We’re looking for someone passionate about housing justice to build understanding of our issues, create materials for our expanding programs, grow our events, and diversify our revenue.
About Housing Action Illinois
Housing Action Illinois is a statewide coalition that has been leading the movement to protect and expand the availability of quality, affordable housing and end homelessness in Illinois for more than 35 years. Our 180+ member organizations include housing counseling agencies, homeless service providers, developers of affordable housing, and policymakers. We bring everyone together to work toward an Illinois where everyone has a stable, good home.
Our AmeriCorps VISTA will build awareness and understanding of affordable housing and homelessness through creating educational materials, updating our website, helping explain the impact of our programs, and otherwise contributing to print and digital communications. They will foster relationships with our member organizations, helping us broaden our coalition, and undertake research, logistics, and strategizing to grow our annual conference and our annual benefit. Finally, they will work with our team to identify and apply to prospective funders so that we can diversify our resources.
To accomplish all of this, we’re looking for someone who is passionate about housing justice, interested in communications and development, and eager to foster collaboration among housing organizations throughout Illinois. A competitive candidate will have strong writing skills, be well-organized and eager to learn, take initiative, be ready to balance a wide variety of projects.
Since this position is a part of the larger network of AmeriCorps VISTA members serving within Housing Action’s network, you will receive training, support, guidance, and networking opportunities, in addition to the traditional opportunities for AmeriCorps VISTA positions. This position will ideally start in August, though July is also a possibility.
Responsibilities:
- Build awareness and understanding of homelessness and affordable housing and our coalition’s role in addressing these issues in Illinois. Projects include updating our website, creating content for newsletters, and developing programmatic one pagers.
- Engage and educate Housing Action member organizations through regular communications and conduct outreach to help us reach 200 members by 2025.
- Help grow our annual conference by formalizing our planning process; brainstorming creative, interactive elements; and making it more inclusive for participants from less well-represented communities.
- Expand and diversify our resources in collaboration with staff by identifying and applying to prospective funders, researching options for future benefits, and leveraging individual giving.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s Degree strongly preferred.
- At least 6 months to one year of professional, volunteer, or internship experience in a non-profit or agency setting strongly preferred; previous communications and project management experience preferred.
- Education background in communications, journalism, marketing, political science, or English preferred.
- Excellent computer skills, including proficiency in web-based research and Microsoft Office. Open to learning website content management and other website training.
- Excellent writing skills, strong attention to detail, and good interpersonal skills.
- Familiarity with social media channels desired; familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop) a plus.
- Knowledge of or experience in fundraising and event planning a plus.
- Knowledge of or experience in affordable housing and homelessness a plus.
Compensation and Benefits:
This is a one-year position. Full-year AmeriCorps members serving in Illinois in 2024–2025 will receive a living allowance of $22,882 per year, distributed biweekly.
Housing Action Illinois will also provide $300 per month as a housing stipend and will provide reimbursement for a monthly transit pass.
Benefits funded by AmeriCorps VISTA include:
- Forbearance/deferment of student loan payments during term of service
- Non-competitive eligibility status for federal jobs
- Healthcare allowance & special enrollment period
- Leave Days: 10 personal & 10 medical
- If Eligible: Relocation payment (50+ miles)
- If Eligible: Child Care Assistance
- After successful completion of the term, the choice of an Education Award ($7,395) or an End-of-Service Cash Stipend ($1,803)
Hybrid:
This position will be remote for 4 days per week and in the office 1 day per week.
To Apply:
Please apply to this position via the AmeriCorps portal; you can find the posting in the portal here.