Part-time West Modesto Community Organizer

The Tuolumne River Trust is seeking a West Modesto Community Organizer to help promote a more vibrant community with stronger ties to the Tuolumne River and Tuolumne River Regional Park. Riverside communities in Modesto act as gateways to the Tuolumne River for the entire region. The health of the Tuolumne River is thus intimately linked to the strength and vitality of these communities. By working with
the communities to improve their neighborhoods, while also working with the communities to link their longterm health with the health of the Tuolumne River, we will engender greater community support for the development of the Tuolumne River Regional Park specifically and improve stewardship of the Tuolumne River in general.
About the Tuolumne River Trust
Founded in 1981, the Tuolumne River Trust’s mission is to promote the stewardship of the Tuolumne River and its tributaries to ensure a healthy watershed. With offices in San Francisco, Modesto and Sonora, the Trust is the only organization working throughout the watershed, linking Sierra and Valley conservation issues and forging strong ties between rural communities and the Bay Area.
The Trust was founded to protect the upper Tuolumne River from a series of dams, which we accomplished in 1984 with “Wild and Scenic” status designation for 83 miles of the upper Tuolumne River. While much of the organization’s efforts in the late 1980’s and 1990’s was focused on protecting and restoring fish and wildlife habitat in the Tuolumne River and its tributaries, in recent years we have focused on improving recreation opportunities along the lower Tuolumne River. In 2005, we led a community effort to develop a plan for the Lower Tuolumne River Parkway, a shared vision for a mosaic of park and habitat projects along the 52 miles of the lower River from La Grange to the San Joaquin River and including the Tuolumne River Regional Park in Modesto. Over the past year, we have focused our efforts on advancing the vision for the Parkway and engaging riverside communities in this effort by directly organizing in the Airport Neighborhood of Modesto. Through this work, we have successfully built a strong constituency for improved stewardship of Legion Park and increased use of the park in general. With a clear vision, a successful track record, and the resources to add several new staff members, the Trust is ideally poised to reach a new level of success. The West Modesto Community Organizer position is an excellent opportunity to join a dynamic team during an exciting period of growth into cutting-edge environmental work. The Trust has an annual budget of approximately $800,000, nine full-time employees, a cadre of consultants, and hundreds of volunteers. For more information, visit www.tuolumne.org.

Duties and Responsibilities
The West Modesto Community Organizer will:
• Work to advance the Tuolumne River Trust’s multi-year agenda for advancing the Tuolumne River Regional Park through grassroots organizing and coalition building in West Modesto.
• Work with existing collaborative efforts in West Modesto to amplify and move forward existing community priorities.
• Strengthen and expand the Trust’s member and activist base in West Modesto.
• Organize members, activists and interested citizens in West Modesto to participate in grassroots actions in support of the Tuolumne River Regional Park, town hall meetings, meetings with decision makers and elected officials, community collaborative discussions, events, etc.
• Strengthen and expand relationships with West Modesto partners.
• Use social media and other online tools to engage people in online activism.
• Manage and grow the Tuolumne River Trust’s West Modesto volunteer network.
• Assist in organizing the Tuolumne River Trust’s annual Paddle to the Sea event
• Work with Advancement staff to support fundraising efforts, including grant writing (and associated reporting), meeting with donors and foundations, and the Trust’s annual year-end-appeal and associated phonebanking.
• Organize events in West Modesto, such as river and park cleanups, canoe trips, and celebrations, including organizing volunteers to support these events.

Qualifications
• A bachelor’s degree.
• Experience in community organizing, political advocacy, and/or communications. (Experience with California water issues and the environment is a plus.)
• An ability to build relationships and work with people from different backgrounds and perspectives.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, as well as basic computer skills and some website experience.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills, the ability to see projects from conception to completion, and the ability to work independently and as a team player with other individuals and organizations.
• Commitment to the Tuolumne River Trust’s mission, values and issues, and a dedication to, and passion for, the diversity and health of river ecosystems.

Salary
The salary for this position is competitive and depends on experience. The Trust is an equal opportunity employer, committed to a diverse staff.

How to Apply
The position will be open until filled and the first round of interviews is expected to occur in mid-September.
Please email a cover letter, resume, writing sample and three professional references to Chris Daniels at
chris@tuolumne.org.