Nonprofit Development and Events Volunteer

About Central Oregon Locavore

Central Oregon Locavore is a nonprofit organization working to strengthen Central Oregon's local food system by supporting local farmers and ranchers, expanding access to fresh local food, and connecting producers with the communities they serve.

We operate Central Oregon’s only year-round local food marketplace, open 7 days a week. We connect 182 active local farmers, ranchers, and food makers with Central Oregon consumers, returning 65 cents of every dollar to the producer, the same share a farmer earns at a farmers market, without requiring them to staff a booth or be off the farm for extended periods. We are opening our first satellite location this fall.

Our core programming includes:

• Small Farmer Support Program: Business support program that helps producers increase profitability through shared infrastructure, cost-saving resources, and operational support.
• The Locavore Producer Accelerator: Business support program that increases producer profitability and long term business resilience through coaching, planning, pricing, and marketing assistance.
• Willing Workers on Local Farms (WWOLF): A volunteer powered program that helps local farms complete labor intensive projects, reducing costs and strengthening farm viability.
• Meet Your Farmer Dinner Series: Farm-to-table events that generate income for local restaurants and producers while connecting consumers directly to their food system.
• Annual Holiday Gift Faire: A premier holiday market that connects thousands of shoppers with 80+ local artisans, makers, and food entrepreneurs, generating significant seasonal revenue for small businesses.
• Baby Rx: A maternal and infant nutrition program that provides donor milk and breastfeeding supplies at no-cost to families facing financial barriers.

We are seeking a motivated, organized, and dependable volunteer to support our development, fundraising, donor stewardship, program coordination, and special events work. This is a hands-on opportunity to gain practical experience in nonprofit operations while contributing to programs and events that directly support local agriculture and our community.

Volunteer Overview

The Nonprofit Development & Events Volunteer will work closely with the Executive Director and other Locavore staff to support fundraising activities, corporate sponsorships, donor stewardship, volunteer coordination, and event planning and execution.

This position is well suited for a student interested in nonprofit management, fundraising, development, event planning, public administration, community engagement, business, or a related field.

The volunteer will be entrusted with substantive projects and responsibilities that contribute directly to the organization's fundraising and program goals.

Key Responsibilities May Include:

Locavore's Annual Holiday Gift Faire

• Assist with event planning and logistics
• Coordinate sponsor fulfillment and recognition
• Solicit and coordinate volunteers
• Manage pre-event volunteer communication and logistics
• Provide day of event support
• Prepare a post-event synopsis summarizing event activities, participation, and outcomes for sponsors.

End of Year Giving Campaign

• Facilitate preparation and distribution of End of Year giving letters
• Coordinate logistics and deadlines associated with the mailing
• Coordinate ordering of End of Year Giving materials

Corporate Sponsorship Solicitation

• Communicate with prospective and current corporate sponsors
• Conduct outreach and follow up regarding sponsorship opportunities
• Track sponsorship commitments and outstanding follow up
• Assist with sponsorship documentation and fulfillment

Annual Gala

• Conduct sponsorship solicitation using established prospects
• Conduct in kind donation solicitation and follow up
• Assist with tracking commitments and fulfillment

Donor Management & Stewardship

• Maintain donor and sponsor fulfillment calendars
• Update and maintain tracking systems
• Monitor deadlines and commitments
• Assist with ensuring donors and sponsors receive promised recognition and benefits
• Support timely follow-up and stewardship activities

WWOLF Program Coordination

• Schedule farms and ranches to host 2027 WWOLF volunteer events
• Communicate with host farms regarding event dates and logistics
• Coordinate event information and participant communication
• Maintain scheduling and program records

Qualifications

We are looking for a person who is:

• Organized and detail oriented
• Dependable and able to follow through on commitments
• Comfortable communicating professionally by email and phone
• Able to manage multiple projects and deadlines
• Comfortable working independently while knowing when to ask questions
• Interested in nonprofit organizations, fundraising, events, community engagement, or local food systems
• Comfortable using spreadsheets, email, calendars, and standard office software

Prior fundraising or nonprofit experience is helpful but not required.

What Makes This Different

The volunteer will gain direct experience in the operational side of nonprofit development, including fundraising outreach, sponsorship management, donor stewardship, volunteer coordination, program scheduling, and event execution.

The position offers the opportunity to see how a community-based nonprofit builds relationships with donors, businesses, volunteers, farmers, ranchers, and community partners while supporting the organization's fundraising and program goals.