Description
Community Health Centres of Northumberland (CHCN)
About Community Health Centres of Northumberland
Community Health Centres of Northumberland (CHCN) is a community-centred primary healthcare organization dedicated to serving the residents of Northumberland County. As a member of The Alliance for Healthier Communities, CHCN provides a wide range of community-based health services, emphasizing accessibility and inclusiveness to address barriers related to culture, ethnicity, geography and other social determinants of health.
CHCN is an interdisciplinary organization offering primary care, counselling, diabetes management, foot care, dentistry, social prescribing and other integrated health and support services. Our team fosters a collaborative, supportive and welcoming environment where clinical excellence, teamwork and equitable access to care are at the heart of everything we do.
About this position:
Join our community health centre in making a meaningful difference in the health and well-being of Northumberland residents. As a volunteer grant writer, you will help secure funding that supports essential community programs and services, strengthens local health initiatives, and improves access to care for those who need it most. Your skills and passion can have a lasting impact on our community.
We invite individuals interested in making a meaningful contribution to community health to learn more about CHCN. If you are curious about this volunteer opportunity, we encourage you to reach out, arrange a tour and meet our team before applying.
Position Title
Volunteer Grant Writing Mentor
Position Purpose
The Volunteer Grant Writing Mentor provides advice, consultation and constructive feedback to CHCN staff and teams as they develop, write and prepare grant applications for submission.
The role supports staff in strengthening funding proposals, understanding funder expectations and building their confidence and skills in grant development, drawing on the Consultant’s grant writing experience and expertise.
CHCN staff will lead the application process and retain responsibility for coordinating project information, budgets, approvals and submissions. This Mentor will contribute expertise at mutually agreed stages of the process, based on their experience, interests and availability.
In addition, this Mentor will also support CHCN in identifying potential funding opportunities that align with organizational priorities and community needs.
Experience
Key Competencies
- Skills
- Writing and Analysis: Reviews grant proposals and provides clear, practical feedback to strengthen clarity, persuasiveness and alignment with application requirements.
- Communication and Coaching: Collaborates with staff, explains grant-writing approaches and provides constructive guidance that builds staff confidence and capability.
Knowledge
- Grant Requirements and Funding Opportunities: Understands funder guidelines, eligibility criteria and application processes relevant to nonprofit, community service and health-sector funding.
- Project Planning and Evaluation: Understands how community needs, project activities, budgets, measurable outcomes and evaluation plans connect to create a strong grant application.
Judgment
- Assessing Funding Fit: Evaluates whether funding opportunities and proposed projects align with funder priorities and CHCN’s organizational objectives.
- Identifying Gaps and Respecting Scope: Identifies inconsistencies, missing information and potential application risks, while recognizing when decisions, corrections or additional information must come from CHCN staff.
Accountability
- Following Through on Commitments: Completes agreed reviews and provides advice within established timelines and scope, communicating promptly if availability or turnaround times change.
- Confidentiality and Role Boundaries: Protects confidential information, follows CHCN policies, discloses potential conflicts of interest and respects staff responsibility for accuracy, approvals and final submissions.
Key Responsibilities
The Volunteer Grant Writing Mentor will:
Funding Opportunities and Application Development
- Consult with staff regarding potential grant opportunities, eligibility requirements and alignment between proposed projects, funder priorities and CHCN objectives.
- Support staff in identifying and assessing funding opportunities relevant to organizational priorities and community needs.
- Provide advice on structuring grant applications and presenting a clear community need, project rationale, proposed activities and intended impact.
Application Review and Feedback
- Review staff-prepared grant application drafts and provide practical feedback on clarity, completeness, persuasiveness and responsiveness to application questions.
- Help staff articulate measurable outcomes, evaluation approaches and plans for sustaining project benefits.
- Review consistency between the project narrative, proposed activities and staff-prepared budgets, identifying questions, gaps or potential concerns for staff to address.
- Advise on submission requirements, supporting documentation and common application pitfalls.
- Provide a final draft review when agreed upon in advance.
Staff Development and Knowledge Sharing
- Share relevant examples, templates, tools and grant-writing approaches to strengthen staff knowledge and future application development.
- Where appropriate, review funder feedback from unsuccessful applications and offer suggestions to strengthen future submissions.
- Maintain a shared resource of funding opportunities, application deadlines, templates and lessons learned.
Consultation and Communication
- Participate in brief virtual consultations or provide written feedback by email, with the scope and timing of each request agreed upon in advance.
- Attend occasional check-ins with management or the appropriate program lead to discuss upcoming funding priorities and opportunities.
Experience and Qualifications
The successful volunteer will demonstrate the following experience, skills and qualifications:
- Previous experience developing, reviewing or advising on grant applications, preferably within the Canadian nonprofit, community service or health sectors.
- A collaborative, approachable coaching style and the ability to provide constructive feedback to staff with varying levels of grant-writing experience.
- Understanding of project budgets, outcome measurement and evaluation.
- Familiarity with Ontario government, foundation or corporate grant programs is an asset.
- Experience with successful grant applications is an asset.
- Commitment to health equity, inclusion and respectful representation of the individuals and communities CHCN serves.
- Comfort working virtually using shared documents, email and video conferencing.
- Ability to manage agreed commitments and communicate effectively regarding availability and timelines.
- Willingness to provide a Criminal Record Check as part of CHCN’s volunteer onboarding process.
Availability and Working Arrangements
This is a flexible, part-time volunteer opportunity with no fixed weekly schedule. Consultation requests will be made as needs arise, and the volunteer may accept assignments based on their availability, interests and areas of expertise.
- Time Commitment: Hours will vary depending on organizational needs and grant application activity. There may be periods of little or no activity between applications.
- Assignment Planning: CHCN and the volunteer will agree on the scope of support, required materials and expected turnaround time before each assignment begins.
- Notice and Timelines: Staff will provide as much advance notice as possible regarding upcoming deadlines. Availability for urgent requests is not assumed.
- Communication: The volunteer will communicate promptly if an agreed timeline or commitment needs to change.
- Check-ins: The volunteer will participate in occasional check-ins with management or the appropriate program lead to discuss upcoming funding priorities and organizational needs.
- Work Arrangements: Consultation and feedback will generally be provided virtually through email, shared documents and video meetings.
Role Scope and Accountability
The primary focus of this volunteer role is consultation, application review and staff development.
Any direct drafting or additional support beyond consultation and review will be discussed and agreed upon separately for each application.
CHCN staff retain responsibility for:
- Project design and development.
- Accuracy and completeness of all project information and financial details.
- Preparation and approval of application budgets.
- Internal approvals and organizational decision-making.
- Communications and correspondence with funders.
- Final review and submission of grant applications.
The Volunteer Grant Writing Consultant is expected to:
- Maintain the confidentiality of all organizational, staff and client information.
- Use CHCN-approved methods for accessing, reviewing and sharing documents.
- Disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest related to funders or grant applications.
- Follow CHCN’s volunteer onboarding requirements and applicable privacy, confidentiality and organizational policies.
- Work within the agreed scope of each assignment and communicate any concerns or limitations promptly.
Thank you for considering volunteering with Community Health Centres of Northumberland. Your knowledge and experience can help strengthen our organization’s ability to secure funding and deliver meaningful, accessible and equitable community-based healthcare services.
Apply
Please submit cover letter and resume, to [email protected] citing “Volanteer Grant Writer Mentor.” This competition will remain open until filled; the Community Health Centres of Northumberland reserves the right to contact and interview candidates prior to this deadline.
Please note, only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted. No phone calls please.
As part of our ongoing commitment to the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, the Community Health Centres of Northumberland will provide assistance to applicants who request accommodation throughout the recruitment process.
At the CHCN, we value diversity – in backgrounds and in experiences. Healthcare is a universal concern, and we invite all interested individuals to apply and encourage applications from people with disabilities, Indigenous, Black, and racialized individuals, as well as people from a diversity of ethnic and cultural origins, sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions to help build the future of healthcare and our communities.
Note that CHCN is a scent-free work environment and we ask that you refrain from wearing fragrances and other scented personal care products (i.e. perfumes, deodorants, lotions, hairspray, etc.) while at the Centre.
