NGO Fundraising Coordinator

Otra Cosa Network is a well-established UK Registered Charity and Peruvian registered not for profit (NGO), addressing the educational needs of children and vulnerable adults in an extremely impoverished area of Northern Peru. We work in informal settlements where many community members have been displaced by climate change, disaster and political instability. They live in precarious circumstances, few have running water, sewage provision and there is only sporadic electricity. Additionally, many children are forced to work instead of continuing their education, in order to boost family finances and there are no community-based facilities for learning and developing new skills in a safe environment.

Our dynamic range of activities address language skills, environmental awareness, women’s entrepreneurship, youth, employability and gender empowerment. We are seeking volunteers to work in project implementation in our new Recreation and Education Centre as well as our field office. Projects will restart as soon as the community is safely able to come out of isolation, post coronavirus. Our range of activities are implemented by national and international volunteers, allowing them to express solidarity whilst boosting their field experience. 

We are keen to explore new fundraising opportunities both locally and around the world in order to ensure the long-term stability of our organisation. 

As a Fundraising Coordinator you will help us with that task by providing assistance in identifying donor resources and potential financial support, raising funds by writing proposals for long-term organizational sustainability as well as applications for project funding. You will also be able to contribute with new, innovative ideas in the field of fundraising. You will work together with our field staff management team and receive ongoing support and guidance throughout your placement whilst also learning and practicing new skills.

Please note that all volunteer positions are also available as Internships. With this add-on you will receive an extra level of mentorship and where necessary all appropriate liaison with your academic institution to ensure compliance with internship placement requirements. 

• Preparing fundraising documents and other support materials, e.g. flyers, texts for website or social media.

• Approaching existing and potential donors to incentivise them to donate for the first time or increase their donations.

• Maintaining and growing donor database.

• Gain an understanding of the tax benefits offered by the UK government to charities, e.g. Gift Aid.

• Pursuing efforts to maintain a positive public image, including regular event promotion.

• Mentorship from our Fundraising Manager relating to grant writing, philanthropy and fundraising.

• Personal pick-up upon arriving and walking tour through Huanchaco

• Thorough introduction to the organization 

• Certified Training in First Aid and Child Safeguarding.

• Weekly one-to-one meetings with a Manager

• 24/7 emergency support 

• Organized activities & trips (barbeques, game nights, volunteer-lunch, team building trips) with like-minded people from all over the world

• Working in a friendly beach & surf town right next to many historical sites

• The satisfying feeling of committing your work to a good cause whilst gaining insight into a new culture

• Certificate of completion detailing your role, the project(s) you participated in and the dates you volunteered in.

• Current background check from your home country.

• Spanish Level: None required

• English Level:  Advanced/Fluent

• Time Commitment: Minimum 3 months

• Generally 20-25 hours a week, Mon-Fri

• Fundraising and Philanthropy

• Business Development

• International Relations

• Public Relations

• Journalism

• Communications

• Community Development Studies

• NGO and Humanitarian Management

• Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)

• Grant Writing

Whilst there is a lot of variety in this role, on a typical day as a Fundraising Coordinator/Intern will pretty much always start off with a good cup of coffee in the office with the team, followed by strategizing and priority setting with the managers to decide on your task allocation for the day. 

Here you have a chance to contribute your own experiences or help give us new ideas on how to make our fundraising efforts as productive and innovative as possible. You will take part in Fundraising Team Meetings and assist in running fundraising campaigns, events and in researching and writing grant applications.

After work there is plenty of time to catch one of Huanchaco’s world famous sunsets from the tranquility of the beach, or indeed from a surfboard. Then there are various options to fill your evening, socializing with local and other volunteers, sampling the famous Peruvian cuisine, attending talks and cultural events, music, dance, theatre, movies- the list is endless.

Huanchaco is a beautiful coastal town where the waves are perfect all year long, which makes this place popular among surfers. The long beaches and relaxed atmosphere attract both Peruvians from nearby cities and backpackers traveling through Peru. This gives the small town an extremely welcoming and friendly vibe where the locals, volunteers and travellers interact and getting to know each other on a daily basis. The city has adapted to this mix and hosts many cafés, restaurants, yoga studios, surf schools, gyms and other activities and sports that are available for everyone. However, the town still remains a quiet, easy-going place that retains its fishing-village ambience. Over the last three millennia, locals have stuck to traditional ways of fishing, going out on their caballitos de totora (traditional reed fishing boats), and using their nets to gather their catch for the day.  Furthermore, Huanchaco is surrounded by mountains where it is possible to go hiking (tours are arranged by local guides, at reasonable prices). If you prefer cultural activities, the district is home to Chan Chan, the largest pre-Columbian city in South America and is only  a few minutes away from Huaca del sol y de la luna, which are among the most well-preserved temple ruins of the old Incan empire that can be found in Peru. Trujillo, Peru’s third biggest city, is only a 30 minutes bus ride far away. The colonial city of Trujillo offers many shopping and sight-seeing opportunities accompanied by a lively big city feeling.