Grant Writer at Design Week Lagos

Design Week Lagos is the leading African Design Festival, and we are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Grant Writer

Location: Lagos
Employment Type: Full-time

Role Summary

• The Grant Writer is responsible for researching, identifying, and securing local and international grant opportunities that align with DWL’s mission.
• They will craft compelling proposals, manage submission pipelines, and coordinate with internal teams to gather program data, budgets, and narratives that meet funder requirements.
• This role demands a strategic thinker with excellent writing, storytelling, and organizational skills.

Key Responsibilities
Research & Prospecting:

• Identify and track grant opportunities from cultural institutions, art/design foundations, government agencies, global development bodies, and private philanthropies.
• Maintain a grants calendar with deadlines, submission requirements, and reporting timelines.
• Assess grant alignment with DWL’s programs (Made by Design Show, Innovation Exhibition, Student Competition, SBD, DWL Talks, etc.).

Proposal Writing:

• Write high-quality grant proposals, letters of intent, cover letters, and narratives tailored to each funder’s priorities.
• Develop compelling case statements that position DWL as a continental design leader.
• Collaborate with the Programs Lead, Sponsorship Lead, and Finance to gather program details, budgets, KPIs, and impact data.
• Ensure all proposals reflect DWL’s brand tone: intentional, premium, culturally grounded.

Documentation & Compliance:

• Prepare detailed budgets, work plans, and supporting documents required for submissions.
• Track grant requirements and ensure timely submission of reports and deliverables.
• Maintain organized records of all submissions, communications, and outcomes.

Relationship Management:

• Support outreach to grant-making organizations and institutional partners.
• Prepare briefing notes, pitch decks, and follow-up communications for meetings with funders.
• Help develop long-term relationships with grantors for sustained funding.

Impact & Reporting:

• Collaborate with teams to collect data, testimonials, and metrics to produce strong post-grant reports.
• Contribute to the annual Impact Report and documentation of DWL’s programs.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Development Studies, Arts Administration, Business, or related field.
• Proven experience writing grant proposals for NGOs, cultural organizations, creative institutions, or development agencies.
• Strong writing, storytelling, and research abilities.
• Ability to translate creative and cultural programs into structured funding narratives.
• Familiarity with donor ecosystems (Ford, Goethe, EU, British Council, AfDB, Open Society, etc.) is a plus.
• Highly organized, deadline-driven, and detail-oriented.
• Ability to work independently while coordinating across multiple teams.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with budgets and financial documentation
• Understanding of design, culture, and creative industries
• Project management tools (Notion, Trello, Google Workspace)
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online