Development Director VISTA (Great opportunity for college graduates looking to take a gap year)

Help build the financial engine that allows local literacy support to reach more low-income children and families. Nearly 4 out of 10 Vista Unified students are not reading at grade level, leaving hundreds behind in foundational skills. Meanwhile, families face fragmented systems when seeking support.

To bridge this gap, We Strive for Literacy (WSFL) is establishing the Vista Literacy Collaborative—uniting schools, community organizations, volunteers, and funders to support ~300 low-income children and families over the next three years.

Capacity-Building Role: This is not a direct tutoring position. As a VISTA member, you will build the fundraising infrastructure, donor tracking systems, and grant libraries needed to ensure long-term financial sustainability for WSFL.

(This is a great opportunity for recent high school or college graduates looking to take a gap year or someone retired)

Key Responsibilities

Prospect Research & Strategy

• Readiness Assessment: Evaluate organizational funding needs, past development performance, and in-kind resource requirements.
• Pipeline Management: Build and maintain a fundraising pipeline and grant calendar using ClickUp to track grant, donor, and sponsorship opportunities.
• Collateral Creation: Develop a compelling "Case for Support," prospect briefs, and a reusable narrative library for future applications.

Grant Writing & Donor Stewardship

• Proposal Preparation: Draft grant narratives, application materials, and supporting documentation for executive leadership review and submission.
• Stewardship Systems: Establish standard workflows for donor follow-up, grant reporting, renewal tracking, and ongoing funder stewardship.
• Process Transfer: Document all systems, analyze development outcomes, and hand off sustainable workflows to WSFL staff.

Year 1 Targets

• Identify at least 12 qualified prospects (grants, corporate sponsorships, donors, or in-kind opportunities).
• Support the formal pursuit and submission of 7 requests.
• Assist WSFL in securing at least 3 new funding, sponsorship, or in-kind commitments.

Skills & Qualifications

• Development & Writing: Grant writing/research, persuasive writing, editing, and communications.
• Operations & Systems: Data management, project tracking (ClickUp experience is a plus), and process mapping.
• Interpersonal & Soft Skills: Relationship management, leadership, teamwork, and public speaking.
• Language Skill (Bonus): Conversational or fluent Spanish is welcomed.

Program Benefits

• Living Allowance
• Choice of Segal Education Award or End-of-Service Stipend upon successful completion
• Transportation Reimbursement & Relocation Allowance (if eligible)
• Healthcare Coverage & Childcare Assistance (if eligible)
• Structured supervision, hands-on project coaching, and professional development

IMPORTANT AMERICORPS VISTA SERVICE DETAILS

Before applying, we want to make sure the structure of AmeriCorps VISTA service aligns with what you are looking for:

• This is a full-time AmeriCorps VISTA service position, not a traditional salaried position. VISTA members receive an AmeriCorps living allowance of approximately $32,000 over the one-year service term.
• This is an in-person position in Vista, California. Relocation assistance may be available for eligible candidates who are relocating to serve.
• Candidates must meet AmeriCorps eligibility and background-check requirements.
• Upon successful completion of service, members may choose between a Segal AmeriCorps Education Award or an end-of-service stipend, along with other eligible AmeriCorps benefits.

HOW TO APPLY

To be considered for this position, you MUST submit an application through the official AmeriCorps Portal. Applying through Idealist alone does not complete the AmeriCorps application process.

https://my.americorps.gov/mp/listing/viewListing.do?fromSearch=true&id=130525

https://www.americorps.gov/members-volunteers/vista/benefits