Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Awards
Volunteer Experience
Languages
Websites
Affiliations
References
Timeline
Generic

ROPHIAT BELLO

New York

Summary

Dedicated international development and nonprofit professional with expertise in women’s rights, gender justice, collective care, disability justice, and climate justice. Proven ability to provide insightful analysis, develop strategic solutions, and drive impactful initiatives at the intersection of social justice and feminist movements.

Overview

11
11
years of professional experience

Work History

Emerging Leaders Fellow

Black Feminist Fund
Remote
11.2024 - Current

Founder and Lead Consultant

Igbega Consulting
Remote
04.2024 - Current

Support and provide nonprofit organizations, feminist movements, academic institutions, and grassroots groups with capacity-building services related to grants management, program development and implementation, and project management.

  • Grants and Research Consultant, Nova Southeastern University (Aug 2024)
  • Research Consultant, Lesley University (April 2025)

Program Associate, Global Portfolio

Foundation for a Just Society (FJS)
New York
01.2022 - Current

Co-manage a global grantmaking portfolio of $13M alongside the Global Program Officer, and support the development, implementation, and tracking of the portfolio’s grantmaking and philanthropic advocacy strategy and budget. Manages the flow of information with grantee partners, providing administrative, grants, project management, and logistical support to grantee partners in the portfolio. Represents FJS at conferences, philanthropic advocacy, networks and membership spaces, and affinity groups.

  • Co-manage the portfolio’s grantmaking responsibilities, including proposal solicitation, funding rationale, and report review, and solely handle project management needs and tasks for the portfolio.
  • Co-design and implement an initiative supporting new feminist BIPOC EDs from the Global South alongside the Program Officer, overseeing the project management components of the initiative.
  • Assisted in designing the foundation for a feminist MEL strategy for the organization and conducted a grantmaking assessment for the portfolio in collaboration with the Head of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning and Program Officer.
  • Co-led an internal committee that promoted an organizational culture that centers care, team and trust building, and learning. Responsibilities included coordinating monthly staff meetings, organizing and facilitating teambuilding, collective care, and learning spaces, including a racial justice book club, co-planning and co-organizing yearly all-staff retreats, recommending organizational policy amendments, and coordinating monthly meetings for the committee.
  • Co-created a disability justice task force to advance FJS’s commitment to disability justice through internal learnings, revamping systems and processes towards a disability justice lens, and philanthropic advocacy.
  • Contributed to the successful recruitment of four program team positions at FJS.
  • Manage a cohort of consultants

Conference Intern

Women Deliver
New York
01.2020 - Current
  • Conduct media scan, brainstorm, and research program management and implementation tools for conference

International Development Intern

The Asherah Foundation
12.2019 - Current
  • Research grants, evaluate programs, organize fundraiser, and provide assistance with outreach and advocacy campaigns

Program Assistant

Foundation for a Just Society (FJS)
New York
08.2020 - 12.2021

Provided administrative, project, and grants management support to the Director of Programs and Programs Team; co-managed the global and NYC grantmaking portfolio of $13M and $1M, respectively, and managed an emergency grantmaking mechanism across all portfolios with the Director of Programs.

  • Oversaw the grantmaking processes and responsibilities for the global and NYC portfolios, including updating the grants database, reviewing reports, presenting funding rationales, serving as a point of contact for grantees, and providing grantmaking administrative and logistical support to grantees.
  • Streamlined processes and systems for the program team to ensure a smooth grantmaking process and workflow across the team, and implemented initiatives to strengthen collaboration and increase learning across the team.
  • Provided administrative support to the program team and director of programs, such as board meeting support, calendar management, tracking action items and deliverables assigned to the director, managing contracts for vendors and consultants, and managing project timelines and weekly team meetings.
  • Co-created and tracked yearly work plans and budgets for both portfolios alongside the Director of Programs.

International Development and Nonprofit Management

The Asherah Foundation
Remote
12.2019 - 07.2020
  • Provided organizational development, grant, and project management support, including research and grant applications.
  • Piloted an academic and career mentorship program for women receiving educational scholarships from the organization.

Youth Development Intern

Friendship Ambassadors Foundation
Stamford
12.2019 - 01.2020
  • Provided programmatic assistance for youth engagement and selection processes, updated database, and created flyers

Grants Intern

Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders)
New York
05.2019 - 12.2019
  • Provided administrative support, maintained grants database; performed grants reporting and documentation

Legal Aide – Intern

Association des Juristes Sénégalaises (Association of Senegalese Women Lawyers)
Dakar
11.2018 - 12.2018
  • Provided programmatic support; conducted research on women’s rights, traditions, and development in Senegal

Development Consultant – Intern

Jatan Sansthan
Rajasthan
06.2018 - 08.2018
  • Conducted needs assessment, a gardening workshop; designed project proposal; provided educational support

Development Specialist

Penn State Office of University Development
State College
01.2018 - 05.2018
  • Engaged in donor relations, including cultivation, retention, data management, and fundraising for university students.

Research Aide – Intern

Caleb University
Lagos
06.2014 - 09.2014
  • Conducted research on women entrepreneurship and challenges among women entrepreneurs in Ikorodu

Education

Master of International Affairs - International Development and Human Rights

The Pennsylvania State University, School of International Affairs
State College, PA
05.2019

University of Minnesota Studies - International Development

West African Research Centre
Dakar, Senegal
12.2018

Duke Summer School - Future International Development Leaders

Duke Sanford School of Public Policy / Indian Institute of Management Udaipur
Udaipur, Rajasthan, India
08.2018

Bachelor of Arts - History and International Studies

Redeemer's University
Nigeria
06.2016

French Certification -

Centre International De Recherche Et D’Etude De La
Village Du Benin, Togo
07.2013

Skills

  • Computer: MS Office 365 Applications, Google Applications, Dropbox, SharePoint, Prezi, JotForm, Trello, Box, Slack
  • Software: ROI Solutions, STATA, PCGive, NetSuite, Cisco WebEx, Skype, Zoom, Adobe Suites, SAP
  • Social Media: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn
  • Languages: English and Yoruba (native), French (intermediate), Spanish and Wolof (beginner)
  • Outreach coordination
  • Event planning
  • Research skills
  • Workflow optimization
  • Problem solving
  • Data analysis
  • Attention to detail
  • Budget tracking
  • Team collaboration
  • Communication skills

Awards

Merit Scholarship, SIA, four semesters

Volunteer Experience

  • United Nations Volunteers (UNV)
  • The Pennsylvania State University, School of International Affairs (SIA), Philanthropy Chair, Student Government Association; Education Abroad Blogger; Peer Mentor/Adviser
  • Redeemer’s University, Member of Student Welfare Organization (STUWES); Basketball Team; Nigeria Red Cross Association

Languages

English
Native/ Bilingual
Yoruba
Native/ Bilingual
French
Professional
Spanish
Limited
Wolof
Elementary

Affiliations

Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy (EPIP) New York Chapter Steering Committee

The Pennsylvania State University, School of International Affairs

  • Philanthropy Chair, Student Government Association; Education Abroad Blogger; Peer Mentor/Adviser

Redeemer’s University

  • Member of Student Welfare Organization (STUWES); Basketball Team; Nigeria Red Cross Association

References

References available upon request.

Timeline

Emerging Leaders Fellow

Black Feminist Fund
11.2024 - Current

Founder and Lead Consultant

Igbega Consulting
04.2024 - Current

Program Associate, Global Portfolio

Foundation for a Just Society (FJS)
01.2022 - Current

Program Assistant

Foundation for a Just Society (FJS)
08.2020 - 12.2021

Conference Intern

Women Deliver
01.2020 - Current

International Development and Nonprofit Management

The Asherah Foundation
12.2019 - 07.2020

International Development Intern

The Asherah Foundation
12.2019 - Current

Youth Development Intern

Friendship Ambassadors Foundation
12.2019 - 01.2020

Grants Intern

Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders)
05.2019 - 12.2019

Legal Aide – Intern

Association des Juristes Sénégalaises (Association of Senegalese Women Lawyers)
11.2018 - 12.2018

Development Consultant – Intern

Jatan Sansthan
06.2018 - 08.2018

Development Specialist

Penn State Office of University Development
01.2018 - 05.2018

Research Aide – Intern

Caleb University
06.2014 - 09.2014

Master of International Affairs - International Development and Human Rights

The Pennsylvania State University, School of International Affairs

University of Minnesota Studies - International Development

West African Research Centre

Duke Summer School - Future International Development Leaders

Duke Sanford School of Public Policy / Indian Institute of Management Udaipur

Bachelor of Arts - History and International Studies

Redeemer's University

French Certification -

Centre International De Recherche Et D’Etude De La
ROPHIAT BELLO