Learn the wonderful world of fundraising and marketing development for a great organization that is getting ready to expand.  Make the necessary connections to further your career while learning basic and advanced marketing concepts to help build your personal brand.



Organization and Position Goals

Friendship Academy of the Arts Charter School is a proven K-6 education program located in South Minneapolis. It is our mission “To Education children to be confident, creative and competent citizens.” Our vision is that “Learners are empowered to find meaning and understanding through the Arts, which include: dance, music, theater, literature, media, and visual.” Over the next three years, it is the goal of Friendship Academy to open an additional site focused on grades 3-8 and remain at our current site serving grades Pre-K – 2nd grades. The contributions of the VISTA member in fundraising and marketing are essential to Friendship Academy achieving its expansion goals.


This VISTA member’s assignment is to determine a systematic process to maintain and strengthen current relationships with stakeholders; specifically, as it relates to potential funders, parents, and the broader community.  This will be accomplished through improving our marketing efforts with research-based techniques and diversifying our fundraising. If successful, Friendship Academy will have stronger relationships, increased resources to expand leading to the ability to welcome more students into our schools and ultimately contribute to greater education success for low-income students of color in the Twin Cities.

Position Activities

  • Develop a multi-pronged fundraising plan for Friendship Academy which includes identifying potential local and national partners whose focus is supporting expansion efforts of schools that serve low-income students of color.
  • Increase visibility for Friendship Academy and build capacity through research based strategies to create a recruitment plan to attract families to enroll in new expansion school.
  • Identify a variety of organic and paid social media and online acquisition channels to attract potential families and staff while strengthening relationships with current families.  Create a calendar of scheduled posts and identify additional channels to engage a diverse audience including a website revamp that will represent future direction of FAA.
  • Create or identify events sponsored by Friendship Academy of the Arts, a partner organization, and/or other organization that will provide the opportunity to further engage current and potential stakeholders.  This will build upon the year 1 and 2 VISTA’s by specifically focusing on communicating FAA’s strategic direction to potential families.

Additional C3 Benefits

  • $200 of monthly housing support
  • $50 monthly gas card or $95 monthly bus pass
  • $400 professional development fund

Apply Here:

Apply through MyAmeriCorps at this link:

