One Colorado(Denver, CO)

Summer2013Host Organization

Organization description:

Mission:One Colorado is a newly formed, statewide organization in 2010 dedicated to secure and protect equality and opportunity for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Coloradans and their families. Our vision is a fair and just Colorado.

Activities/projects:Since its inception in early 2010, OCEF has:

  • Conducted a statewide survey of more than 4,600 LGBT Coloradans about their experiences and needs
  • Commissioned a statewide poll of 1,006 Colorado adults about issues important to LGBT people
  • Identified supporters in all 64 counties of Colorado
  • Talked with nearly 350 Coloradans statewide through 8 townhall forums co-hosted by nearly 40 organizations statewide, in addition to 3 planned roundtable discussions with Latino/a, African American, and transgender Coloradans
  • Built a list of nearly 19,000 online activists and 3,000 Facebook members

One Colorado Education Fund will conduct a comprehensive public education program through 2012 to achieve the following priority outcomes:

  • Relationship Recognition: Secure and protect broad-based relationship recognition in Colorado for gay and lesbian couples and their families
  • Safe Schools and Youth: Create safer school environments for LGBT students through a comprehensive statewide policy, development of local safe school models, and empowering LGBT students
  • LGBT Health and Human Services: Support existing or explore the development of a collaboration to advance policy, funding, and access for LGBT health and human services

These priorities are supported by our 2010 Needs Assessment of LGBT Coloradans and reinforced throughout our planning process. By a significant margin, expanding legal recognition of LGBT families was the top priority identified by LGBT Coloradans. In fact, half (50%) of the over 4,600 survey respondents indicated relationship recognition was their top priority. Fifty-two percent (52%) of LGBT Coloradans are in committed relationships with a mean average of 9 years, 4 months. In addition, over 20% of those couples raising kids statewide. Legal recognition of their relationships is critical and a clear priority.

Relationship recognition would build upon the existing protections for same-sex couples in Colorado. Second-parent adoption was passed and enacted in 2007, while Designated Beneficiaries and domestic partnership benefits for state employees were passed enacted in 2009. While these laws provide same-sex couples limited legal protections for their families, gay and lesbian couples still lack significant protections and recognition. Further, a public education, field, and advocacy campaign to achieve relationship recognition would also lay the groundwork for a longer-term fight to achieve full marriage equality.

Creating safer school environments for LGBT students is also a key priority of LGBT Coloradans. Thirty-four percent of respondents to the 2010 Needs Assessment reported school safety their top priority. In fact, nearly fifty percent (47%) reported bullying or harassment in middle school or high school due to their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Developing programs and policy, along with student empowerment, would build upon existing policy and efforts. Although Colorado has a statewide bullying law for students, the policy does not specifically enumerate protected classes, monitor bullying or harassment, or provide training and curriculum to local schools. However, several organizations are developing and implementing local training and public education about school safety throughout the state. OCEF has an opportunity to help support and supplement these efforts.

Access to LGBT-welcoming health care is also a priority of LGBT Coloradans with 9% of respondents in our survey reporting this as their top priority. Beyond LGBT-welcoming health care, there are opportunities to advance policy and funding health and human services for LGBT Coloradans. There are models from several states, specifically Empire State Pride Agenda, along with existing collaboration within Colorado focused on LGBT health care.

Staff: One Colorado Education Fund has 8 staff members, including organizers for Denver, the Western Slope, and Southern Colorado.

Non-discrimination policy:On file with PIFP.

Organization Website:

Fellowship Description:

Responsibilities:The Development Fellow will work closely with the Development Director and staff to support OCEF’s fundraising efforts. The Development Assistant will carry out a full range of development activities to cultivate an active and diverse support base. Specifically, the Development Fellow will:

  • Research institutional funding opportunities;
  • Identify and solicit corporate gifts;
  • Assist Development Director with day-to-day operations
  • Plan and implement donor cultivation events
  • Manage a fundraising database and acknowledge gifts in a timely manner
  • Work with communications staff to implement online fundraising campaigns
  • Support and track direct mail solicitations
  • Identify and develop marketing opportunities to promote and brand the organization
  • Provide regular assessments, analysis, and projections of activity, income, and pledges

Title:Development Fellow

Supervision:The Development Fellow will work in collaboration with the Development Director to implement a comprehensive fundraising strategy.

Capacity-building/systemic change: OCEF was founded in 2010 and has since experienced an expansion in our many program areas—described seperately—and seeks an addition to our development team in order to effetively fund and advance the organization. OCEF is committed to building a broad range of funders and supporters across the state and nationally—and further creating investment opportunties for women, people of color and transgender people.

Training/networking opportunities:OCEF will provide the Development Fellow with on-the-job trainings from key staff members throughout the summer. Trainings will include grassroots fundraising and advocacy, anti-oppression, events production and major gifts solicitation. The organization will also provide ample networking opportunities at many events, fundraisers and field activities in Denver and across the state. There is also the chance to travel to regional offices in Colorado Springs, Grand Junction and Fort Collins.

Fellow Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will have a background and/or desire to work in development, including major donor cultivation, grants and corporate gifts, online fundraising, events, direct mail, and database administration.

We seek an enthusiastic self-starter with high energy, a “can do” attitude, and a commitment to social justice. She/he must be independent and easily adapt to a fast-paced environment. This person must be flexible, resourceful and creative. This person will be capable of taking responsibility for specific goals within designated time frames and will be able to coordinate multi-task initiatives to successful conclusion.

We seek candidates who have strong verbal communications skills, a demonstrated ability to write clearly and persuasively, and experience in public speaking and the ability to represent the organization publicly. The successful candidate will have exceptional “people skills” that will be used to work effectively with Board members, colleagues, donors, and volunteers. Good computer skills are essential, preferably with a knowledge of database programs. Candidates with strong accounting and database management skills are also highly encouraged to apply.