Application Guide
How to Apply for Grants Manager
at Acumen
🏢 About Acumen
Acumen is a unique organization that invests in early-stage clean energy solutions specifically for low-income communities globally, aiming to impact millions of lives. Unlike traditional grant-makers, they operate at the intersection of venture capital and philanthropy, focusing on sustainable, market-based solutions to poverty. Working here means contributing to both environmental sustainability and social equity on a large scale.
About This Role
This Grants Manager role involves leading end-to-end management of a significant five-year, USD 80M donor-funded program, ensuring compliance, financial accuracy, and coordination across global teams. You'll serve as the central connector between program, finance, and Development and Partnerships teams, directly enabling the implementation of clean energy projects in underserved communities. Your work ensures that donor funds are effectively translated into real-world impact.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might start with reviewing financial tracking for the $80M grant in Salesforce, followed by coordinating with program teams in different time zones to gather data for an upcoming donor report. You might spend midday drafting a narrative report that translates technical clean energy outcomes into impact stories for donors, then join a meeting with the Development team to discuss compliance updates for an upcoming grant revision. The day often ends with proactive checks on deliverable timelines and flagging any potential risks to stakeholders.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Acumen Is Looking For
- Has 8+ years specifically managing complex, multi-year grant-funded projects (not just general project management), preferably in international development or clean energy sectors.
- Possesses direct experience working with major international donors, corporate foundations, and non-profits, understanding their unique compliance and reporting requirements.
- Demonstrates exceptional organizational skills with proven ability to manage deadlines for high-stakes financial and narrative reporting under pressure.
- Has hands-on experience with systems like Salesforce and Asana for grant tracking and project management, not just theoretical knowledge.
📝 Tips for Applying to Acumen
Quantify your grant management experience: specify dollar amounts, number of grants, and geographic scope of programs you've managed (e.g., 'Managed a portfolio of 15 grants totaling $50M across 12 countries').
Highlight any experience with clean energy, low-income communities, or international development in your resume, as Acumen's mission is central to their work.
Mention specific donor organizations you've worked with (e.g., USAID, Gates Foundation, corporate CSR programs) to demonstrate 'direct experience with major international donors.'
Describe your experience with Salesforce and Asana in detail, including how you've used them for grant tracking, reporting, or team coordination.
Tailor your application to show how you've been a 'central connector' between teams—provide examples of bridging program, finance, and partnership functions.
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
["Explain why Acumen's mission (clean energy for low-income communities) resonates with you personally or professionally, showing alignment with their impact focus.", 'Detail your experience managing large, multi-year grants (ideally close to the $80M scale), emphasizing compliance, financial tracking, and cross-team coordination.', "Provide a specific example of proactively flagging issues in grant processes or deliverables, demonstrating the 'proactive' reporting mentioned in the job description.", "Highlight your ability to translate complex donor requirements into actionable guidance for program teams, showing you can be the 'compliance bridge' they need."]
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → Acumen's current clean energy portfolio and specific projects (check their website or annual reports) to understand their technical focus areas.
- → Their major donors and partners (e.g., IKEA Foundation, Rockefeller Foundation) to anticipate the types of donor relationships you'll manage.
- → Their organizational structure and team dynamics, particularly how the Development and Partnerships teams interact with program teams.
- → Recent news about Acumen's impact in low-income communities, especially any metrics on lives impacted or carbon reduction, to speak knowledgeably about their work.
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Applying with generic grant management experience without highlighting work on complex, multi-year, internationally-funded projects.
- Failing to mention specific donor organizations or compliance frameworks you've worked with (e.g., EU grants, UN agencies, private foundations).
- Not demonstrating how you've used project management tools like Salesforce or Asana in a grant context—assuming general software knowledge is enough.
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!