Rebecca Ruiz

• Executive leadership of consulting firm offering grant writing, business writing/editing, strategic planning, and fundraising services to nonprofits of all sizes from local food pantries and other community aid agencies to international humanitarian organizations.

• Adjunct, Loyola on the Potomac, Faulkner, MD - Ignatian Weekend Retreat Team
• Spiritual Reflector, Ignatian Volunteer Corps of the National Capital Region
• Educator, World on Fire Spiritual Direction Formation Program
• Developed and presented retreats, seminar series, and mornings/evenings of reflection

• Writer specializing in Ignatian Spirituality, Catholic Social Teaching, and the New Evangelization
• Loyola Press, Regular Contributor to the dotMagis website on Ignatian Spirituality
• Contributed to various Loyola Press media and publications including the books, Sacred Space for the Advent and Christmas Season 2017-2018 and Sacred Space: The Prayer Book 2018
• Also published in Our Sunday Visitor, Holy Cross Magazine, the Catholic Diocese of Arlington Blog, Arlington Catholic Herald blog

• Head grant writer for the US and foundations lead supervising a team of five development staff who were producing all annual outreach and appeal drives and events.

• 95% success rate with nonprofit grant proposals
• Authored communications materials including annual reports, white papers, brochures, fact sheets, posters, donor appeal and appreciation letters, resumes, applications, and other business and academic copy

• Company Overview: an affiliate of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Office of Migration and Refugee Services Arlington, VA
• Wrote dozens of grant proposals to federal, state, foundation, and corporate funders garnering millions of dollars which allowed for maximization of organizational capacity
• Increased budget from $87,000/year to over $3,000,000/year
• Expanded services from one 30-day program to eight programs offering full-spectrum of resettlement services ranging from 30-days to five years
• Increased office sites from one to five
• Grew CCDA MRS from staff of three to twenty-eight
• Increased organizational service capacity from 100 to over 1,200 clients
• Supervised team of 3-5
• Researched and identified funding opportunities
• Developed strategies for funding diversification
• Produced annual Development calendar in conjunction with MRS’ Annual Action Plan
• Cultivated donors through annual fund, gala, direct-mail campaigns, donation drives
• Spearheaded donor appreciation events
• Served on Management Team – managed office merger with Catholic Charities, participated in strategic planning process, assisted with personnel management (including interviewing and evaluating candidates for employment and conducting annual performance reviews), assisted with reporting and auditing preparation for annual State Department, USCCB, and Commonwealth of Virginia monitoring visits, annual Diocesan audit, and accreditation
• Managed all external and internal communications
• Authored fact sheets, brochures, newsletter, weekly donor update, and annual reports
• Secured grant funding for the USCCB funded “Parishes Organized to Welcome Refugees” Program and cultivated relationships with over forty parishes and facilitated over 50+ donations drives/year which yielded over $250,000 in new items and thousands of volunteer hours per year which enabled CCDA MRS to “Meet the Match” for federal Match Grant funding
• Authored 121 page “Adopt a Family” manual for parishes supporting refugee families

• Company Overview: an affiliate of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Office of Migration and Refugee Services Arlington, VA
• Joined office staff of two and worked with Director to build the program
• Created development materials – brochures, fact sheets, newsletter, weekly “Flash”
• Researched and identified funding opportunities
• Secured funding for and implemented USCCB grant funded “Parishes Organized to Welcome Refugees” Program, and submitted quarterly reports of outcomes

• Company Overview: an affiliate of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, Office of Migration and Refugee Services Arlington, VA
• Created donation management forms and donor database
• Initiated Annual Fund and periodic fundraising campaigns and composed all materials
• Organized and executed direct mail campaign
• Cultivated relationships with parishes, donors, and volunteers
• Procured and managed in-kind giving
• Wrote gift acknowledgements to all donors
• Organized donor appreciation events including gala dinners and brunches
• Recruited new volunteer base, created volunteer management forms and database, authored 32-page volunteer handbook
• Welcomed refugee clients at airport, prepared homes with donated items prior to client arrival, assisted clients in securing employment and becoming self-sufficient

• Worked in partnership with Development Office to acknowledge alumni support
• Served as Dean’s office representative at alumni events
• Liaised with Board of Directors and strategic planning committee/consultants during strategic planning process

• Assisted at alumni events including gala dinner, collaborated with researchers on Annual Report

Assisted the Development Office with the full spectrum of development activities from donor recognition to Galas. Honored to be stationed in the Office of the President as Student Development Liaison during senior year.