Volunteer Fundraiser
ATX ROBOTICS INC
Like many non-profits, COVID-19 has impacted our ability to fundraise, particularly since we are a hands-on STEM program.
We are seeking a Volunteer Fundraiser to share their time and knowledge helping us meet our goal of improving sustainability and ensuring that we secure long-term funding partnerships.
ATX Robotics is a nonprofit youth organization with a mission of empowering our community’s young people through STEM education. Since 2016, ATX Robotics has worked hard to create opportunities for community youth to participate in quality STEM activities that are not available at their school. Our main program is Howdy Bots FRC 6377.
In the considerably short time that the organization has been active, we have grown and demonstrated success in a variety of areas. However, as the organization grows, so does the need for a more comprehensive fundraising strategy.
Position
In coordination with the Board of Directors, this position is responsible for securing large donations and corporate sponsorships through all stages of the process: identifying potential sponsors and large donors, consulting with the board for alignment, approaching approved potential donors and sponsors, nurturing potential relationships, and creatively maintaining existing partnerships through sponsor care. Desired individuals will have experience working in the nonprofit setting, an outgoing and friendly personality, demonstrated professionalism and tact in communications with a diversity of individuals, strong organizational and time management skills, acute attention to detail and ability to work well with the company’s administrative team and board.
Tasks
- Identifying and approaching large corporations, local businesses, and universities for corporate sponsorships
- Identifying and approaching targeted individuals for large donations, including in-kind
- Expanding our recurring donor list
- Updating our sponsor packet
- Developing and executing sponsor care plan (students are available to help with execution tasks, if needed)
- If desired by the volunteer, involvement with mentoring students in their own team fundraising efforts
Skills
- Basic computer skills, including use of email
- Punctuality and reliability
- Nonprofit and/or fundraising experience a plus
- Familiarity with Bloomerang is a bonus
- Three to five years’ related experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Prompt communication with team
- Professional and friendly telephone manner
- Self-motivated and ability to work on own initiative
- Strong interpersonal skills
- Ability to deal effectively with a diversity of individuals at all organizational levels
- Good judgment, with the ability to make timely and sound decisions
- Commitment to work in compliance with policies and procedures
- Understanding of and commitment to ATX Robotics’ mission
Goals
- Secure $30,000+ annually through corporate sponsorship and/or large donations.
What will you get in return?
- Develop new skills and put existing skills to good use
- Gain experience working with a notable nonprofit youth organization
- The satisfaction that you are making a real and lasting difference in the lives of Austin area teens
- Record of volunteer service for work and/or school purposes
- Opportunity to become a paid position if funding becomes available
No additional volunteer opportunities at this time.
About ATX ROBOTICS INC
Location:
6101 HARROGATE DR, AUSTIN, TX 78759, US
Mission Statement
We provide quality extracurricular programs to pre-college students of all ages in the Austin area, regardless of their educational status or ability. Our organization is particularly focused on providing access to robotics competition teams to students who are otherwise ineligible to participate due to not being enrolled in a traditional school or do not have access to a team at their school. We provide students the opportunity to work shoulder-to-shoulder with volunteer professional engineers and business people in order to collaborate in hands-on activities designed to foster interest and to promote education in science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM). Though we started with a singular focus of one high school level robotics team competing in the FIRST Robotics Competition, we have a much bigger vision of expanding robotics and STEAM education, in general, to children of all ages.
Description
Howdy Bots FRC 6377 started in 2016 when a student expressed interest in joining a FIRST Robotics Competition (FRC) team but discovered that he was ineligible because he was not enrolled in a high school and there were no local community teams available to him. Howdy Bots was created to fill that gap and to provide students without access to STEAM the opportunity to participate in FIRST robotics programs.
Howdy Bots is an intense, hands-on, and huge labor of love for the mentors and students alike. Each student averages 464 hours of STEM learning during the 4 months of our busiest seasons-and we meet year-round.
We actively recruit at under-resourced public, charter, and private schools, and homeschool groups, as well as provide them with demonstrations where our team members are able to talk about the robot and let the students come up close to see how it all works. Our robotics demonstrations lead to a broader interest in STEAM.
We offer dues and travel scholarships to students who would be unable to participate otherwise, and we have helped graduating seniors with college applications and essays during robotics meetings.
We pride ourselves on serving students who learn at different paces. We meet students where they are and tailor our instruction to their needs, providing both accommodations and scaffolding. We have created a safe environment for girls and continue to increase our percentage of females participating in our program.