).
- Coordinate offerings with other national and regional TCTACs to align efforts to maximize impact, fill gaps, and reduce redundancy.
- Leverage other partners where possible to provide additional specialized technical assistance to communities (e.g., current USDN partners on transportation electrification).
Responsibilities
Program Management & Delivery
- Engage with USDN, TCTAC staff, and partners to design and deliver engaging virtual and in-person webinars, trainings, and workshops on specific federal funding programs, grants skills, and approaches to equitable community partnership that advance TCTAC goals.
- Identify, develop relationships with, and secure the participation of local governments and partners as needed to deliver effective programming.
- Help local governments and/or community-based organizations match the appropriate federal grant opportunity, tax credit, rebate, or Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund financing, to their project.
- Coach and advise local governments and community partners on how to partner effectively on projects and grant agreements (e.g., equity-centered collaboration methods, developing MOUs, navigating procurement and grant risks, etc.).
- Review proposals and give feedback to make applications more competitive.
- Manage communication with USDN members and TCTAC partners about program offerings. Ensure USDN programming is aligned with, additive, and not duplicative of TCTAC offerings.
- Utilize USDN technology tools and systems (including Salesforce and Alchemer) to track program engagement, participant needs, and the delivery of coaching and technical assistance.
Program Strategy & Development
- In collaboration with the Communications & Mobilization team, identify and develop programming ideas that align with USDN and TCTAC goals and are responsive to emergent needs of local governments and community partners.
- In collaboration with Communications & Mobilization Director, and the ICMA team, craft a work plan and ongoing reporting, monitoring and evaluation process.
- Work with the Communications Manager and TCTAC team to capture lessons learned and program successes for distribution across the TCTAC and USDN networks.
Communications & Relationship Building
- Share learnings and ideas with other internal and TCTAC teams and seek to learn from their experiences and perspectives.
- Establish positive working relationships and collaborative arrangements with key partner organizations.
- Contribute to written briefs, blogs, interviews, videos, and other educational materials that USDN and the TCTAC may develop to broadly share and influence field knowledge.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Focus
- Cultivate and maintain professional competency in equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI). EDI is a central goal, fundamental value, and required competency for the practice of sustainability. USDN staff cultivate EDI skills and competencies through personal practice and training.
- Emphasize USDN’s adopted EDI principles in the design and delivery of programming and throughout the performance of job responsibilities. The position will advance EDI principles as a characteristic of responsible governance, where all levels of government have a fiscal and moral responsibility to address the long-term implications that inequity has on prosperity, health, and safety of residents.
- Identify and respond to EDI challenges that members are experiencing.
- Commitment to social justice and anti-racist principles.
Minimum Qualifications: While no single candidate is expected to have all the qualifications below, an ideal candidate would possess many of the below experiences and skill sets. The ideal candidate will have a minimum of 3-5 years experience and/or education in:
- Federal grant programs and writing proposals.
- Working with or within local government.
- Program and project management within a complex ecosystem of stakeholders and clients.
- Advancing equitable climate and sustainability practices, programs, and policies relevant to local governments.
- Building, nurturing, and maintaining local government and frontline community relationships and collaboration on grants or other large programs.
- Designing, convening, and facilitating productive meetings, trainings, and workshops.
Desired Knowledge and Skills:
- Deep familiarity with how to advance community and equity-centered sustainability work in local government.
Expert knowledge in how local governments can be good partners to community organizations in the federal grant process; adept at providing advising and coaching support to local governments and community partners as they pursue grant opportunities or project collaboration. - Knowledge of racial equity theory and practice in an organizational and government context with application to various systems including zoning, buildings, energy, mobility, climate and resilience issues.
- High level of communication skills – interpersonal, written and verbal – and strong relationship-development skills.
Ability to build relationships and productively collaborate with a wide range of partners with different needs, perspectives, and goals. - Expert ability to manage a complex program and multiple projects on different deadlines simultaneously.
- Ability to design and facilitate productive meetings, workshops, and training virtually and in-person.
- Ability to work independently and with team members in a collaborative and dynamic environment.
- Structured thinking with a goal-oriented approach toward program implementation, management, and evaluation while managing inclusive engagement processes.
- Engagement, problem-solving, and negotiation techniques and processes.
- Assessment and facilitation of complex and/or sensitive situations.
- Proficient in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Google Suite, Zoom.
Terms of Employment: This is a full-time, regular, exempt position that reports to USDN Director of Communications and Mobilization.The compensation for this position is expected to be in the range of $100,000 – $115,000 annually, commensurate with qualifications. USDN offers a robust benefits package, including 100% employer covered health, dental, disability and life insurance, flexible leave policy, generous paid leave, and 401(k) program.
Location: This is a fully remote, work-from-home position. USDN has no central office but staff collaborate via video calls and through periodic in-peron convenings. Employees must furnish their own quiet space for conference calls. USDN provides an IT stipend to cover internet and phone use, computer, software, and other home office supplies. Work hours: 9am-5pm Eastern, Central, Mountain, or Pacific Standard Times (flexible); 40 hours/week. This position requires some travel for program delivery, approximately 15%.
Urban Sustainability Directors Network is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strongly encourage applications from qualified people of all gender expressions and identities, sexual orientations, racialized communities, Indigenous persons, veterans and persons with disabilities.
Accepting applications until Wednesday, May 1st @ 5pm PST. Candidates are encouraged to apply early!
How to Apply
Application Instructions: We accept applications through an online application program. When you apply you will be prompted to provide your contact information, cut and paste your cover letter into a text field, and you will be prompted to attach your resume. You are welcome to attach your cover letter along with your resume, if you prefer. You will also be invited to complete a demographic questionnaire. Your responses to the questionnaire are kept separately from your application and help us to monitor and improve our recruitment and outreach efforts to ensure we are reaching a wide diversity of candidates. If you do not wish to provide responses, please select the option, "prefer not to answer." Should you require accommodations through the application process, please let us know.Apply for this Job
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