Fundraising & Events Coordinator – Volunteer - Unpaid Position

Fundraising & Events Coordinator – Volunteer unpaid position

Priority: High – Immediate Need

Commitment: Approximately 10 hours per week

Minimum Commitment: 1 year Type: Volunteer Position

About the Role

Smiles Foundation is seeking a proactive and highly organized Fundraising & Events Coordinator Volunteer to help build, coordinate, and strengthen our fundraising function.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys both strategy and hands-on execution and would like to play a meaningful role in developing a growing nonprofit’s fundraising capacity.

The Fundraising & Events Coordinator will oversee fundraising activities including grant opportunities, fundraising campaigns, events, and coordination with other organizational teams.

Important: Building the Fundraising Team

At this time, Smiles Foundation does not have active volunteers within the Fundraising Department.

For this reason, the selected volunteer should be comfortable initially taking a hands-on role in fundraising activities, including tasks that would normally be assigned to Grant Research Volunteers, Grant Writers, or Campaign/Event Support Volunteers.

This may include activities such as:

• researching potential grant and funding opportunities;
• reviewing grant eligibility requirements;
• supporting or preparing grant applications;
• developing fundraising initiatives;
• assisting with fundraising campaign planning and execution;
• supporting fundraising event planning; and
• helping organize fundraising documentation and systems.

As additional volunteers are recruited, the role will progressively shift toward coordination, delegation, team leadership, and oversight.

The successful candidate will therefore have a unique opportunity to help build the Fundraising Department from the ground up and contribute to defining its systems, processes, and future team structure.

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate Smiles Foundation’s fundraising priorities, activities, and workflow.
• Work closely with leadership to identify funding needs, fundraising priorities, and upcoming opportunities.
• Develop and maintain an annual or rolling fundraising calendar covering grants, campaigns, events, seasonal initiatives, and major deadlines.
• Build and maintain a clear fundraising opportunity pipeline, including status, deadlines, ownership, and next steps.
• Research and evaluate grant opportunities while the Fundraising team is being developed. ● Support the preparation, coordination, review, and submission of grant applications.
• Prioritize funding opportunities based on eligibility, strategic fit, funding potential, and organizational capacity.
• Coordinate fundraising campaigns from planning through completion.
• Support the development and execution of fundraising events.
• Help recruit and onboard future Fundraising volunteers in coordination with the Volunteer Coordinator and organizational leadership.
• As the team grows, assign and coordinate work among Grant Research Volunteers, Grant Writers, and Campaign/Event Support Volunteers.
• Coordinate with Communications & Storytelling to obtain organizational information, impact stories, statistics, and messaging for fundraising materials.
• Coordinate with Social Media & Digital Marketing to support the promotion of fundraising campaigns and events.
• Collaborate with Donor Relations & Partnerships when initiatives involve existing donors, prospective donors, corporate partners, or sponsors.
• Ensure fundraising materials and applications contain accurate and approved organizational information.
• Maintain organized grant files, fundraising records, templates, calendars, campaign documentation, and handover information.
• Conduct practical team check-ins once additional Fundraising volunteers are recruited.
• Identify blockers, missing information, approval requirements, or deadlines and follow up appropriately.
• Escalate significant funding opportunities, sponsorship proposals, financial commitments, or decisions requiring organizational approval to leadership.

Expected Deliverables

The Fundraising & Events Coordinator will be expected to:

• Maintain an up-to-date fundraising calendar and opportunity pipeline.
• Identify and assess relevant grant and funding opportunities.
• Ensure active fundraising opportunities have clear deadlines and next steps.
• Support grant applications from initial research through drafting, internal review, approval, and submission.
• Maintain a clear plan and timeline for active fundraising campaigns and events.
• Coordinate fundraising initiatives with Communications, Social Media, Donor Relations, and other relevant teams.
• Identify overdue tasks, missing information, or organizational blockers and follow up promptly.
• Maintain organized fundraising documentation and sufficient handover information to ensure continuity.
• Help build and organize the Fundraising volunteer team as new volunteers are recruited.

The Coordinator will also provide a monthly fundraising update to the Administrative Director/Operations Coordinator covering:

• active grant opportunities;
• grant applications in progress;
• upcoming deadlines;
• applications submitted;
• active and upcoming fundraising campaigns;
• fundraising events in planning or execution;
• significant funding or sponsorship opportunities; ● outstanding approvals or blockers; and ● priorities for the following month.

Ideal Candidate

We are looking for someone who is:

• Organized, proactive, dependable, and comfortable working independently.
• Comfortable joining a function that is still being developed.
• Willing to combine hands-on fundraising work with coordination and leadership responsibilities.
• Able to research opportunities and turn information into actionable next steps.
• Comfortable managing multiple priorities, deadlines, and projects.
• A strong written communicator.
• Able to collaborate effectively across different teams.
• Comfortable following up with volunteers and keeping projects moving forward.
• Interested in nonprofit fundraising, grant development, campaigns, partnerships, or event coordination.
• willing and able to provide these services on a volunteer basis

Experience in fundraising, grant writing, nonprofit management, project coordination, events, sponsorships, business development, or volunteer leadership would be an asset.

What Makes This Opportunity Different

This is more than a traditional volunteer coordination position.

Because the Fundraising Department is currently being rebuilt, the selected volunteer will have the opportunity to help shape the department itself—from identifying opportunities and developing systems to helping recruit and coordinate the future Fundraising team.

It is particularly well suited to someone who enjoys building something from the ground up and who wants to see the direct impact of their work on an organization’s ability to grow and serve more communities.

Commitment

Approximately 10 hours per week, with a requested minimum commitment of one year.

Because fundraising opportunities and grant deadlines can vary throughout the year, some flexibility may occasionally be required around major applications, campaigns, or events.

About Smiles Foundation

Smiles Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Canada, the USA, and the Dominican Republic, focused on improving the health and well-being of disadvantaged children in the Dominican Republic. The organization provides free preventive health education and restorative dental treatments and has treated and educated over 7 million people since 1987. The Canadian office coordinates and ships donations to 10 permanent clinics and 1 mobile clinic and runs the ‘Smiles in Action’ program for active living and health education, which has positively impacted thousands of Canadians. Smiles Foundation is committed to continuing its mission of spreading health, education, and compassion to communities in need.

How to Apply

If you are interested in helping Smiles Foundation strengthen and build its fundraising capacity, we would love to hear from you.

Please submit your resume and a brief introduction outlining your interest in the role and any relevant fundraising, grant writing, event, project coordination, or nonprofit experience.