The Humphrey School of Public Affairs at the University of Minnesota seeks a Local Energy Project Grant Writer to support grant development for local clean energy projects in Minnesota. Humphreyâ™s Center for Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy (CSTEP) is supporting efforts by rural electric cooperatives, municipal utilities, and tribal nations to secure climate and energy funding from federal agencies.

This project is closely aligned with the new Great Lakes Thriving Communities Technical Assistance Center (TCTAC), which is co-led by the University of Minnesota Extension Department of Community Development, with the mission to support community organizations in successfully navigating funding opportunities to access the resources they need to lead in the clean energy transition, pollution clean-up, and green workforce development.

The Local Energy Project Grant Writer is expected to contribute to the successful development of funding proposals for energy projects benefiting rural, remote, and underserved communities in Minnesota. A particular focus for grant writing will be in support of projects led by rural electric cooperatives, municipal utilities, and tribal nations seeking funding from federal agencies.
While the focus of technical and grant writing assistance for this role is Minnesota rural electric cooperatives, municipal utilities, and tribal nations, there will be opportunities to engage with a network of technical assistance providers across Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio in the Great Lakes TCTAC.

This is envisioned as a full-time role, however candidates seeking part-time work will also be considered. This is a one-year position, which could be renewed for an additional year, depending on performance and funding.

Pay Rate: $70-80K

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

70% Grant writing:

• Writing grant technical volumes
• Budget development
• Supporting development of additional required documents of funding proposals, such as Concept Papers, Statement of Project Objectives, Budget Justifications, Community Benefits Plans

30% Outreach and engagement:

• Meeting with funding applicants to understand project concepts and translate them into technical grant proposal language
• Meeting with staff from organizations applying for local energy project grants to understand key priorities

Required Qualifications: 

• BA/BS plus at least four years of experience or a combination of related education and work experience equal to eight years
• Experience developing complex grant proposals, especially federal grant proposals
• Familiarity with federal agency requirements for energy infrastructure grants

Preferred Qualifications:

• 3+ yearsâ™ experience in grant writing
• Experience in the energy sector, particularly work with rural electric cooperatives, municipal utilities, and tribal nations.
• Experience in local clean energy project development 
• Strong technical writing skills

About University of Minnesota Twin Cities

The University of Minnesota, founded in the belief that all people are enriched by understanding, is dedicated to the advancement of learning and the search for truth; to the sharing of this knowledge through education for a diverse community; and to the application of this knowledge to benefit the people of the state, the nation, and the world.

Connections working at University of Minnesota Twin Cities