Viviendas Leon Fall 2014

December 2, 2014- Final Blog

My last final update in what’s going on in Viviendas Leon! Our Giving Tuesday movement is going on successfully and it ends today, however, the raffle prize does not end until Friday, December 5! For my fundraiser, prior to Thanksgiving break I asked my family if they would like to kindly donate money to VL, and they did. Next for Robby, I just need to give him some small boxes to collect money in, so he can start the fundraiser process in Soledad High School. The donation probably won’t start until January  when the students come back from winter break. As a result, my fundraiser will be completed latest by January. My Google Adwords is coming to a close, and I just need to finish the Excel spreadsheet.

In these past 4 months, I have provided VL with a plethora of grant opportunities to apply for funding, online publications so that they can post their blogs and promote their organization, and created a new group called ‘School’ on Google Adwords that would attract Google searchers, who are typing something school-related, so a VL ad would pop up in the searches. I researched Northwest Independent Schools in order to gather information from private schools to send them brochures and pamphlets about VL. Also, I managed VL’s Facebook account and posted news stories and updates about VL. I have work on short-term projects that will spread VL’s awareness.

I have learned so much how a non-profit organization works and how they market their business. I have attain skills on how to use Google Adwords and utilizing social media to spread awareness. I have done a plethora of research in order to find grants for VL, and I learned how important that is to a non-profit organization. I am very thankful to be able to partner with Viviendas Leon and be there marketing intern for the past 4 months because someday I, too, also want to start my own non-profit organization. Working with Brianna and Evan, made me even more passionate to purse this goal in the future. I love their mission statement and how their aiding the community of Leon, Nicaragua. Thus, I am even considering applying for their summer internship or just to volunteer during the Summer, so I can travel and actually get to see what kind of work is being done there in person.

At first, I did not think I was making a big impact for VL, but Brianna was thanking me for all my work and what I have contributed for VL. Knowing that my boss was being appreciative and thankful for my project, that is when I realize I have accomplish and completed a lot of tasks in a short period of time. Brianna have applied to multiple grants- grants that I have found and researched. Evan has sent out letters, brochures, and packets about VL to schools that I have researched in the Northwest. The class that VL is hosting in the Spring is full! I am very proud to see VL striving and thankful for PSIP for letting me have this opportunity. I would also like to thank the VL team for letting me work with them and accepting my position. I am very honored to say Viviendas Leon was my first internship! Thank you readers for reading my blog and walking with me through my accomplishments with VL!

November 25, 2014- Last Day in the Office

I would like to announce that Viviendas Leon has partnered up with USF to provide a Service Learning class during the 2015 Spring Semester. The International Development course is for students of all majors. Brianna Russel, Viviendas Leon Program Manager, and Professor Hana Bottger will be teaching the 4-unit course. Students will get to interact via Skype with Nicaraguan community members and staff and hear from guest speakers on various topics related to environmental issues, health, and Latin American culture. The class is on MW from 12:20-2:00pm. If you are interested, attached is a flyer giving directions in how to enroll or contact Professor Hana Bottger at hmori2@usfca.edu. Last time I checked with Brianna there are only 3 seats left! The class sounds different from the other service learning courses! Brianna is very excited for it to start! I have posted on Facebook and the many group pages that I am regarding this class to promote and let people know this class is available.

Currently, Brianna and I are teaming up to come up with ideas for Giving Tuesday, which is on December 2, 2014. Giving Tuesday is not an organization, it is a global movement to increase exposure and build support for non-profit organizations, individuals, and other philanthropic activities. I thought of sharing a story about the VL’s projects and posting it on VL’s Facebook page and have #GivingTuesday included everyday until December 2. Sharing stories I hope will educate our followers exactly what the projects are and who are affected by them. Additionally, sharing personal stories may persuade audience to donate more money learning that the projects are having a positive and life changing impact to the people of Leon, Nicaragua. Another idea Brianna thought of is having a raffle donation and for every $10 donation gets one entry to win a basket full of goods from VL’s projects. The VL projects that are mentioned are Little Honey Bee, Moringa Tea, Goyena Women’s Sewing Business, and Delicias De Goyena Candy Store; thus, the basket prize are products from each of these projects. This raffle will last until December 15, so that more people have time to donate.  Check out Viviendas Leon Facebook page for details tomorrow! I will be creating their first story about the Little Honey Bee Cooperative so be aware of that!

Although today is my last day in the office, there are still a few tasks I need to accomplish. For example, my fundraising being hosted in Soledad High School may start next month or after winter break when all the students come back. I will being picking small VL boxes on the second week of December to give to Robby, SHS ASB President, so he has a place to put all the donations in. The fundraiser will last 2 weeks. I am really excited how this will turn out!

November 23, 2014- Final Fundraising Plan

I have contacted one of my friends who is currently the Associated Student Body President of Soledad High School, my past high school, to help me raise money for Viviendas Leon. As Soledad High School alumni and a previous ASB member, I am hoping Soledad High School can be more involved to fundraise non-profit organizations. Robby, ASB president, brought my proposal to the SHS board for approval; consequently, my fundraising plan has been approved! I am very excited for my old high school to be involve in my fundraiser! If 300 students were to donate at least $1, my goal is to receive $300 in donations. I am meeting with Robby to finalize a few things and hand him a few brochures and magazines regarding about VL that-maybe- he can pass out.

Also, I am including my family and friends and hoping to receive at least $200 from them. Ultimately, my overall total is to fundraise $500 for VL. I have chosen to donate it to the Agro-forestry family farming project. I chose this project because I believe farming and producing organic vegetables creates healthy families. Additionally, I am a big believer in families working together and staying together.

It is coming down to the last 2 weeks as an intern for Viviendas Leon. Besides my fundraising project, I am hoping to finish the Northwest Schools spreadsheet, continue editing the Google Adwords, and research grants, online publications, and blogging sites. I want to finish strong and indent a huge mark on VL, so that I make a lasting difference and VL will remember what I have accomplish for them.

November 11, 2014- Applying for Non-Profit Grants 

Lately, I have been searching for grants to fund VL and its projects. Brianna sent me a few websites to look into such as the Conservation, Food, and Health Foundation and the Charles Koch Foundation. What I have to do when I am looking for grants is I need to create a Word Document summarizing the requirements, deadlines, eligibility, contact information, and the description of the grant, so that we have an idea what is needed in order to apply for grants. Looking and applying for grants is similar to trying to get a scholarship. Non-profit organizations have to write an essay why they think they deserve to receive the grant and what are the goals if they do.

The first grant I research was from the Conservation, Food, and Health Foundation. They have three different grants that are sub-categorized into conservation, food, and health. They give out at least $17,000 worth of grants and a maximum of $25,000, but those are rarely given out. In order to apply for this grant, Viviendas Leon have to go through a 2-phase process, which are applying online and completing a report-like document that explains VL’s mission statement, project, budget, target market, what VL will be using the grant for and so on. This foundation has two deadlines; in other words, there are two chances a non-profit can submit an application every January 1 and July 1.

The next grant I examined was from Charles Koch Foundation. Unlike Conservation, Food, and Health Foundation, Charles Koch application process is much simpler. Charles Koch gives out $5,000 grants. There are two ways for applying that is VL can apply online on their website and/or write a 2-page abstract requesting for a grant. The application process is more straightforward than Conservation, Food, and Health Foundation, and I believe the reason is because CFH Foundation provides a greater amount than CK.

This is the process I go through when I research for grants for VL. Some grants can be straightforward and not have a lot of requirements and submissions, while others that provide a worthy grant have a lot more steps to go through in the application process.

 

November 10, 2014- Idealist Grad Fair

I had the opportunity to pass out Viviendas Leon brochures and discuss about the non-profit organization to future grad students in the Idealist Grad Fair on November 6. Idealist Grad Fair was being held at San Francisco County Fair Building in Golden Gate Park. The attire was business casual and at least over 150 representatives across the country and the world were present. Being part of the fair was quite an experience, for a much older group of people were there looking at graduate schools; thus, most of the participants I talked to were more interested in looking for grad schools than learning about VL. However, those who were interested about VL seem very enthused and asked a plethora of questions regarding our internship and traveling opportunities. I stayed until I ran out of brochures to pass out.

An update in how I am doing with the Google Adwords project is still a learning process, but I am understanding how to use the program in my advantage. Since we can only buy words/phrases for $2, I am having trouble thinking of relevant phrases that will boost our name that is priced at $2. The words/phrases that I type in are either more than $2 or have a low search volume, which means not many people type those words on Google search. I am keeping track of all the words/phrases that I have been creating for Google Ad on an Excel spreadsheet and keeping track of their status.

I only have a handful weeks left of my term with VL, so I have been thinking about my fundraising plan, and I have concluded that I want to spread news about this organization to my family and friends back in my hometown. Consequently, during Thanksgiving break, I am going to have a little get-together with family and friends and let them know what I have been doing this semester as a marketing intern and what VL is. I am hoping to collect some donations from them to help out one of VL’s projects- I have not decided on which VL project to support in. Also, I have been thinking of sharing VL to my old high school in Soledad, California by asking one of my old English teacher, now a close mentor to me, if I can present to her senior class about VL. Right now nothing is confirmed, I am hoping by the end of the week I will get everything on paper and have a fundraising plan written up for Brianna.

-front part of brochure

-inside flap of brochure

-opened brochure

October 27, 2014- Latest Project

Currently, I am almost done with the Northwest spreadsheet, I need to do 3 states (Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming) out of 8. Since we already have information from other private schools in California, Arkansas, Oregon, Idaho, and Washington, Evan, the executive director of VL, typed an informational letter addressed to Spanish teachers, Service Learning teachers, and Head of Schools in order to let them know about the organization, and hoping they are interested in joining us. Consequently, my task for past 2 days was putting together Evan’s letter attached with a brochure about Viviendas Leon into an envelope and finalizing the package by handwriting their name and address to make it more personalized. In estimation, I probably put together at least more than 100 envelopes. This is another form of marketing VL does to get contributions and volunteers. In the bottom of this blog, I have included pictures how the brochures we sent out look like.

My next main project that Brianna has assigned me to do is work on VL’s Google Adwords account . What is Google Adwords? Well it is a program that allows us to buy certain words and phrases so that when people search things up on Google, our name pops up on the side or top page of their searches. For example, we buy the phrase “volunteer of Nicaragua,” when people type that on Google our organization pops up as an Ad on their search page. Since we are a non-profit organization, Google has donated money to us that allows us to buy certain amount of words for a certain price each day, which is a maximum of $2 each phrase. By far, this is the hardest task I need to do because I have to learn how to use the program by myself, and I have to keep track which phrases and words have been searched and which have not in an Excel spreadsheet. This is a skill that I am learning and can be an impressive skill to acquire and be shown off in my resume.

My term with VL is coming down to one month; thus, my last project for them is to create a fundraiser of my own that will benefit one of  VL’s projects. Brianna set me some good examples of fundraising ideas and VL projects that I yet have to choose from. I have to make a final decision by Friday, October 31.

-Brochure, letter, and envelope

-Front page of brochure
-Inside the brochure contains many facts, quantitative data, and quotes from satisfied participants

 

October 15, 2014- Researching Independent Schools in the Northwest for Marketing

My latest task is to create a Excel Spreadsheet to organize a list of private middle and high schools in the Northwest. The states that are considered in the Northwest are Arkansas, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. In order to be qualified to get into our list, the school must be listed in the Northwest Association of Independent Schools website because that is the main website I go to in order to research for schools. Additionally, the schools must have a Head Master and a Spanish Teacher and/or Service Learning Teacher. In order for me to find out if the school have these requirements, I must go on their official school website, go directly to a page that lists their faculties and staff, and if they have a head master, Spanish teacher, and service learning instructor, I write their names down and email address (if available). This task is a priority in my “To-Do list” because the primary reason to research these schools and write down their school address and email addresses is to send out information about Viviendas Leon and see if they are interested in participating in our organization.

We are quite done with California’s independent schools Spreadsheet and are now branching out of state, which is my job to research the Northwestern states. So far I have completely the state of Oregon and now I am working my way into Washington. From my mentor’s experience, she estimated that it would take me at least a month or so to complete this task- since I have responsibility for more than one state. This task can be tedious and time consuming, so Brianna said if I want to take a break just post on VL Facebook page or do the other responsibilities that are assign to me such as researching online publications and newsletters so that VL can post on their website.

I am hoping to get Washington done by the end of this week, so I can start on Arkansas.

 

October 12, 2014- Introduction to Viviendas Leon

Hello,

Welcome to my blog! My name is Maria Kristina Perez. I am a sophomore student attending University of San Francisco, double majoring in Accounting and Entrepreneurship. I expect to graduate by May 2017. The reason why I decided to double major in these fields is I am planning to use my Accounting degree right after I graduate and work for a public or private firm. Then after a couple years as an accountant, I want to concentrate on my Entrepreneurship degree and help others build up their business, create a start-up, invest in a company, or even start my own non-profit organization. I was really excited to be partnered with Viviendas Leon because I will be able to learn and see what it takes to keep a non-profit running successfully.

I started to work as Viviendas Leon’s marketing intern the week of September 27. For my first day, Brianna Russell, my mentor, and I worked on a work plan in order to list the tasks I should complete for the whole week. So far I need to look for 3 newsletters or publications to post any news and blog about VL. I did some research to look for companies that might want to give us grants or be possible partners with us. Researching some unknown foundations were quite difficult because their website or any related website regarding their foundation did not give enough information about their qualifications for applying for a grant. As marketing intern, I also get a chance to post any news, quotes, pictures, or relevant matter on VL’s Facebook page and make sure there is at least one post for each day. Overall, I love what VL provides for the communities of Leon. They are a very dynamic non-profit organization that do many life changing things in Leon, such as providing a plethora of after-school programs to students, build schools and homes for the residents, and even providing volunteers and families a vacation experience.

Upcoming events that I plan on accomplishing by the end of my internship term (December) is that Brianna and I are going to work on an internship video. Additionally, I will be implementing a fundraiser for a project or organization of my interest.

I am really looking forward to what I will be accomplishing in the next couple months and I hope that I can make a difference for VL with my results! I will be blogging about my journey and tasks with VL and hope to inspire others to be more involve with their communities!

Below are pictures of my work area in the Viviendas Leon Office in Folsom St:
-Street view and Brianna working in her desk

-A few VL posters posted on the wall

-My desk and work area with a window view