Turn Research into Results
Volunteer Opportunity for Grant Writing
September 23, 2025
At the YMCA, we are dependent on outside funds to be able to provide the services that we do. As a non-profit organization, it is vital that we seek out opportunities for grants to supplement our other fundraising activities. We are seeking a dedicated volunteer to support our mission by helping research and write grant proposals. Grants play a vital role in sustaining and expanding the programs that serve our community, and with the right support, we can reach even more individuals and families. If you have a knack for writing, enjoy digging into details, or want to use your skills to make a meaningful difference, this is a unique opportunity to contribute in a powerful way.
Volunteer Grant Researcher Vacancy - Apply Now!
About our volunteer Grant Researcher role: You will be a team member with our volunteers, who are interested in supporting our nonprofit by researching prospective grant funders, to create a pipeline of funders for our Y Staff to consider submitting a grant request.
Here are our objectives for this role:
- Experience is NOT needed. Training is provided.
- We are seeking volunteers who can contribute 2 to 4 hours a week (researching) and 1 hour a week by joining our virtual grants team meeting.
- Commit to the volunteer role for a minimum of one year.
- Candidate should be comfortable and skilled in writing and grammar.
- Volunteers should be comfortable researching virtually, using the internet, and working in different online platforms.
Volunteers often ask if they’ll get to write grants. Here is an example of what that looks like and the reasoning behind it.
- As volunteers complete researching around two dozen grants within their first three months, the grant researcher (volunteer) may want to help more and begin to write a portion of a grant on behalf of our Y. For those who are interested and ready, writing will be discussed, which could include writing a letter of introduction, a letter of interest, a letter of inquiry, or part or all of the grant submission. If a Grant researcher volunteer has prior experience or shows exceptional research/writing, this timeline may be adjusted.
Note: We typically require a minimum of 12 grants to be researched, as we want writers to truly understand how we implement our mission and the collective impact of our work.
Your passion for our work should be evident in your research and writing. If you enjoy research or writing we need you! Backgrounds that will help:
- Current or prior Y Experience is very helpful
- Community-minded, wanting to give back and help out a nonprofit
- Have we captured your interest? If so, please include the following:
We meet virtually on the 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month at 8 a.m. (PST time) for 1 hour.
Things to consider:
- Why are you interested in this volunteer role?
- Can you commit to the time commitment (2 - 4 hours a week and 1 hr for our grant team meeting)?
- Technology ready? Phone and Chromebooks do not work. Applicants must have a computer (or laptop) with Word and Excel, and a camera with a mic for Zoom meetings. Must have internet access.
- Are you comfortable with our request to commit to a minimum of 1 year?
- Share what support you will need (other than our initial clinic and access to our grant portal and form to be completed) in order for you to be successful.
- For those candidates who are selected for interviews and get moved forward, you will be required to provide three references (with how you know the person, their phone number, and email). You may be asked to complete a background check, a conflict of interest/confidentiality form, and either a resume or your LinkedIn profile. Thank you in advance for your consideration. We look forward to hearing from you
To apply, please go to https://olympicpeninsulaymca.volunteermatters.org/login, create a login, and follow the prompts. We look forward to working with you.