ViviendasLeón Fall 2013 [Alex]

Introduction: Working with ViviendasLeon.

Working as a marketing and research intern for ViviendasLeon has been quite the rewarding experience. Since the nature of this position is marketing and research, I was thankfully forced to push myself outside of my own proposed boundaries which I set upon myself by studying finance. While some may think its relatively pointless to work a marketing position while studying finance, I would certainly argue the opposite. While I’m not exactly sure if I would consider marketing as a career option, this internship has given me a lot of exposure to key elements within the industry (i.e. the role of social media and advertising). I hope this internship will continue to develop my thinking and experience in the marketing field, overall. Also, this being a nonprofit organization, I have been exposed, already, to the various challenges of running/budgeting a nonprofit organization. From grant research, to applications, to events, the role of a nonprofit is certainly unique when compared to your average corporation.

Although all the work experience I’ve gained at VL is incredibly valuable, the mission of ViviendasLeon is far more valuable. Community development organizations bring something very unique to the table. Knowing that my work contributes to the health and well-being of rural communities throughout Nicaragua makes my job that much easier to stand behind. As such, my role in VL’s social media campaign, advertising and event planning gives me a heightened sense of accomplishment as compared to similar tasks in a typical corporation. Also, the small size of this organization gives me a wider sense of involvement when I come into the office. When issues arise, there is only about 3 of us here to tackle the situation. Being such a big role of that process makes my job that much more appealing.

Since my first meeting with VL, I have been assigned a wide array of tasks. From the beginning I have completely taken over the use of social media accounts, like: Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Vimeo, YouTube, and LinkedIn. In addition, I have been employed to fill out donation requests for our upcoming 10th anniversary event while exploring other fundraising or donation outlets. My social media front has involved writing a social media plan of attack, organizing and establishing all of our current accounts to form a unified image, and making sure we have an active presence within the social network. Lastly, I have recently been contacting various schools in the San Francisco/Bay Area in order to reach students who would be willing to participate in the various school trips that VL offers. My list of tasks grows as each day passes and I am very excited to see what awaits me next.

A view of VL's  small office in downtown San Francisco. Pictured is VL's founder, Evan Markiewicz, working patiently at his desk.

Progress Report 1: Projects at VL.

Since I started at ViviendasLeon, I have been overseeing their social media accounts and have begun to see promising gains. By staying active on their social media front, some attention has been brought to VL on various websites. For example, in a few weeks, ViviendasLeon has received a 10% increase in following  on Facebook. Also, it is often the case that one must establish themselves on these fronts in order to receive grants and external donations. My work is only helping VL gain exposure and present itself as a legitimate entity with a personality. Also, we have recently been in the midst of writing a fundraiser plan and putting it into practice. Currently, the other interns and I have been contacting individuals so we may begin exploiting a few fundraising routes. This work has taught me the importance of networking and creating exposure on the internet. Advertising and developing one’s image. especially in the non-profit sector, is a skill that will prove quite useful in the future.

In working with their social media accounts, I’ve learned how multifaceted the marketing industry can be. The list of networking sites runs on and on (I.E. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, other specialized nonprofit/grant sites, etc…), keeping in mind, to establish one’s image, one typically exploits every site with careful attention. An example of this is the many YouTube videos I have been requested to edit and promote for VL. These videos give potential investors and customers an idea of what ViviendasLeon does in Nicaragua.

Below is one example that.

Progress Report 2: Achievements at VL.

So far, things have been going quite well at ViviendasLeon. ViviendasLeon’s 10th Anniversary Event took place this past weekend, on November 17th. This event exposed me to key behind-the-scenes aspects of your typical networking/fundraising event. Interacting with local professionals at this event allowed me to gain a better grasp on VL’s current/former projects and the people they have been working with in the past few years. At this event, I had the pleasure of meeting VL’s Nicaraguan staff- who told me about the wonderful opportunities in Nicaragua, offered by ViviendasLeon. One of their employees, Adolfo, would rave about the fun they’ve had on their trips and all the exciting interactions he’s had as a result.

Also, my social networking efforts have been starting to pay off. Currently, VL’s Facebook Page (http://www.facebook.com/viviendasleon) is receiving more’ likes’ and more interactions every week. With a steady effort, VL can wake up their social media following and continue to receive the support it needs to prosper.

Bellow is a picture of two guests from VL’s 10th Anniversary Event.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Conclusion: 

Throughout my time with ViviendasLeon, I worked to create an image for Vl across multiple social networking fronts. Also, working with their other interns, we were able to successfully research a wide array of grant opportunities and manage multiple fundraising projects. Overall, I’ve learned what it takes to raise finding for a small nonprofit organization. Whether it be researching opportunities to find grants or establishing oneself on the social network to gain funds through crowd-raising, generating revenue for a nonprofit is very difficult. In order to be successful, one must be fully invested in their cause, overseeing every aspect of their dream into fruition.

Overall, working with VL, and my fellow interns, I was able to exercise my teamwork and task management skills. Being given a wide array of task, quite often amongst the three of us interns, requires the group to manage themselves accordingly and make sure everything gets don one time. Being able to work efficiently in a group served as our greatest asset in completing our growing list of tasks. In closing, it was a pleasure being able to get a glimpse into the day-to-day functions of a nonprofit organization. Certainly a valuable experience as I pursue my business studies, moving forward.