Internship Recommendation Report

Title: Fundraising & Development Student Volunteer (Grant Writer)

Location: Channel Islands YMCA

Introduction

This report details my experiences interning at the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA). As part of the civic engagement track at the University of California, Santa Barbara I was actively seeking internship experience to strengthen my professional writing skills, and receive credit to fulfil the minor’s requirements. Both of these were achieved during my time working with the YMCA.

I worked at the Channel Islands YMCA which encompasses seven different branches in the Santa Barbara and Ventura county area. My office was located at the association’s office in downtown Santa Barbara where we focused on the administrative side of the Y branches. Here is where I assisted in the fundraising and development of Y programs and essentially worked as a grant writer. I worked closely with the Chief Development Officer, Jill Rode, who trained me in the basics of writing grants, which are a non-repayable sums of money given to an organization for a specific purpose.

This is a position for a student seeking a career in the non-profit area, looking to learn about fundraising, donor research, campaign planning, capital campaign, and grants. The student will learn about raising financial support for a social service cause, while benefiting from the experience of working with a worldwide nonprofit at the corporate level. Hours are flexible during the normal work week of Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 5 pm, with a minimum of four (4) hours per week. The student volunteer will work in the downtown Santa Barbara office and support the work of the Association and the seven YMCA branches.

History

The YMCA was founded at the end of the industrial revolution in response to unhealthy social conditions ascending from big cities. It was founded on June 6, 1844 in London, England by George Williams. Born a farmer, Williams moved to London at the age of 20 to assist at a drapers shop. It was here where he witnessed the great turmoil apparent in the city of London. He noticed that the other young men like himself that migrated to the city from rural areas, lacked an outlet from the troublesome streets of London. Concerned with what he saw, Williams joined with 11 friends to create the first YMCA.

The Y was not the first of its kind with a mission that focused on social issues related to young men. However, it was unique in its ability to eliminate barriers based on class. This unbiased nature is what led to the Ys expanding its services to all men, women and children, regardless of race, religion or nationality.

After its success in England, a retired Boston sea captain named Thomas Valentine Sullivan brought the YMCA to North America. On December 29, 1851 the firs Y in America was established in Boston. Over the years The Y has continued to grow and been an integral part of America’s history. Perhaps its most popular contributions are its inventions of the sports basketball and volleyball which are now played all around the world.

The Channel Islands YMCA has severed Santa Barbara and Ventura counties since 1887 and has grown to include six health and fitness facilities, a Youth and Family Services branch, and more than 20 child care locations. They take pride in their local presence, mobilizing communities to effect lasting, meaningful change but also upholding a national reach with more than 2,500 YMCAs throughout the country.

Values

The YMCA is s a charitable organization offering programs based upon Christian principles. Their mission is to provide men, women and children of all ages, races, religious beliefs and economic status, to develop and enrich the spirit, mind, and body. They are the nation’s leading nonprofit committed to strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. Their efforts support opportunities that empower people and communities to learn, grow and thrive. In response to civic issues, the Y has a long history of transforming itself to meet the pressing social needs of the time.

The Y seeks to nurture the potential of every youth and teen, improve the nation’s health and well-being, and provide opportunities to give back and support neighbors. The programs range from a variety of needs based on these principles. Whether a person is seeking health and fitness classes, childcare programs, day or resident camps, teen or family activities, volunteer opportunities, or special events, there is always an option for people of all ages, interests, and abilities. Y programs are open to everyone, with the opportunity for financial assistance available if needed. Many of the programs are provided by highly trained professionals that include specialized programs to improve overall wellness.

Projects and Learning Outcomes

My tasks were all supervised by the Chief Development Officer, Jill Rode. I received close training with her on donor research, annual and capital campaign fundraising and grant writing. I also worked with the association staff and other volunteers.

Sample Projects

• Foundations and Corporations: Research and discover funding opportunities through foundation, corporation and other entities to support the Y mission.

• Research: Research corporations and foundations that may be donor prospects. Also do donor research as needed.

• Annual Campaign: Assist a specific branch of the Y (one of the seven) and the association, to implement the annual campaign. Assist with volunteer recruitment and training, campaign fundraising, event support and campaign implementation.

• Grant Writing: Fill out applications answering questions, drafting a budget and listing positive outcomes, goals, etc.

• Special Events: Assist with design, planning and implementation of special evets, such as 5k runs, golf tournaments, and more. Seek sponsorship for special events, including cash gifts and donations.

Qualification and Requirements necessary to hold this position

• Passion for working in social services or non-profit arena

• General business or non-profit knowledge

• Use of Microsoft office suite

• Knowledge and use of social media

• Enrolled in college degree program

• Strong communication (oral, written, presentation) skills

• Detail oriented

• Professional presence and demeanor

• Required to complete an application, be fingerprinted, and complete safety orientation

Outcomes

My time at the YMCA helped prepare me for the corporate world. I now feel prepared to begin my next phase of life after graduation. The Y was an appropriate transition from academic writing to applicable professional writing. I now have a skill that can be used by almost any nonprofit organization in my learned ability of grant writing.

A typical day for me would consist of some sort of writing every day. It was usually on a grant that I was working on, and those were for many different programs of the Y: Enhance®Fitness, BOLD & GOLD, and Diabetes Prevention Program. My first step when I received a new grant was to identify myself with the purpose of the program that needed funding. This was accomplished by reading project descriptions, researching the programs online, or going through pamphlets about the program. I was often briefed about the programs by Jill Rode who helped me familiarize myself with them. I would then research the need for these programs and how such programs are beneficial to society. Sometimes I would have prewritten grants from other branches that I could utilize by rephrasing them to fit the grant questions. Once completed with the grant I would go over them with Jill Rode before they would be sent to the branch for submission.

If I chose to, I can now pursue a career in grant writing thanks to my experiences here. I have learned the basic concepts of what it takes to write a grant. I understand the rhetoric that needs to be used to persuade the audience, the fundamentals behind drafting a budget and the information required to fill out a grant application. I also understand how to look through form 990s for potential donors. By sorting through the relevant tax information I am able to identify likely donors. I can even locate grants and recognize an organization’s potential for being awarded the grant. I plan to consolidate these skills to market myself to other employers as a novice grant writer. A lot of the skills acquired from this internship would not have been possible without my background in civic engagement writing. The minor prepared me to be able to handle the type of writing necessary to produce successful grants.

Recommendation

I would definitely recommend this internship to anyone in the civic engagement track of the professional writing minor. For those passionate about promoting a convivial society would appreciate the mission of the Y. Anyone interested in a career working for a non-profit would also benefit from working with the Y. During my time here I was able to get a better understanding of how non-profits operate by being on the inside. The Y in particular depends on the work of a lot of volunteer students. Therefore, they have experience working with students and are eager to help students grow.

There are many possibilities outside of grant writing offered at the Y as well. However, I strongly recommend grant writing. It is a tool that can be used in many different organizations and it is a valuable skill to know. Many of the programs are not possible without the efforts of effective grant writers. Even if grant writing is not the main title of work it can be used as a backup in case a company is in need of additional funds. The Y is eager to work with writing minors and if interested feel free to contact the Channel Islands Association office to submit a resume.