Fundraising Committee - (Committee Chair - Seattle)

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AsylumConnect Local Fundraising Committee: Memorandum of Understanding

Written Statement of Role & Responsibilities

About AsylumConnect

Co-founded by a lesbian and gay asylum seeker in 2014 at the University of Pennsylvania, AsylumConnect is a tech nonprofit startup helping LGBTQ asylum seekers find safe resources in the United States. The organization’s vision is to provide LGBTQ asylum seekers with the verified information and sense of community they need to safely integrate in their new home. At scale, AsylumConnect will serve as the go-to information hub for persecuted LGBTQ people and the organizations who serve them.

The AsylumConnect catalog, available on web and mobile devices, is the first ever online resource database for LGBTQ asylum seekers in the U.S. The catalog helps persecuted LGBTQ people identify and access verified human needs resources upon their arrival in the U.S. Nonprofits, immigration attorneys, and other service providers able to serve LGBTQ asylum seekers in the U.S. can also use AsylumConnect’s free, online database to gather verified resource referrals for their clients. AsylumConnect is now partnering with Y Combinator-backed nonprofit One Degree to build a national version of its resource catalog.

Since its founding, AsylumConnect has received recognition and support from the United Nations (UN), Seattle.gov, MCJ/Amelior Foundation, Business Today, Clinton Foundation, Harvard Social Enterprise Conference (SECON), Lesbians Who Tech, Trevor Project, U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI), and others.

Statement of Purpose

AsylumConnect’s local fundraising committees will work to fundraise on behalf of the organization in select U.S. cities. These committees will cultivate strong fundraising bases for AsylumConnect through targeting local sponsors, as well as the local LGBTQ and immigrant communities. Through driving local fundraising, these committees will enable AsylumConnect to achieve its mission of helping LGBTQ asylum seekers safely integrate in the U.S.

Who We Are Looking For

• AsylumConnect is looking predominantly for individuals embedded in the LGBTQ and/or immigrant communities of their respective hometowns and cities. We also welcome LGBTQ allies committed to fundraising on behalf of AsylumConnect.

• We are seeking individuals committed to the mission of AsylumConnect, who get excited about bringing in funds and who are eager to implement creative measures to do so.
• Members should be committed to utilizing online communications tools (email, phone / video call, etc.) to correspond with other committee members, potential funders, donors, and AsylumConnect leadership.

Structure

• At least 6 volunteer members
• 1-2 local Committee Chair(s)

Membership

• All members commit to serving a minimum 1-year term on the committee.
• Individual memberships will be reviewed on a yearly basis by the AsylumConnect leadership team in conjunction with the local Committee Chair(s).
• Membership in the committee may be renewed upon successful completion.

Duties

• The committee will hold quarterly meetings throughout the year, either via conference call or in-person - method to be determined at the discretion of the local Committee Chair(s). Attendance at these quarterly meetings are expected of all members.
• The committee will correspond via phone, email and supplemental in-person meetings throughout the year in order to meet its fundraising objectives.
• Will report to Director of Fundraising and Director of Finance through monthly check-ins.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Maintain shared fundraising calendar.
• Analyze relationships with current and prospective local donors and funders, and develop individualized strategies to cultivate or strengthen those relationships.
• Analyze relationships with current and prospective local corporate sponsors, devise sponsorship packages, and work with staff and Board to develop relationships.
• Meet with current and prospective local donors and funders (foundations and corporations).
• Tap respective networks for potential donors of money, time and in-kind support.
• Copy the AsylumConnect team on all donor email contacts.
• Meet quarterly and as needed.

Internal Support

• Local fundraising committees will work closely with and report directly to the AsylumConnect Director of Fundraising and Director of Finance.
• Local fundraising committees will also be provided access to the AsylumConnect’s Co-Founder & President, Vice President, and other leadership as needed.

Terms of Office

• Each local fundraising committee will be chaired by 1-2 Committee Chair(s) to be appointed by the AsylumConnect leadership team.

Fundraising Activities & Deliverables

• Track progress toward fundraising goals both for individual committee members and for the committee as a whole. AsylumConnect as a whole.
• Strive to host at least 1 fundraising event per quarter.
• Strive to meet an annual fundraising goal of at least $150,000.
• Implement local fundraising initiatives and partnerships (with i.e. Panera Bread, Atlas Run, etc.). See *Please refer to the "Fundraising Strategies" document in Google Drive for a list of recommended fundraising strategies. local fundraising committee folder for full list. Committees will be expected to iImplement a minimum of 2 per quarter.
• Conduct peer-to-peer fundraising to enhance fundraising efforts.

Qualifications/Experience

• All members must reside in the select city of the committee.
• Members should have fundraising experience (preferably in the nonprofit sector).
• Seeking members with experience in securing corporate sponsorship and/or grassroots donations.
• Seeking members with strong ties to the local LGBTQ and/or immigrant communities.
• Confident in utilizing online, in-person, and phone telephonic outreach methods.

Benefits of Membership

• All committee members will have the chance to hone their professional fundraising skills as well as earn a letter of recommendation/reference from Katie Sgarro, AsylumConnect Co-Founder & President, speaking to their service.
• All committee members are given entry into the ground floor of a young nonprofit initiative. All members have the unique opportunity to help significantly shape and expand AsylumConnect’s fundraising strategy.
• And most importantly, all committee members have the chance to truly make a difference in the lives of the thousands of LGBTQ asylum seekers in the U.S.
• Access to Slack for communication with AsylumConnect leadership.
• Virtual Digital and/or in-person coffee meetups with AsylumConnect staff. We look to have fun too!