August 2024 Roundup

Read on for volunteer opportunities (including board positions), events, local nonprofit news, and job openings! If you have thoughts or feedback you'd like to share, don't hesitate to email Amanda Liaw at [email protected].

Opportunities to Give Time, Talent, & Treasure

?? This Sunday, help Prince William Conservation Alliance protect the ecosystem at Veteran's Park! They are hosting multiple work sessions between 11:30am-2:30pm in partnership with Green Steeze. Learn about eco-friendly gardening tips, tree care, wetlands, invasive weeds, and local animals, plus meet your neighbors, do some weeding, and enjoy snacks. RSVP here.

??? Volunteer as an instructor for Negotiation Works! This nonprofit uses innovative negotiation and self-advocacy training to empower people emerging from difficult (and often traumatic) situations so they can better navigate their everyday challenges and live the next chapters of their lives confidently. They are accepting applications for volunteer instructors to teach multi-week negotiation courses in 2025, their signature program tailored for historically marginalized individuals. All volunteers undergo a comprehensive training program with in-person training sessions and ongoing mentorship. Learn more and complete their application by August 30!

?? Help Main Street Child Development Center secure needed backpacks and supplies for 50 elementary school children from families with low incomes! With the next school year starting soon, they are looking for people to purchase backpacks and essential supplies ASAP. Donate $75 online or purchase items from their Amazon wish list (that have been specifically selected for the upcoming year).

??? Join Computer CORE as a board member. This nonprofits transforms lives through digital literacy education, propelling adult students onto a successful learning and career pathway. They are looking for board candidates motivated by a passion for education, access, and opportunity. Learn more and contact their Governance Chair, Marianne Alicona, at [email protected] for more information and the application packet.

Events

?? Did you know that August is Black Philanthropy Month? In 2024, they are activating contemporary Afro-futurism to help their Movement throughout the US and worldwide imagine and co-create a more powerful future for Black giving and community finance in general. Learn more about supporting a Black-led organization this month and spread the word!

??? On Saturday, August 17, Teaching for Change's initative, DC Area Educators for Social Justice, is hosting the third annual Social Justice Curriculum Fair. If you're a local educator, join them at Inspired Teaching Demonstration PCS from 8:45am-12:15pm. Learn more about this opportunity here.

??? On Sunday, August 18, commemorate Black August with Harriet's Wildest Dreams. From 1-5pm, they will be at Sycamore & Oak for a Day of Global Peace: A Chocolate City Experience. This cross-cultural celebration will be rooted in resistance, education & healing. RSVP here. (Can't make it? View their 2023 Impact Report here and help them continue their crucial work in the fight for Black liberation.)

?? On Tuesday, August 20, DC Collaborative is partnering with the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities for an evening of fun games, refreshments, and community-building. Meet leaders in the local arts scene at their Community Social Hour from 5:30-7:30pm at the Boardwalk Bar & Arcade. RSVP here.

Get ready now! ?? On Thursday, September 19, live local and give local in Prince William County. The Prince William County Community Foundation is hosting the annual county-wide 24-hour fundraising challenge, promoting charitable giving in and throughout Prince William County. Learn more about PWC Gives!

Sign up early! ? On Tuesday, October 1, Spur Local is partnering with the DC chapter of the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network to talk about Nonprofit Boards 101. If you've ever yourself, "Is board service right for me?" then this is the training for you! Between 6:30-8pm at our office in Navy Yard, we will cover the role of a nonprofit board, finding the right board, what successful board engagement looks like, and more. Register here.

Are you ready? ?? On Saturday, October 5, Game Genius is back with the annual District Hunt, a citywide treasure hunt that intertwines fun puzzles with local social issues! This year's theme is Arts & Culture. Players can sign up to play individually or as a team of up to 8 people. If you're the type to love Clue, explore local hidden gems, and celebrate the local arts scene, you won't want to miss this! Sign up here.

Early bird tickets! ?? On Wednesday, October 30, Spur Local is throwing a festival of local social impact. This annual event features 60+ DMV-area nonprofits tabling that you can speak with, each with interactive activities so you can learn more about what they do and why it matters. From 6-8:30pm at Hook Hall, hang out with us over pizza & drinks, and celebrate local changemakers! Get your early bird ticket here.

News & Happenings

?? Mother's Outreach Network has partnered with the Social Justice School to give 15 families $2,400 during the next school year! This new guaranteed income pilot will be the first one offered by a DC school, allowing kids to get their own payments. The 15 families selected are at risk of a referral to the Child and Family Services Agency, which investigates cases of child neglect. More than 8,000 local students were referred to this agency during the 2022-23 school year for accumulating 10 unexcused absences at school, but there are many barriers that can make consistent attendance challenging. As Executive Director Melody Webb told the Washington Post, "We think that the issues are rooted in poverty. The system currently blames parents who are already struggling to meet the basic economic needs of their family." Read more here.

?? Washington City Paper's Best of DC 2024 picks are here! Congratulations to the winners, runner-ups, and finalists, including many of our nonprofit partners such as Dance Place, CityDance, FRESHFARM, Washington Improv Theater, Capitol Hill Arts Workshop, Atlas Performing Arts Center, Thomas Circle Singers, City Dogs, Calvary Women's Services, DC Environmental Film Festival, Gay Men's Chorus, and President Lincoln's Cottage.

Job Openings

Spur Local collates job openings from local nonprofits as a resource for our community, with the majority of these positions at nonprofit partners in the Spur Local network. For more information or to apply for the positions listed below, please reach out to the appropriate organization directly.

Full-Time Positions

Executive Director | Capital City Symphony | $37,000 - $41,000 (30 hours a week). Contact [email protected].

Executive Director | Phoenix Bikes | $75,000 - $90,000. Contact Emily Gage at [email protected].

Entry-Level | Program Coordinator | Aspire Afterschool Learning | $45,000. Contact Paula Fynboh at [email protected].

Senior Evaluation Coordinator or Evaluation Manager | Grassroots Health | $58,700 - $75,000. Contact Mackenzie Jones at [email protected].

Manager of Communications & Development | Teaching for Change | $65,000 - $70,000. Contact Keesha Ceran at [email protected].

Executive Artistic Director | ArtStream | $75,000. Contact [email protected].

Director of Development | Paths for Families | $93,000 - $100,000. Contact Cheyenne Taylor at [email protected].

Program Manager | Suited for Change | $50,000 - $60,000. Contact Liz Reinert at [email protected].

Part-Time Positions

Development Coordinator | The Actors' Center | $25 per hour (15 hours a week). Contact [email protected].

Bookkeeper | Dream Project | $26 per hour. Contact Karen Vallejos at [email protected].

Bookkeeper | ArtStream | $26-30 per hour. Contact [email protected].

Entry-Level | Development Assistant | Dream Project | $24 per hour. Contact Karen Vallejos at [email protected].

Entry-Level | Communications and Outreach Intern | Family & Youth Initiative | $15-19 per hour. Contact Susan Punnett at [email protected].

Program Administrator | Teaching for Change | $25,000 (from start date to June 30, 2025). Contact Keesha Ceran at [email protected].

Afterschool Program Site Lead | One World Education | $35 per hour. Contact [email protected].

Teacher-Leader Team Member | One World Education | $45 per hour. Contact [email protected].

Missed last month's roundup? View more news, ways to get involved, and opportunities from July 2024.