business development associate

Business Development Associate

Kounkuey Design Initiative (KDI) is a team of diverse urbanistslandscape architects, urban planners, community organizers, and engineersunited by our shared commitment to building equity, justice, and resilience in communities through design. A BIPOC- and woman-led organization that was founded in 2006, KDI comprises approximately 50 professionals working from four offices: Los Angeles, Eastern Coachella Valley, Nairobi, and Stockholm.

Position Summary

The Business Development Associate is a strategic leader responsible for securing public and private funding to advance KDI's mission. This role requires a highly experienced grant professional with a proven track record of success in obtaining government and institutional funding, including foundations and county, state, and federal agencies. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in urban planning and community infrastructure funding, including projects related to parks development, vacant land, affordable housing, community planning, and public transportation. This position manages the full lifecycle of grant developmentfrom opportunity identification through proposal submission, compliance, and reportingwhile serving as a key partner to leadership in aligning funding strategy with organizational priorities.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive grants strategy aligned with organizational goals and program priorities
• Identify, cultivate, and maintain relationships with funders, including foundations and government agencies
• Monitor funding landscapes and proactively position the organization for upcoming opportunities
• Maintain development database on Airtable, including proposal timelines, partner contacts, and long term leads
• Produce quarterly and annual development reports
• Lead the development of high-quality, competitive grant proposals in response to invitations and Requests for Proposals (RFPs)
• Write compelling narratives that clearly articulate project impact, need, and alignment with funder priorities
• Collaborate with program, finance, and executive staff to gather data, budgets, and supporting documentation
• Layout proposals in Adobe InDesign, using established KDI branding
• Maintain and update a database of project sheets, staff CVs, and standard language
• Prepare and submit grant applications to city, county, state, and federal agencies
• Ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements, guidelines, and submission protocols
• Manage timelines and deliverables for complex, multi-part applications
• Translate technical program concepts into clear, fundable proposals
• Oversee post-award grant management, including reporting, compliance, and documentation
• Communicate with donors
• Track grant outcomes and ensure timely submission of progress and final reports
• Maintain accurate records of submissions, awards, and funder communications
• Run weekly business development meetings and prepare weekly updates
• Work closely with leadership and project teams to shape fundable initiatives
• Provide guidance and mentorship to staff or consultants involved in business development
• Contribute to organizational storytelling and impact measurement
• Support award submissions - writing, photo selection, process management
• Photo management
• Newsletters
• Update website - job postings, writing project pages and staff bios
• Manage the annual report creation process
• Work with the graphic designers to create office portfolio, social media posts, and presentations

Qualifications

• Minimum of 6 to 10 years of demonstrated success in grant writing and management
• Extensive experience securing funding from Foundations and City, County, State, and Federal government sources
• Proven ability to write and win competitive, large-scale ($500k-5m) grant proposals
• Strong knowledge of urban planning, community development, and open space funding
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills
• Experience managing complex grant processes and compliance requirements
• Ability to synthesize technical information into persuasive narratives
• Proficiency with Adobe InDesign

• Background in urban planning, public policy, community development, or a related field
• Familiarity with California state funding landscape (CNRA, LCI, State Conservancies, etc.)
• Experience working in or with nonprofit organizations focused on place-based initiatives
• Familiarity with public RFP processes
• Familiarity with Airtable or other database management systems

• Strategic thinking and planning
• Advanced written communication
• Project management and deadline execution
• Attention to detail and compliance rigor
• Relationship management with funders and stakeholders
• Analytical thinking and problem-solving

Location + Schedule:

This is an In-Person position (with flexible schedule options)

Salary Range:

$85,000 to $110,000 annually, commensurate with experience

Benefits include:

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Ins., 401k, Paid time off

How to Apply

Send an electronic copy of cover letter, resume, and writing sample to: View email address on click.appcast.io, with the following subject heading: "Business Development Associate: Your Name "