The VISTA Fundraising and Development Assistant will work with senior leadership to complete qualitative and quantitative research of the new target area, including identifying and analyzing points of data, to guide and inform the need for our new grant applications. He/she will also assist with drafting and completing grant applications that would support the expansion of ORS into the new target area.
Service Activities
Member Activities include:
Assessing potential target areas and researching data-driven needs to identify and assess quantitatively where the expansion of ORS programs may be needed.
Conducting informal interviews of partner organizations and potential clients to obtain qualitative data from key personnel—school counselors or youth in a new target school, for example—on perceived needs that may not easily be quantifiable or may not be available yet in data reports.
Completing research into the census data, Texas Education Agency data, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and other sources to support grant applications.
Working with ORS top leadership to learn the current status of grant applications and funding.
Building on knowledge and skills for grant writing.
Community Need Addressed
ORS is looking for talented, passionate people to help us as we expand our higher education access programs for youth and adults into new areas. The ORS VISTA project will build the capacity of the organization for expansion into a new target area by developing a public relations plan that will engage the community, and by researching, drafting, and submitting grant applications.
Position Outcomes
Specific outcomes include:
Increased revenue to support the mission and vision of the organization
Increased numbers of individuals served by ORS's programs
Fully researched and developed public relations plan
Benefits
Childcare assistance if eligible, Education award upon successful completion of service, Health coverage, Living allowance, Relocation allowance (if applicable), Student loan forbearance, Training
• Access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Fun, creative, and supportive work environment
• Professional development and mentoring
• On-the-job training for resume development
Education Benefits
College Degree, Credential or Certification
CPR & First Aid; PMI Project Management Concepts, Agile Project Management Concepts,
Skills you will gain
Grant Writing, Grant Management, Nonprofit Management, Project Management, Communications, Office Administration
Competencies You Will Develop
Communication
Lead group discussion, Listen to and consider others' viewpoints, Maintain open lines of communication with others, Write cleary and effectively
Creativity & Problem Solving
Able to identify and define the problem, Capable of generating possible solutions, Communicate the problem to appropriate personnel, Improvise, Provide relevant expertise, Select and implement well-considered solution
Teamwork
Develop constructive working relationships and maintain them over time, Establish a high degree of trust and credibility with others, Interact professionally and respectfully with supervisors and co-workers, Stay positive and outcome oriented, Use appropriate strategies and solutions for dealing with conflicts and differences to maintain a smooth workflow
Decisions
Accepts responsibility, Anticipate the consequences of decisions, Identify and prioritize the key issues involved to facilitate the decision making process, Involve people appropriately in decisions that may impact them, Quickly respond with a back-up plan if a decision goes amiss
Tools
Carefully consider which tools or technological solutions are appropriate for a given job, Consistently choose the best tool or technological solution for the problem at hand, Seek opportunities to improve knowledge of tools and technologies that may assist in streamlining work and improving productivity
Planning
Able to prioritize various competing tasks, Create environment of contribution, Create plan of action, schedule tasks so that work is completed on time, Demonstrate the effective allocation of time and resources efficiently, Effectively delegate tasks, Facilitate group planning, Set goals
Service
Be pleasant, courteous, professional and respectful when dealing with internal and external customers or clients, Evaluate customer or client satisfaction, Provide personalized, prompt, and efficient service to meet the requirements, requests and needs of customers, Recognize the importance of maintaining privacy and confidentiality of those being served, Understand and anticipate the needs of others, Understand the importance of one's role in the functioning of the organization, Understand the significance of maintaining a healthful and safe environment