GOAL STATEMENT: The Sanneh Foundation (TSF) is a 501(c)(3) serving the various needs of Minnesota's low-income youth and their families. The Major Donor Stewardship VISTA will increase organizational capacity by developing and documenting systems to support donor engagement and strengthen relationships with major TSF donors. By coordinating strategic communications and experiences that align with organizational growth, the VISTA will help secure the long-term financial support necessary to sustain programming.

OBJECTIVE of the ASSIGNMENT: Develop an in-depth understanding of the TSF mission, the overlapping nature of its programs, and the current landscape of major donor relationships.

• Step 1: Participate in the AmeriCorps VISTA Virtual Member onboarding and TSF’s onboarding orientation.

• Step 2: Learn the history of Sanneh’s core programs and events through meeting with previous VISTAs, and on-site shadowing at each program delivery point as available (Sports Leadership, Conway Community Center, Nutritional Services, Workforce Development, Operations).

• Step 3: Review historic Sanneh’s event calendars, project management software (Monday), web platform (SquareSpace) and content planning tools. Meet with the Marketing & Social Media Content Strategy VISTA and Marketing team to determine and document new or changing events.

• Step 4: Identify professional development opportunities for self and TSF staff to improve skills related to donor engagement, project management, communications, and fundraising.

• Step 5: Continue to attend workshops, webinars, and other learning opportunities to stay current with trends in multimedia marketing and nonprofit communications. Document best practices as they relate to Sanneh programming needs and event details.

OBJECTIVE of the ASSIGNMENT: Support and coordinate stewardship strategies for major donor cultivation, focusing on personalized engagement and brand alignment that highlights the organization’s work, amplifies its impact, and strengthens its connection with the community, donors, and program participants. Contribute to a new workflow for major donor processes to increase efficiency and sustainability of the Sanneh Marketing & Advancement teams.

• Step 1: Review existing donor stewardship processes and learn the current donor management system to understand major donor profiles and giving history.

• Step 2: Meet with the Vice President of Philanthropy to review key major donors and understand the specific goals for stewardship.

• Step 3: Assist in the development of a major donor stewardship lifecycle, from initial cultivation to long-term recognition and engagement.

• Step 4: Support and coordinate special projects related to major gifts, such as capital campaigns or high-level donor experiences, ensuring all logistics and communications are documented.

• Step 5: Create a sustainability resource outline for Sanneh Staff & future VISTAs (content calendar to plan and track major donor engagement projects) to ensure future timely delivery of materials for upcoming events, campaigns, and program promotions.

OBJECTIVE of the ASSIGNMENT: Create and implement strategic communications and coordinate engagement opportunities for major donor cultivation.

• Step 1: Collaborate with the Content Strategist and the Events team to develop aligned communications for major donor audiences.

• Step 2: Create sustainable communication templates for major recurring events and personalized donor touchpoints.

• Step 3: Coordinate donor engagement opportunities, such as site visits, tabling events, or private briefings, to showcase the real-world impact of their contributions.

• Step 4: Generate reports that showcase program outcomes and success stories, catering specifically to major donors and stakeholders.

• Step 5: Create a sustainability resource outline for Sanneh Staff & future VISTAs (content calendar to plan and track major donor engagement projects) to ensure future timely delivery of materials for upcoming events, campaigns, and program promotions.

OBJECTIVE of the ASSIGNMENT: Support successful major donor cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship as part of The Sanneh Foundation’s $50M Comprehensive Campaign.

• Step 1: Meet with Senior Leadership and consultants to gather information about upcoming Capital Campaign outcomes, current financial goals, achievements, and create talking points and a summary for reference.

• Step 2: Develop reports, donor profiles, and tailored solicitation materials to support the cultivation and solicitation of major campaign donors.

• Step 3: Ensure quality tracking of campaign gifts and recognition strategies.

• Step 4: Create a sustainability resource outline for Sanneh Staff & future VISTAs (content calendar to plan and track major donor engagement projects) to ensure future timely delivery of materials for upcoming events, campaigns, and program promotions.