We’re Looking For Our Next Development & Communications Manager!

We’re Looking For Our Next Development & Communications Manager!

Oregon Energy Fund seeks an experienced, detail-oriented, and enthusiastic individual to join our Portland team in the role of Development & Communications Manager. This full-time (1.0 FTE) position is a crucial member of our staff and will be responsible for all fundraising and communications efforts, allowing us to assist even more of our neighbors in need.

Oregon Energy Fund (OEF) is a statewide nonprofit that assists Oregonians in financial crisis with their energy bills in support of household stability. Since 1989, OEF has provided emergency funding to more than 300,000 people, ensuring low-income Oregonians can pay for energy without sacrificing basic needs like food, rent, or medicine.

This mid-level position has a salary of $27-$30 an hour. 

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The Development & Communications Manager reports to the Executive Director and plays a critical role in OEF’s mission. This position is responsible for planning and coordinating all aspects of fund development and communications. The Manager will lead the team on all fundraising initiatives including special events, major gifts, planned giving, sponsorships, and grant writing, with a focus on increasing support from individual donors.

Additionally, this role will be responsible for maintaining OEF’s relationship with the public through a variety of print and digital materials, including newsletters, direct mail appeals, email marketing, and social media content. This position shepherds these projects from the early draft stages to publication, and ensures that all materials are accurate, conform to OEF’s brand voice, and inspire giving.

Assisting in this work is the Program and Communications Coordinator (FTE), who reports to the Deputy Director.

This position would be an excellent fit for a strong writer with a background in nonprofit fundraising who is interested in being part of a small but ambitious team that punches far above its weight. An ideal candidate will have an excellent fundraising skillset and storytelling skills.

The scope of work for the Development & Communications Manager includes:
• Donor Cultivation, Solicitation, Stewardship (70%)
• Communications (15%)
• Grant writing (15%)
• Other Duties as Assigned

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Communications
• Create and implement annual communications plan and strategy
• Manage all print materials, including annual reports, quarterly newsletters, direct mail appeals, and donor acknowledgment letters; use thoughtful and powerful language to engage current and potential donors
• Manage OEF’s online presence through our website, social media, and email marketing accounts (e.g. Mailchimp, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram)
• Maintain an annual grant application schedule; identify potential funding opportunities
• Maintain the OEF website and related pages (e.g., GuideStar, Charity Navigator)
• Assist the Executive and Deputy Directors with writing internal material such as strategic planning, EDI initiatives, reports, and other official content

Development
• Create and implement annual development plan and strategy
• Manage OEF’s annual fundraising event and external events such as Willamette Week Give!Guide
• Build gifts from individuals and corporations by working collaboratively with staff to identify, cultivate, solicit, and recognize donors
• Support our Executive Director to help them manage relationships with existing and prospective donors and foundations
•  Schedule major individual/corporate donor appointments for/ with the Executive Director
• Coordinate follow-up and on-going contact with major donors/prospects
• Manage donor/prospect information, payment and tracking systems – Raiser’s Edge
• Represent OEF at events and activities

EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply for jobs unless they believe they meet every one of the qualifications as described in a job description. We are most interested in finding the best candidate for the job, including and especially candidates from less traditional backgrounds. If you are interested in applying, we encourage you to think broadly about your background and qualifications for the role.

• 5 years’ experience fundraising and development
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Highly developed interpersonal skills
• Able to think strategically while maintaining attention to details and deadlines
• Excellent problem solving and critical thinking skills
• Ability to work independently
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, team-oriented professional environment
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The OEF office is located in downtown Portland in a sunny, spacious office suite.

Due to the nature of its duties, this position will require regular in-person attendance at our office, especially during training and early employment. Increased flexibility and future remote work may be possible once the employee has completed their introductory period and mastered the responsibilities of the role. An office laptop and monitor are provided for any work-from-home hours.

This position typically requires minimal physical effort. Duties are performed in an office setting and require repetitive use of a keyboard and monitor, the ability to sit or stand for long periods of time and some lifting up to 40-lbs.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION:

As a statewide nonprofit that works to support Oregon’s marginalized and vulnerable populations, Oregon Energy Fund is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion, both externally and internally. These efforts are ongoing, and we seek a candidate who will actively participate in building a more equitable culture and help OEF achieve its EDI goals.

OEF is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to build a diverse workforce and welcome all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.

TO APPLY:

To apply, please provide a cover letter addressing how you meet the requirements of this position and a copy of your most recent CV or resume. Applications can be sent to applicant@oregonenergyfund.org and will be accepted until the position is filled.

 

Oregon Water Bill Assistance is Available to Low-Income Customers

Oregon Water Bill Assistance is Available to Low-Income Customers

Funding is available in Oregon for customers with a household income less than 60% of Oregon’s median income that are in need of water bill assistance. While funding is available, you will need to be persistent in contacting the relevant agency for an appointment. It may take between 2 days to 2 weeks to get an appointment, so begin your search for assistance early. 

If you are looking for energy assistance with your Portland Water Bureau bill, see below.

Portland Water Bureau bill discount funds are available year-round and are not tied to energy assistance funds. Customers responsible for paying a Portland Water Bureau residential sewer/stormwater/water bill and whose household income is less than 60% of the Portland Median Family Income (MFI), may be eligible for a discount on their bill. MFI is according to household size and income and can be found on the below application and here.

Eligible customers experiencing a crisis may also receive up to $500 in assistance once every 12 months. There are multiple ways to enroll in the bill discount program:

1. Contact the Community Service Center in your area. You will need to provide the following documents: current bill, IDs for anyone over age 18 in the household, and proof of income for everyone in the household for the last 30 days

Human Solutions: Does not guarantee same-day appointments. You may call 503-548-0217 and leave a message to request to have an application sent by mail or to schedule an appointment

IRCO Africa House: Call 503-235-9396 Monday-Friday 8:30am-noon

IRCO Asian Family Center: Call 503-235-9396 Monday-Friday 8:30am-noon

Impact NW: Call 503-721-1740 for more information

Latino Network: Call 503-283-6881 Monday-Friday 9am-5pm and leave a message with your name and phone number to request an appointment.

Native American Youth and Family Center: Call 503-288-8177 ext. 297 Monday-Friday 9am-6pm and leave a message with your name and phone number to request an appointment

Self Enhancement, Inc. (SEI): Call 503-240-0828 for more information

El Programa Hispano Católico: Call 503-669-8350 Monday-Thursday 9am-5pm to verify eligibility and schedule an appointment.

2. Apply directly through the Water Bureau electronically by filling out the Online Financial Assistance Application

3. Print and fill out the Printable Financial Assistance Application

4. Request documents to be mailed to you from Customer Service at (503) 823-7770 or pwbcustomerservice@portlandoregon.gov

*If you are already enrolled in the City of Portland Water Discount Program and need to access your annual crisis voucher, please call the Water Bureau at 503-823-7770. You will need to pay a portion of your bill to receive assistance. Payment arrangements are also available for customers, regardless of household income. Please also directly contact the Water Bureau if you are interested in making a payment arrangement.

If you are looking for water bill assistance outside of the Portland area, see below. 

Visit this page to find the community action agency in your county that administers LIWAH. These funds are available to households with an income at or below 6​​0% of Oregon’s median income and can be used to pay off water bill balances. 

2022: The Year in Review

2022: The Year in Review

Dear friends,

While post-pandemic job recovery has been swift, many families have not been able to make up the income that was lost during “stay home” periods and are still significantly behind in their expenses.  Worse yet, the number of utility customers with past due bills continues to be higher than it was Pre-pandemic. One-time assistance payments can give families the help they require to pay their bills in full and not have to face a disconnect.  This is the problem that OEF, with your support, solves for thousands of Oregonians every year.

All the time, we hear from recipients who tell us how receiving energy assistance meant they could pay the bills and buy food for their family, not having to choose one over the other. We recognize that the need for assistance continues to be high, which is why we are thrilled to have been able to expand our impact during the summer, as well as increase funding to rural counties across the state.

One of our most exciting accomplishments this year is the Nonprofit Energy Retrofit Collaboration. OEF and NW Natural have teamed up to assist Albertina Kerr, a nonprofit that serves Oregonians with developmental disabilities. Together, we are performing construction upgrades to help Kerr lower its energy costs and increase the overall health and quality of life for its residents. We are delighted to expand our programming in this way and look forward to assisting other nonprofits across the state in coming years.

Our annual benefit was held on October 29th this year at the Sentinel Hotel. With our highest turnout in recent years, we raised almost $70,000 to assist our neighbors in financial crisis with their energy bills to support household stability.

In the simplest terms, OEF has a solution that works. It matters. Your support makes a difference in the lives of your neighbors, every single day. I am inspired by the unwavering support shown by our community and am confident that we can build a brighter future together.

Sincerely,

Brian Allbritton
Executive Director

Oregon Energy Fund’s 2022 Benefit Beneath the Stars Was a Success!

Oregon Energy Fund’s 2022 Benefit Beneath the Stars Was a Success!

We had such an amazing time at our Benefit Beneath the Stars last month! With our highest turnout in recent years, Oregon Energy Fund raised almost $70,000 to power a brighter future for our neighbors in need. Be sure to save the date for next year’s benefit on September 16th, 2023!

2022 Benefit Beneath the Stars

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Share your event photos with us online by using the hashtag #BeneaththeStars and #ORenergyfund

View digital copies of your Instapix NW photos here!

 

Hear From Our Partners

 

 

Thank You 

We want to give a special thank you to our amazing sponsors and board members, generous donors, and wonderful vendors who all made the evening such a success. 

 

Stay tuned for our Annual Report mailing this winter to catch up on all the exciting work we have been up to this past year! 

In His Words: Paul

In His Words: Paul

Paul lost his partner this past winter. The year has been full of hardship for Paul, not only because he is grieving the loss of his partner, but because he lost all additional income that the household had. Paul lives in a rural area and must travel 30 miles each time that he needs groceries and medication, which continues to add major expenses each month.

Oregon Energy Fund was able to pay off Paul’s balance to keep him protected from a shutoff while he got back on his feet. We couldn’t do this critical work without the support of our generous donors. Will you donate to Oregon Energy Fund today?

OEF Raises $35,000 for Rural Eastern Oregon Counties

OEF Raises $35,000 for Rural Eastern Oregon Counties

While utility hardship affects Oregonians statewide, the crisis is felt most fiercely by those living in rural areas. Despite the high level of need, few resources are available to these communities, due largely to the remote nature and low populations of rural areas.

Climate change has only heightened the urgency of this need. Extreme weather events like wildfires, cold spells, and heat waves represent a direct threat to the safety of rural Oregonians. As events like these grow more common, it is imperative that families can keep their homes at healthy temperatures.

Three years ago, Oregon Energy Fund began dramatically expanding funding to rural Oregon. In some areas, we were able to increase our funding by a factor of five. This work has continued to grow, fueled by support from our generous donors and foundations.

Recently, Oregon Energy Fund received two community grants totaling $35,000 from The Roundhouse Foundation and The Wildhorse Foundation. These grants will allow us to increase funding to Morrow, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Harney, Lake, Malheur, and Wheeler Counties to help an additional individuals in financial crisis with their utility bills.

Donate to OEF today so we can continue to respond to this need – and ensure struggling Oregonians can keep their homes and loved ones safe and healthy.  

Oregon Energy Fund’s Benefit Beneath the Stars is October 29th!

Oregon Energy Fund’s Benefit Beneath the Stars is October 29th!
Doors open at 5:30 PM  |  Program begins at 6:45 PM

Please join us for an evening Beneath the Stars as we celebrate 32 years of powering lives! The evening will feature a cocktail hour, live music, delicious Northwest cuisine, a live auction, and more!

We Oregonians love to get off the grid, whether it’s watching the sun set on the coast or the stars floating over the desert in Eastern Oregon. But for many Oregonians, getting off the grid isn’t a vacation; it’s a harsh reality. 

Proceeds from the event will support Oregon Energy Fund’s mission to strengthen household stability by assisting Oregonians in financial crisis with their energy bills.

 

More details at OregonEnergyFund.org/BeneathTheStars.

Hosted by David DiMatteo of Upstream USA
and Misty Marquam of Marquam Auction Agency

Year-Round Assistance is Critical for Low-Income Oregonians

Year-Round Assistance is Critical for Low-Income Oregonians

As Oregon has begun to experience hotter temperatures, more families have been forced to use air conditioning to keep their homes safe during extreme heat waves and wildfire smoke. However, operating an A/C unit is a significant expense for many low-income households, creating increased demand for energy assistance at a time when funding is traditionally unavailable. In 2018, 25% of respondents to a national energy assistance survey said they had kept their home at an unsafe or unhealthy temperature because they didn’t have enough money to pay for heating or cooling. An additional 54% said they would have kept their home at an unsafe temperature had they not received energy assistance to help with the cost. 

There is currently no energy assistance program in Oregon that provides equivalent levels of funding in the summer months as the winter. We at Oregon Energy Fund work to close this gap by keeping our programs open year-round and providing uninterrupted service for Oregonians in crisis. Summer funding began with our Portland-area programs in 2020 and has expanded to include the southern I-5 corridor and Jackson County.

The record heat wave in the summer of 2021 was the 2nd worst natural disaster in Oregon’s recorded history. While our future may look different, Oregonians can and will adapt to whatever is in front of them. Year-round energy assistance will help prevent heat stroke, dehydration, and other forms of hyperthermia; prevent the need to sacrifice other expenses like food or rent to pay for energy; and prevent utility debt or shutoffs due to bill nonpayment.

Please join us in supporting this critical initiative by donating to Oregon Energy Fund today.

OEF Launches New Energy Retrofit Program for Local Nonprofits

OEF Launches New Energy Retrofit Program for Local Nonprofits

Since the 30th anniversary of Oregon Energy Fund in 2019, we’ve been exploring new possibilities to expand our impact in the community. We know that energy assistance is just one way to assist struggling Oregonians. Now, we’re thrilled to announce the culmination of that process: a brand-new project that will provide full energy retrofits to Oregon nonprofits.

This program, the Nonprofit Energy Retrofit Collaboration (NERC), is a collaborative effort between OEF and the Oregon chapter of the National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC). Together, OEF and NAMC will team up with a local nonprofit that provides housing or shelter for their clients, weatherizing their properties and upgrading them to energy efficient standards.

NERC will be funded entirely by corporate sponsorship, allowing us to develop new ways of helping our neighbors while still allowing our legacy energy assistance program to operate at full capacity.

Our first nonprofit partner will be Albertina Kerr, which serves low-income people with disabilities throughout Clackamas, Marion, Multnomah, and Washington Counties. Kerr’s facilities include 54 group homes for youth and adults, which house more than 500 people with a variety of physical and mental health challenges and are unable to work or live independently.

Many of these buildings are older, however, and would benefit from construction upgrades that Kerr cannot afford on its own. As such, OEF and NAMC will perform the updates, helping Kerr lower its energy costs and increasing the overall health and quality of life for its group home residents.

While construction will vary from building to building, some upgrades will include sealing cracks and leaks, replacing insulation, repairing or replacing roofs, updating water heaters and HVAC systems, and replacing older appliances with new, more efficient models.

Retrofits like these provide an array of benefits. They reduce energy costs and lower overall emissions. They improve the health of the building’s residents by improving indoor air quality and stabilizing the home’s temperature – a crucial point as Oregon experiences increasingly extreme temperatures and weather events. Finally, they provide a sustainable solution to energy insecurity, allowing residents to enjoy the comforts and health benefits of household energy for years to come.

We’re delighted to expand our programming in this way, and look forward to assisting nonprofits across the state in the coming years. And you can help us continue assisting our neighbors in need by donating to our energy assistance program today.