Engagement & Outreach VISTA- SW MN Housing Partnership

2026 Engagement & Outreach VISTA – SW MN Housing Partnership

Southwest Minnesota Housing Partnership (SWMHP) is a nonprofit dedicated to creating thriving communities through affordable housing development, home ownership education, and financial readiness programs. This VISTA position will strengthen housing access and workforce stability by expanding outreach, partnerships, and systems that support long‑term home ownership opportunities for low‑income households and communities facing housing barriers in rural southwest Minnesota.

As a VISTA member, you will engage community members and partners to better understand barriers to home ownership and increase participation in housing programs. You will conduct outreach, support listening sessions and community feedback activities, and support development of strategies that increase awareness of financial readiness education and home ownership resources. You will also build and strengthen partnerships with regional employers by supporting coordination of a workforce housing cohort, coordinating meetings, and supporting collaborative solutions that improve employee housing stability.

The member will enhance organizational capacity by supporting program improvements, developing outreach materials, and creating systems to improve service delivery and tracking. A key focus of this role includes strengthening resource development efforts by researching funding opportunities, supporting a multi‑year fundraising strategy, and evaluating existing systems used for donor and financial tracking. The VISTA will assess current CRM tools and processes, identify gaps, and develop recommendations to improve data management and long‑term sustainability.

The Ameri Corps VISTA member will expand housing access and organizational capacity by strengthening outreach, partnerships, and internal systems. They will conduct community outreach, organize listening sessions and surveys, and help develop strategies that connect underserved and low‑income households with home ownership resources. The member will support coordination of an employer cohort to address workforce housing needs, develop systems and tools to support ongoing meeting coordination and collaboration, and maintain shared resources and documentation.

They will assess housing program effectiveness and support improvements to increase accessibility and efficiency. The VISTA will also strengthen resource development efforts by researching funding opportunities, supporting fundraising strategies, and evaluating current CRM systems and processes used for donor and financial tracking to recommend system improvements and enhance long‑term sustainability.

• Childcare assistance if eligible
• Housing
• Training
• Choice of Education Award or End‑of‑Service Stipend
• Relocation Allowance
• Living Allowance
• Health Coverage*

• Permits attendance at school during off hours
• Car recommended
• Permits working at another job during off hours

• Community and Economic Development
• Community Outreach

• Fund Raising / Grant Writing
• Communications
• Public Speaking
• Community Organization