Grants Manager
City of Urbana
Openings as of 2/7/2026
- Position Type:
Administration/Management/Community Development
- Date Posted:
2/6/2026
- Location:
Urbana City Building (Community Development)
- Date Available:
When filled
- Consistently adheres to schedules, timelines, and work plans, while strengthening the Grants Division's organizational systems to improve daily task management and long-term record keeping. Demonstrates a strong aptitude for organization and process, ensuring structure, clarity, and efficiency in all work.
- Actively listens and responds with empathy, especially when dealing with sensitive or emotionally charged situations; demonstrates strong personal resilience during highly charged public hearings, maintaining composure and professionalism in challenging situations.
- Demonstrates consistency between words and actions, reinforcing State and Federal grant requirements and upholding City codes.
- Maintains professionalism and focus even amid frequent interruptions or shifting demands.
- Is highly organized and maintains accuracy and consistency in reporting documents, accounting, and program management.
- Consistently adheres to rules, policies, and ethical standards even when no one is watching.
- Strengthens team culture by being open, respectful, and generous with knowledge.
Actively support and uphold the mission and values of the City of Urbana.
Provides leadership to the Grants Division by planning, organizing, and leading all affordable housing and community development programming and activities for the division. Responsible for managing all aspects of the HUD federally funded programs, including but not limited to financial management and budgeting, data collection and reporting as required by HUD, managing subrecipients, and preparing the multi-year Consolidated Plan and Annual Action Plan.
Develops and regularly updates comprehensive housing strategy for the City, working with partners in the local affordable housing development community.
Advances the City's community development priorities by fostering strategic partnerships with key stakeholders, including but not limited to the Housing Authority of Champaign County (HACC); state and federal agencies; non-profit community development corporations; and financial institutions.
Administers contracts relative to housing and community development initiatives.
Actively promotes the development of affordable housing opportunities throughout the City.
Manages and oversees administration of affordable housing and community development grant programs by division staff; responsible for program design and development, preparation of grant applications including applications for annual entitlement grants, design and management of record keeping systems, delegation of program management activities to division staff, monitoring of staff and program performance, preparation and submittal of performance reports, and compliance with federal, state, and local grantor requirements.
Manages funds necessary for program performance through negotiation of grant agreements, negotiation of financial agreements, and maintenance of financial and accounting records.
Prepares and causes implementation of a public participation plan in accordance with federal guidelines; facilitates public hearings related to division activities. Designs and implements a community outreach program necessary for the accomplishment of division goals; interacts with community residents; coordinates with other local agencies and organizations with regard to affordable housing and community development programs; maintains close communications with Social Service and other governmental agencies. Staffs the Community Development Commission through ensuring the preparation of monthly agendas and meeting packets, attendance at Commission meetings, preparation of correspondence on behalf of the Commission, orientation of new Commission members.
Oversees the preparation of and/or prepares agreements and contracts including, but not limited to, construction contracts, grant agreements, and financial documents, for review and approval by the Legal Division.
Coordinates preparation of the multi-year Consolidated Plan; develops and implements a schedule for preparation of the annual action plan; facilitates public hearings in connection with the plan; drafts the plan, including recommended affordable housing and community development strategies, for review and approval by the Community Development Commission and City Council.
Manages the small business, property, and housing loan portfolio, ensuring timely loan repayments; prepares and executes mortgage releases, subordination agreements, assumption agreements, and related documents on behalf of the City with respect to the loan portfolio.
Supervises and evaluates Grants Division staff; provides for staff training and professional development as needed; handles matters pertaining to job performance.
Prepares the annual division work plan and monitors its implementation by division staff.
Oversees use of the private activity revenue bond allocation for housing-related projects; prepares bond documents and intergovernmental agreements for review by Community Development Commission and City Council.
Manages the Grants Division budget and assists in annual budget preparation; reviews and approves weekly purchase orders and invoices related to division activities.
Represents the City on various Champaign County Community Services interest groups.
Coordinates with the Housing Authority of Champaign County on various matters pertaining to the City, including redevelopment projects. Attends Housing Authority Board meetings as necessary.
Coordinates with HUD field representatives, responds to monitoring needs, and proactively avoids audit findings.
Coordinates with representatives of the Illinois Housing Development Authority on issues related to Urbana and Champaign County.
Represents the division before the Community Development Commission and City Council on matters pertaining to division activities and programs; prepares, reviews, and presents reports to boards and commissions as required.
Approves grant fund draws, including draws through the Integrated Disbursement and Information System and Letter of Credit Control System.
- A Bachelor's degree in Urban Planning, Public Administration, Housing Management/Development, Human Services, Social Services, or a closely related field.
- Five (5) years of progressively responsible, related professional experience, including at least (2) years of supervisory experience.
- Experience with HUD reporting systems including IDIS (Integrated Disbursement & Information System) and eLOCCS (Line of Credit Control System).
Must meet all HUD requirements.
- Health insurance through Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Illinois, including a no-cost premium option for employees
- Dental insurance options through Delta Dental
- Vision, Voluntary Life, Short/Long-term Disability, Accident, and Critical Illness insurance options
- Flexible Spending Plan option
- Paid holidays
- Generous vacation and unlimited sick leave accruals
| Grants Manager | JobID: 520 |
Join Our Team!
Grants Manager
Starting Salary Range: $92,003.32 - $121,904.40 annually
Job Type: Full-time, Exempt, Civil Service
Position Summary:
The Grants Manager is responsible for administration of affordable housing and community development programs funded primarily with Federal and State grants, including, but not limited to, Community Development Block Grant, (CDBG) HOME Investment Partnerships, Supportive Housing, Housing and Homelessness Innovations Grant Program, Illinois Department of Human Services funding, housing rehabilitation grants, and first-time homebuyer programs. Functions include preparation and implementation of a multi-year Consolidated Plan, Annual Action Plans (AAP), Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Reports (CAPER), and preparation and administration of the division budget, oversight of programs administered by division staff, and compliance with Federal, State, and local grantor requirements. Provide staff support to the Community Development Commission and City Council.
Our Ideal Candidate:
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
Required / Minimum Qualifications:
For a complete list of duties and qualifications, please refer to the job description.
To Apply:
Applicants must submit a current resume and an online application. Click the red "Apply" button on the upper-right hand side of this page. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, however initial application review will occur after Friday, February 20, 2026. Interested applicants are strongly encouraged to apply prior to this date for priority consideration.
Selection Process:
The application will serve as the Civil Service exam; applicants meeting or exceeding the passing score will be placed on an open competitive register to fill current and/or future vacancies that may occur within approximately the next two years; this register may be extended or voided as needed by the Civil Service Commission. Questions may be directed to Tamra Lighty, Human Resources Coordinator, at: jobs@urbanail.gov or call (217) 384-6293. The City of Urbana provides reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities; if you need information, please contact the Human Resources Division at the number or e-mail above.
What happens after I submit my application?
You will be contacted by e-mail regarding your status once a decision has been made in the selection process. Once you apply, almost all communication regarding the status of your application will be by email through the City's applicant management platform, so please add the domain "@applitrack.com" to your address book to prevent any emails from going to your Spam/Junk folder.
The Organization
The City of Urbana, founded in 1833 and the county seat of Champaign County, is a home-rule municipality situated in east central Illinois, approximately 135 miles south of Chicago and 45 miles west of the Indiana border. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the state's flagship university, is located in both Urbana and Urbana's twin city of Champaign. Urbana's population is estimated at 38,336 and 11.9 square miles are within the City boundaries. The City is led by Mayor DeShawn Williams and operates under the mayor-aldermanic form of government. On average, Urbana employs 260 full-time personnel. For more information about the City of Urbana, visit: www.urbanaillinois.us.
About the Urbana Community
Award-winning dining. Cutting-edge technology. World-class education. Gigabit-speed fiber network. Urbana is a city where artists, thinkers, and innovators thrive. And we're just getting started!
Urbana boasts a history built on innovation. From the famed Morrow Plots, a National Historic Landmark, to the groundbreaking research conducted every day on the flagship campus of the University of Illinois, Urbana embraces creative thinking and diversity to drive innovation and advancement. We're connected to each other and the world thanks to an award-winning mass transit district, Amtrak rail, a regional airport, and three major interstates. Prefer to get around on two wheels? We are proud to be the first Gold Level Bicycle Friendly Community in Illinois. Our West Urbana neighborhood has been named of the 10 Great Neighborhoods in America by the American Planning Association, and together with our twin city Champaign, we've been recognized as the Greatest Food Town in the Midwest by Midwest Living Magazine, as well as an AARP Age-Friendly Community. Led by Mayor DeShawn Williams, Urbana's progressive values include civic engagement, celebrating entrepreneurs and innovators, smart growth, and transparent governance. Award-winning schools, outstanding parks, a mosaic of diverse and engaged neighborhoods, a robust array of businesses located throughout the city, and reliable public services committed to the best possible quality of life for residents serve to make Urbana a great place for all to thrive.
Compensation and Benefits
The City of Urbana offers competitive compensation and benefits to our employees. The full salary range for this position is $92,003.32 - $151,805.49 per year; the starting annual range is $92,003.32 - $121,904.40.The City of Urbana provides its employees with a robust benefits package that includes the following options:
For more information about City benefits for this position, please visit Management Benefits | City of Urbana Careers | Urbana, Illinois.
The City of Urbana Welcomes Diversity!
We foster an environment that values and encourages mutual respect, inclusion of all people, and utilizing differences and similarities as an organizational asset. EOE.