Volunteer: Social Work Empowerment Fund Growth Strategy
About the Opportunity
This is a volunteer consulting opportunity provided by Taproot Foundation, a nonprofit creating social change through pro bono connections. The Social Work Ladies Collective (SWLC) seeks strategic guidance to grow and sustain the Social Work Empowerment Fund, a microgrant initiative providing direct financial support to social workers for licensure, professional development, and wellness-related expenses.
In its first cycle, the Fund awarded six microgrants. SWLC aims to develop a focused strategy to position the Fund for long-term growth, including philanthropic support, donor engagement, and sustainable funding models.
Responsibilities
- Develop a Social Work Empowerment Fund Growth Strategy with a practical 1–3 year roadmap for expanding the Fund.
- Recommend annual fundraising and growth goals for the Fund.
- Propose a funding model and mix of potential revenue sources (e.g., donors, foundations, corporate partners).
- Identify the most promising donor, foundation, corporate, and community-partnership audiences.
- Provide recommendations for positioning and communicating the Fund to potential supporters.
- Design a donor/partner cultivation approach tailored to the Fund.
- Suggest models for recurring and annual support, including sponsorships and partnerships.
- Recommend strategies for increasing the number and/or size of microgrants as funding grows.
- Define key metrics for measuring Fund growth and sustainability.
The deliverable should be a clear, actionable strategy—not an open-ended research project—that SWLC can implement.
About the Organization
The Social Work Ladies Collective, Inc. (SWLC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to helping women social workers and mental health professionals recharge, connect, and thrive. Through social gatherings, workshops, networking events, wellness retreats, and the Empowerment Fund, SWLC provides resources, support, and community to sustain social workers in their impactful work.