Blue Forest

Location: Remote Reports to: Senior Scientist  Salary: $25/ hour (40 hours/ week)  Travel: Potential within Washington, Oregon, and California About Blue Forest Blue Forest is a conservation finance non-profit whose mission is to accelerate the pace and scale of ecological restoration. Since 2018, Blue Forest has managed investor capital through its flagship financial product, the Forest Resilience Bond (FRB), which deploys private capital to finance forest restoration projects on private and public lands to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire. More recently, Blue Forest has also established Blue Forest Asset Management (BFAM), an investment management platform connecting investors to compelling, mission-aligned opportunities in a broader set of asset classes beyond FRB projects, such as private equity and private credit investments.  Blue Forest is an interdisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, foresters, finance, and communications professionals. We are harnessing financial innovation and building partnerships with investors, non-profits, private companies and the public sector to design sustainable solutions to systemic climate resilience challenges faced by vulnerable communities and ecosystems. As we grow and develop new financial solutions to pressing environmental problems, we are committed to promoting social equity and amplifying historically excluded voices in the burgeoning field of conservation finance. Position Summary The Biomass Policy and Market Graduate Student Summer Intern will work primarily between our science and investment teams to explore 1) how sustainable use of low-value forest biomass can help to achieve the breadth of policy initiatives working towards carbon neutrality by 2045, 2) what barriers exist to using low-value forest biomass for carbon beneficial uses such as hydrogen or biochar, and 3) how an environmentally sound and socially just forest restoration industry could be achieved.    Responsibilities & Duties Policy Initiative Research  Research current policy initiatives working towards climate goals and how low-value forest biomass utilization can help to accomplish those goals. Collaborate with Blue Forest staff and a wide range of partners from academia, government, non-profit, and industry to gain an in-depth understanding of how the State of California is currently working to achieve climate neutrality by 2045.  Low-value forest biomass can help to accomplish carbon neutrality when used to generate carbon beneficial electricity, fuels, or other products, but we currently lack an efficient and cost effective way to access these resources.  Stakeholder Interviews Interview a range of stakeholders throughout the state who can illuminate the barriers to creating ecologically sound supply chains for low-value forest biomass. Blue Forest manages the California Wildfire Innovation Fund, which is a first-of-its-kind climate fund that seeks to generate competitive financial returns while reducing fire risk for communities and ecosystems by investing in the wood utilization and wildfire mitigation sectors. However, for the fund to be most effective, reliable and transparent supply chains for low-value woody biomass must be developed in ways that reinvigorate forest-based industries and underserved rural communities throughout the state.  Report Writing  Summarize and synthesize finds from desktop research and interviews  into a short publicly facing report outlining the current opportunities and barriers to develop socially and ecologically restorative supply chains for low-value forest biomass.  Prepare an academic publication for submission.  Collaborate with partners at the Office of Planning and Research at the Governor’s Office to propose policy solutions to biomass supply chain development.  DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE Active contributor: Ability to work independently; detail-oriented, executes assigned tasks, follows through, manages time effectively, owns workstreams. Identifies and communicates bottlenecks with support, proactively researching and identifying solutions to bring to the team. Communication: Strong written and oral communication skills, including distilling and communicating complex ideas into presentations and written memos, facilitating conversation, etc.   Partnerships & Collaboration: Strong, active listening skills, inclusive approach, and values engaging diverse perspectives to design effective solutions and projects Conservation Finance, Ecosystem Services, Utilities, or Forestry Expertise: Passionate and some understanding of conservation finance, modeling ecosystem services, water and electric utilities, forestry, or other relevant fields. Experience working with, or understanding of, the USDA Forest Service or utilities is a plus but not required.  Continuous learner: Committed to continuous learning, including seeking opportunities to incorporate feedback and learn from others, learning, listening, and engagement that understands historical place-based context and empowers and supports diverse communities within the conservation and financial communities Qualifications Blue Forest will prioritize the following qualifications in the hiring process; however, we only expect candidates to fulfill some criteria and encourage all interested candidates to apply. Current graduate student  Clear written and verbal communication Demonstrated interest in and commitment to environmental conservation and climate resilience  Experience with interviews, policy analysis, literature, forestry, and/ or land management highly preferred COVID VACCINE REQUIREMENT All Blue Forest staff are required to be “fully vaccinated” against COVID-19, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines that term. Proof of full vaccination shall be a condition of employment and must be provided prior to starting work, except where prohibited by law. Blue Forest is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and the company will engage in the interactive process regarding reasonable accommodations for candidates who cannot be vaccinated due to a disability/medical condition; a sincerely held religious belief, practice or observance; or a claimed exemption under applicable state law. HOW TO APPLY To apply to this position, submit a resume on recruitee . People from historically underrepresented populations and candidates with non-traditional career paths are especially encouraged to apply. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, and those submitted by March 25, 2024 ,  will be prioritized. Blue Forest provides equal employment and opportunities for advancement, compensation, training, and growth according to individual merit, without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable Federal, state, or local law. Applicants must have authorization to work in the United States.  

Location:  Remote; California, Oregon, or Washington is required Reports to: Project Development Manager or Senior Scientist  Salary: Analyst Level: $63,000–$69,000 Associate Level: $70,000–$78,000 Travel: Travel up to 25%-40% of the time, primarily within Washington, Oregon, and California  Amount of Hires: 2-3  About Blue Forest Blue Forest is a conservation finance non-profit whose mission is to accelerate the pace and scale of ecological restoration. Since 2018, Blue Forest has managed investor capital through its flagship financial product, the Forest Resilience Bond (FRB), which deploys private capital to finance forest restoration projects on private and public lands to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires. More recently, Blue Forest has also established Blue Forest Asset Management (BFAM), an investment management platform connecting investors to compelling, mission-aligned opportunities in broader asset classes beyond FRB projects, such as private equity and private credit investments.  Blue Forest is an interdisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, foresters, finance and communications professionals. We are harnessing financial innovation and building partnerships with investors, non-profits, private companies, and the public sector to design sustainable solutions to systemic climate resilience challenges faced by vulnerable communities and ecosystems. As we grow and develop new financial solutions to pressing environmental problems, we are committed to promoting social equity and amplifying historically excluded voices in the burgeoning field of conservation finance. Position Summary Project Analysts and Associates at Blue Forest focus on the development of conservation finance projects while coordinating and contributing to other aspects of Blue Forest workstreams, including research and science efforts, communications, education and capacity building, and building and maintaining partnerships. This typically includes working on two to three projects simultaneously and, over time, developing a specialization (e.g., geographic, issue area, modeling, communications)  that advances project development across the organization.  For this posting, we are looking to hire 2-3 Analyst and/or Associate roles: One role will be a generalist focused fully on project development One to two hires will have a portion of their role that leans into the scientific modeling side of project development, benefit scoping and evaluation, science communication, and research.  Position responsibilities include supporting execution and day-to-day operations for individual projects, fostering and managing relationships with project partners, facilitating the advancement of working relationships between Blue Forest and beneficiary organizations, and partnering with Managers and Directors to connect day-to-day operations with a long-term strategy.   The project development aspect of the role involves being detail-oriented during day-to-day operations and execution while supporting Managers and Directors with strategy. Analysts and Associates play a key role in project development by developing written materials, working with Managers and Directors to give presentations, and developing relationships with partners. In addition, Analysts and Associates spend their time supporting or servicing as lead coordinator for special projects within other departments at Blue Forest. Responsibilities & Duties Individual FRB Project Development (50-75%) Support the development of multiple FRB projects from conception to execution, including bringing structure and processes to innovative and ambiguous projects. Project workstreams will include: Partnering with land managers (such as the Forest Service) on implementation strategies for priority restoration projects Researching and engaging potential project beneficiaries Quantifying and communicating project benefits with internal and external science partners Developing proposals and securing funding commitments from beneficiaries Engaging community stakeholders, Native nations, and potential project collaborators Develop and execute project materials such as presentations, two-pagers, and memorandums to support project development and partner engagement Foster relationships with project development partners across a portfolio of project assignments Integrate and enhance DEI and tribal engagement throughout the project development process Developing Expertise (20-40%)  Identify one to two areas to develop expertise within the organization. This could include a geographic or ecosystem focus, implementation or permitting, communications, scientific research, facilitation, etc. For one to two hires, ecosystem benefit modeling and benefit scoping will likely be 30-45% of the role. This could include modeling fire ecology, forest or watershed restoration, or research on other benefits of restoration activities.  Play a key role in supporting initiatives in these areas of expertise, with increasing levels of leadership  Partnerships, Operations, and Communications (10-15%)  Support planning site visits with project partners, executing grant reporting, enhancing internal knowledge sharing, and developing system processes and organization Develop communications materials such as 2-pagers, story maps, and memos for projects, initiatives, and research project deliverables Contribute to the Blue Forest newsletter and other email and social media campaigns where appropriate and where materials can elevate key partnerships and/or project visibility DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE An ideal candidate will have 1+  years of relevant work or equivalent experience. Blue Forest will prioritize the following qualifications in the hiring process; however, we do not expect candidates to fulfill all criteria and encourage all interested candidates to apply. Active Contributor: Ability to work independently with minimal supervision; is detail-oriented, executes and follows through on assigned tasks, manages time effectively, and owns workstreams. Identifies and communicates bottlenecks with Managers and Directors, proactively researching and identifying solutions for the team. Communication: Strong written and oral communication skills, including distilling and communicating complex ideas into presentations and written memos for non-scientific audiences, facilitating collaborative discussions, creating effective storytelling products, etc. Partnerships & Collaboration: Developing experience collaborating with internal and external stakeholders and Native Nations. Strong, active listening skills, inclusive approach, and values engaging diverse perspectives to design effective solutions and projects. Conservation Finance, Ecosystem Services, Utilities, or Forestry Expertise: Passionate and some understanding of conservation finance, modeling ecosystem services, water and electric utilities, forestry, or other relevant fields. Experience working with the USDA Forest Service or utilities is a plus but not required.  Continuous Learner: Committed to continuous learning, including seeking opportunities to incorporate feedback and learn from others; learning, listening, and engagement that understands the historical place-based context for projects and empowers and supports diverse communities within the conservation and financial communities. (For one to two roles focused partially on science modeling) Science Modeling Experience: One to four years of experience or advanced education in ecology, forestry, environmental sciences/engineering, or related fields in research and/or modeling of ecosystem processes. The ideal candidate will have familiarity with a range of modeling approaches, understand their strengths, weaknesses, and sources of uncertainty, and be comfortable thinking holistically about mechanisms driving ecosystem processes.  BENEFITS 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision coverage; subsidized coverage for dependents Access to a 401k retirement plan with a 4% employer match Starting 3 weeks paid vacation and 17 paid holidays; paid sick leave and volunteer time 3 months of paid family leave Employer-paid life and long-term disability insurance Access to Dependent Care FSA Public Lands Exploration stipend (reimbursements for visits to National Forests, county parks, etc.) Monthly Home Office stipend or co-working space provided Additional stipends for health & wellness; home internet and cell service; and professional development COVID VACCINE REQUIREMENT All Blue Forest staff are required to be “fully vaccinated” against COVID-19, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines that term. Proof of full vaccination shall be a condition of employment and must be provided before starting work, except where prohibited by law. Blue Forest is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and the company will engage in the interactive process regarding reasonable accommodations for candidates who cannot be vaccinated due to a disability/medical condition; a sincerely held religious belief, practice or observance; or a claimed exemption under applicable state law. HOW TO APPLY To apply to this position, submit a resume on recruitee . People from historically underrepresented populations and candidates with non-traditional career paths are especially encouraged to apply. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, and those submitted by March 7th will be prioritized. If participating in the interview process would require you to incur additional expenses to participate, such as childcare, please let us know, and we are happy to reimburse for reasonable expenses incurred up to $30/hour for twice the length of each interview in which you participate. There will be space to request this reimbursement upon offer of an interview. Blue Forest provides equal employment and opportunities for advancement, compensation, training, and growth according to individual merit, without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable Federal, state, or local law. Applicants must have authorization to work in the United States. 

Location: Remote; preference for Western US Reports to: Director of Investments  Salary: $68k-$80k Position Type: FTE Travel: Approximately 10-20%; tailored to project responsibilities About Blue Forest Blue Forest is a conservation finance non-profit whose mission is to accelerate the pace and scale of ecological restoration. Since 2018, Blue Forest has managed investor capital through its flagship financial product, the Forest Resilience Bond (FRB), which deploys private capital to finance forest restoration projects on private and public lands to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfires. More recently, Blue Forest has also established Blue Forest Asset Management (BFAM), an investment management platform connecting investors to compelling, mission-aligned opportunities in a broader set of asset classes beyond FRB projects, such as private equity and private credit investments.   Blue Forest is an interdisciplinary team of scientists, engineers, foresters, finance and communications professionals. We are harnessing financial innovation and building partnerships with investors, non-profits, private companies, and the public sector to design sustainable solutions to systemic climate resilience challenges faced by vulnerable communities and ecosystems. As we grow and develop new financial solutions to pressing environmental problems, we are committed to promoting social equity and amplifying historically excluded voices in the burgeoning field of conservation finance. Position Summary The Investment Analyst/Associate performs financial analysis, market research and reporting on investment opportunities to support Blue Forest Asset Management’s investment activities. This role requires attention to detail, excellent analytical skills, and the ability to work independently on multiple projects simultaneously. Workstreams include research, financial modeling, and qualitative and quantitative analytical support across various areas such as private markets investments, portfolio and asset management, and impact and investor reporting. The primary goals of this position at Blue Forest include: (1) evaluate investment opportunities for BFAM and growth opportunities for Blue Forest broadly, and (2) contribute to a reputation of collaboration, diligence, and top-notch analysis on the fast-growing Investment team at Blue Forest.  Responsibilities & Duties Investment Due Diligence and Financial Modeling (60%) Perform detailed financial analysis of investment opportunities, including building and populating accurate and effective financial models in Microsoft Excel Screen potential investments and write clear, concise memos to convey findings to internal audiences, including the Executive Team and Investment Committee Support Investment team members in all aspects of due diligence, including market research, reviewing third-party consultant reports, legal document review, and financial due diligence broadly Coordinate Blue Forest’s impact strategy for its investment, including impact quantification efforts Ongoing Investment Management (30%) Coordinate ongoing payments flows, such as loan drawdowns, interest payments, etc. (including with third-party service providers as relevant) Monitor covenants and other operational elements of deals Build and maintain financial models as inputs into the Blue Forest portfolio management function Contribute to investor reports and other Blue Forest collateral Financial Systems and Processes (10%) Continuously improve BFAM Investment team policies, procedures, and playbooks Execute key portions of business processes, including budgeting, fund portfolio management, and ongoing investment management Create and maintain systems, trackers, and processes for the Finance and Investment teams Explore new conservation finance products and opportunities, expanding the financial opportunity set for ecosystem restoration Additional Information Blue Forest is a remote company with staff distributed in some geographies where we can focus our impact and located across all four continental US time zones. This job is remote; however, due to travel around the Western United States for due diligence, there is a preference for a candidate based in the Western US. The Investment Analyst/Associate will be expected to be online during their respective standard working hours. Qualifications Blue Forest will prioritize the following qualifications in the hiring process; however, we only expect candidates to fulfill some criteria and encourage all interested candidates to apply. 2+ years of investments and/or financial analysis experience, with experience in some or all of the following areas required: Private equity, private credit, structured finance, or project finance;  Forest products, bioenergy/biofuels, or other forestry- and natural-resource adjacent sectors Robust financial modeling and Excel skills are a must! Experience with investment transactions, including sourcing, due diligence, modeling, and closing Willingness and ability to travel throughout California and the Western US, including in rural and hard-to-reach areas Clear written and verbal communication Exposure to fixed-income investments and/or forestry and climate finance is a plus Demonstrated interest in and commitment to environmental conservation and climate resilience  BENEFITS 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision coverage; subsidized coverage for dependents Access to a 401k retirement plan with a 4% employer match Starting 3 weeks paid vacation and 17 paid holidays; paid sick leave and volunteer time 3 months of paid family leave Employer-paid life and long-term disability insurance Access to Dependent Care FSA Public Lands Exploration stipend (reimbursements for visits to National Forests, county parks, etc.) Monthly Home Office stipend or co-working space provided  Travel and partial dependant care costs provided for business travel  Additional stipends for health & wellness; home internet and cell service; and professional development COVID VACCINE REQUIREMENT All Blue Forest staff are required to be “fully vaccinated” against COVID-19, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines that term. Proof of full vaccination shall be a condition of employment and must be provided prior to starting work, except where prohibited by law. Blue Forest is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and the company will engage in the interactive process regarding reasonable accommodations for candidates who cannot be vaccinated due to a disability/medical condition; a sincerely held religious belief, practice or observance; or a claimed exemption under applicable state law. HOW TO APPLY To apply to this position, submit a resume on recruitee . People from historically underrepresented populations and candidates with non-traditional career paths are especially encouraged to apply. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, and those submitted by March 15th, 2024 , will be prioritized. If participating in the interview process would require you to incur additional expenses to participate, such as childcare, please let us know, and we are happy to reimburse for reasonable expenses incurred up to $30/hour for twice the length of each interview in which you participate. There will be space to request this reimbursement upon offer of an interview. Blue Forest provides equal employment and opportunities for advancement, compensation, training, and growth according to individual merit, without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable Federal, state, or local law. Applicants must have authorization to work in the United States. 

Application Timeline: Rolling, position open until filled  Location: Remote, Western US Reports to: Senior Project Scientist  Employment Status: Full time Salary: $84k-$100k,  depending on experience  Preferred Start Date: As soon as possible; priority application deadline 8/30/23 About Blue Forest Blue Forest is a climate finance non-profit grounded in conservation science to enable financial innovation for sustainable solutions. We do this by developing financial products that support ecosystem restoration based on identifying, quantifying, and valuing the positive environmental, economic, social, and cultural outcomes. Blue Forest’s first financial tool – the Forest Resilience Bond (FRB) – was developed in partnership with the US Forest Service and the World Resources Institute to overcome the funding gap for forest restoration. As a public-private partnership, the FRB enables private capital to catalyze land management on public and private lands by valuing the multiple ecosystem services of healthy forests, thereby reducing wildfire risk and promoting ecological sustainability.   Blue Forest recognizes that the fields of science, finance, and environmental conservation have histories of exclusion and discrimination based on race, ability, gender, socioeconomic background, and sexual orientation. Blue Forest is actively working to dismantle discrimination and racism in our team and environmental work. Position Summary To increase ecosystem resilience in the face of intense and frequent hazards - such as fire, water scarcity, and flooding - there is a need for greater and targeted investment in nature . Blue Forest seeks a water quality specialist to further discover, develop, and deploy qualitative and quantitative approaches to understand the value of landscape-scale environmental management on water quality throughout the watersheds and water distribution systems across the Western U.S. and beyond. The Water Quality Specialist is a high-impact position that will work with both our Science and Project Development teams and external partners to help build the case for investment in restoration of freshwater ecosystems such as fire-impacted forests, post-fire landscapes, salmon and aquatic habitat, tropical forests, and coastal/intertidal systems. You will not be an expert in all these ecosystems. While we are largely focused on restoration of frequent-fire forests in the Western U.S., being successful in this position will require the flexible application of your background, knowledge, and approach to a variety of conservation finance projects being developed at Blue Forest. Your main role will be to perform scientific analyses, such as building or coordinating water quality models, in support of project development. This will involve evaluating the potential water quality impacts from forest restoration (avoided wildfire) to aquatic restoration (floodplain reconnection) projects, and communicating the results to diverse audiences.  Responsibilities & Duties Water Quality Analysis: 40% Conduct initial review of ecosystem restoration projects to understand potential water quality impacts Determine appropriate methods, tools, and techniques for quantifying water quality risk reduction and improvements from various ecosystem restoration activities  Develop benchmarks of similar ecosystem restoration projects that have a demonstrated improvement in water quality Develop communication materials for partners, investors, and public audiences around the water quality impacts of restoration  Interpret and synthesize findings for impact reporting, stakeholder presentations (utilities, state agencies, corporates, and others), and other applications Project Development: 40% Research potential project partners that are interested in water quality benefits of specific environmental projects Work collaboratively with project development team, science team, and external science partners to gather relevant data and information to support analysis of the project’s water quality benefits Analyze data using models and other approaches Work with Blue Forest science team and GIS team to prepare spreadsheets, maps, charts and other tools for visually displaying analysis results to project partners, and other audiences Develop a community of practice: 20% Actively research and reach out to other water quality specialists, scientist, and practitioners   Remain current on new water quality tools and methodologies   Understand state and federal agency goals and funding opportunities around water quality issues Working with colleagues and partners, identify opportunities to improve current scientific knowledge, data, and tools to better leverage water quality benefits for conservation finance  Qualifications A Master's degree and at least 1 year of experience in a professional, scientific setting or equivalent combination of education and experience  Knowledge of measurement, monitoring, and/or modeling approaches to quantify water quality impacts from ecosystem restoration projects Ability to multitask, prioritize workloads, manage projects, and communicate as part of a team working remotely Desired Skills  Strong communication skills to translate technical concepts to a non-technical audience Eagerness to work in a transdisciplinary environment, develop collaborative approaches, and value knowledge plurality (ecosystem services, social sciences, Indigenous and local knowledge) Experience with spatial mapping tools (e.g. ArcGIS, QGIS, R) to perform analyses and communicate findings Benefits: 100% employer paid health, dental, and vision coverage; subsidized coverage for dependents Access to 401k retirement plan with 4% employer match Starting 3 weeks paid vacation and 17 paid holidays; paid sick leave and volunteer time 3 months paid family leave Employer paid life and long term disability insurance Access to Dependent Care FSA Public Lands Exploration stipend (reimbursements for visits to National Forests, county parks, etc.) Monthly Home Office stipend or co-working space provided Additional stipends for health & wellness; home internet and cell service; and professional development Option for non-taxable contributions towards repayment of student loan debt, up to $5,250 per year, in lieu of salary  Additional Information Blue Forest is a fully remote company with staff located across all four continental U.S. time zones. The Specialist will generally be expected to be online during their respective standard working hours, with some flexibility required for travel (30% or less), including occasionally to remote and rural areas throughout the West. Blue Forest also hosts an in-person team retreat each year. COVID VACCINE REQUIREMENT All Blue Forest staff are required to be “fully vaccinated” against COVID-19, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines that term. Proof of full vaccination shall be a condition of employment and must be provided prior to starting work, except where prohibited by law. Blue Forest is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and the company will engage in the interactive process regarding reasonable accommodations for candidates who cannot be vaccinated due to a disability/medical condition; a sincerely held religious belief, practice or observance; or a claimed exemption under applicable state law. HOW TO APPLY To apply to this position, please submit an application through recruitee . People from historically underrepresented populations and candidates with non-traditional career paths are especially encouraged to apply. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, and those submitted by 8/30/23 will be given priority consideration. If participating in the interview process would require you to incur additional expenses to participate, such as childcare, please let us know and we are happy to reimburse for reasonable expenses incurred up to $30/hour for twice the length of each interview in which you participate. There will be space to request this reimbursement upon offer of an interview. Blue Forest provides equal employment and opportunities for advancement, compensation, training, and growth according to individual merit, without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, genetic information, disability, veteran-status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable Federal, state, or local law. Applicants must have authorization to work in the U.S.

Application Timeline: Rolling, position open until filled; priority application deadline August 4th  Location: Remote  Reports to: Director of Strategy and External Affairs  Employment Status: One year fixed term contract (40 hours per week). This contract has the potential of being extended following the 1-year term.  Salary: $66,000–$84,000, depending on experience   Preferred Start Date: September 27th, 2023  Position Summary We are seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented individual for a one-year contract to join our team as a Grant Development Associate. In this role, you will be responsible for researching, developing, coordinating, and writing grant proposals to secure funding for Blue Forest. You will work across the organization to identify funding objectives for each department, research and identify grant funding opportunities, gather necessary information, and craft compelling proposals that align with our mission and goals.  Responsibilities & Duties Conduct comprehensive research to identify potential new grant funding sources, including state and federal government agencies, foundations, corporations, and other grant-making organizations. Work closely with the Blue Forest fundraising team to prioritize and execute on new funding opportunities. Facilitate conversations with departments and teams at Blue Forest in partnership with the Director of Strategy and External Affairs to determine funding needs and relevant opportunities. Prepare and write grant proposals, ensuring compliance with grant guidelines, objectives, and deadlines. Coordinate with internal subject matter experts to gather relevant information and data needed for grant applications. Coordinate with internal and external partners on all aspects of jointly-submitted grants, ensuring that all parties are developing a coordinated and cohesive application while meeting deadlines .  Gather and organize supporting documentation, including letters of support, financial statements, budgets, and programmatic data. Develop and maintain a comprehensive grants calendar, tracking deadlines, reporting requirements, and progress updates. Monitor and track the progress of submitted proposals, including follow-up communications with funders as necessary. Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of all grant activities, including grant writing, submissions, and outcomes. Stay informed about trends and best practices in grant development and grant writing. Coordinate with the Grants Finance Associate to assist as needed with grant reporting and evaluation activities, ensuring compliance with funder requirements. Qualifications Proven experience in grant development and grant writing. Strong independent research skills, with the ability to identify relevant funding opportunities and gather supporting information, and organize opportunities in a way that is useful for efficient decision making. Excellent writing skills, including demonstrated success writing  clear, persuasive, and compelling grant proposals. Strong attention to detail, with ability to manage a portfolio of active grants and applications with competing deadlines. The ability to work across internal departments with an interdisciplinary team. Proficient in conducting online research and utilizing databases to gather information. Familiarity with grant management software and tools is a plus. Ability to work collaboratively with an interdisciplinary team, partners,  and stakeholders. Strong organizational and time management skills. Knowledge of fundraising principles and best practices. Preference for candidates with interest in and commitment to environmental conservation and climate resilience. Preference for candidates with experience in writing for federal grants, as well as for grants pertaining to environmental conservation and/or innovative financial models. Benefits:  100% employer paid health, dental, and vision coverage; subsidized coverage for dependents Access to 401k retirement plan with 4% employer match Starting 3 weeks paid vacation and 17 paid holidays; paid sick leave and volunteer time 3 months paid family leave Employer paid life and long term disability insurance Access to Dependent Care FSA Public Lands Exploration stipend (reimbursements for visits to National Forests, county parks, etc.) Monthly Home Office stipend or co-working space provided Additional stipends for health & wellness; home internet and cell service; and professional development Option for non-taxable contributions towards repayment of student loan debt, up to $5,250 per year, in lieu of salary  COVID VACCINE REQUIREMENT All Blue Forest staff  are required to be “fully vaccinated” against COVID-19, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines that term. Proof of full vaccination shall be a condition of employment and must be provided prior to starting work, except where prohibited by law. Blue Forest is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and the company will engage in the interactive process regarding reasonable accommodations for candidates who cannot be vaccinated due to a disability/medical condition; a sincerely held religious belief, practice or observance; or a claimed exemption under applicable state law. HOW TO APPLY To apply to this position, please submit an application through Recruitee . People from historically underrepresented populations and candidates with non-traditional career paths are especially encouraged to apply. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, and those submitted by 8/4/23 will be given priority consideration.  If participating in the interview process would require you to incur additional expenses to participate, such as childcare, please let us know and we are happy to reimburse for reasonable expenses incurred up to $30/hour for twice the length of each interview in which you participate. There will be space to request this reimbursement upon offer of an interview. Blue Forest provides equal employment and opportunities for advancement, compensation, training, and growth according to individual merit, without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, genetic information, disability, veteran-status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable Federal, state, or local law. Applicants must have authorization to work in the United States.