Community Engagement Organizer

Job Title: Community Engagement Organizer

Organization: Pay It Forward Wisconsin / Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC)

Location: Milwaukee, WI (Hybrid)

Are you passional about education, advocacy, and community engagement? Do you enjoy building relationships and organizing grassroots efforts? Pay it Forward Wisconsin, a 501(c)3 organization of the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC) is seeking a motivated and community-minded Community Engagement Organizer to help build awareness and support for education scholarship initiatives across Wisconsin.

The Role:

The Community Engagement Organizer will lead outreach, education, and grassroots engagement efforts related to the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (FSTC) and Pay It Forward Wisconsin’s mission. This individual will build relationships with parent teacher organizations (PTOs), schools (public, private and charter), employers, and community organizations across Wisconsin to increase awareness, encourage advocacy efforts, and grow scholarship funding opportunities.

This contract position requires a highly organized self-motivated individual who is comfortable engaging diverse audiences, coordinating campaigns and events, building coalitions around education-focused initiatives, and public speaking. Ideally the candidate has knowledge of Wisconsin politics and the newly-created FTSC.

What You’ll Do:

Community Outreach & Education

· Educate PTOs, school districts, businesses, parents, and community organizations about the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit and its impact on educational opportunities.

· Develop presentations, talking points, outreach materials, and informational sessions for various audiences.

· Represent Pay It Forward Wisconsin at community meetings, school events, business gatherings, and public forums.

· Build and maintain strong relationships with education, business, and community stakeholders throughout Wisconsin.

Grassroots Organizing & Advocacy

· Coordinate grassroots efforts to build public awareness and support for the FSTC.

· Organize supporters, volunteers, and advocates to engage policymakers and community leaders.

· Assist with advocacy campaigns aimed at encouraging current and future state leaders to support participation in the FSTC program.

· Track outreach activities, stakeholder engagement, and advocacy progress.

Employer & Fundraising Engagement

· Partner with local employers to establish payroll deduction programs that support Pay It Forward Wisconsin scholarship efforts.

· Assist with donor outreach and engagement strategies to increase scholarship contributions.

· Identify opportunities for partnerships with businesses, civic organizations, and community leaders.

· Support fundraising events, campaigns, and donor stewardship activities as needed.

Communications & Coordination

· Assist with social media, email communications, and awareness campaigns related to scholarship opportunities and advocacy efforts.

· Coordinate meetings, community presentations, and stakeholder events.

· Maintain accurate records of outreach activities, contacts, and campaign efforts.

· Provide regular updates and reports on outreach and engagement progress.

What You Bring:

· 3 years of experience in community organizing, advocacy, public engagements, fundraising, education, nonprofit work, or related field preferred.

· Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills.

· Highly organized with strong attention to detail.

· Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

· Comfortable speaking to groups and facilitating presentations.

· Ability to work independently and manage multiple projects simultaneously.

· Passion for educational opportunity and community impact.

· Proficiency with Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams).

Education & Experience:

· Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.

· Knowledge of the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (FSTC) a plus.

· Familiarity with Wisconsin education policy or legislative advocacy helpful, but not required.

· Experience working with schools, nonprofits, businesses, or grassroots campaigns a plus.

Position Details:

· Contract position, with the potential to transition to full-time employment if Wisconsin Governor opts into the FSTC.

· Flexible schedule, with some evening and community event participation required.

· Hybrid work environment, with travel throughout Wisconsin as needed.

· Compensation commensurate with experience.

If you are energized by community engagement, advocacy and ready to mobilize support for policies that expand educational opportunities for Wisconsin students, apply today.

No phone calls, emails or direct messages regarding this position, please. Applications will be accepted through June 12, and candidates selected for next steps will be contacted after that date.

About Pay It Forward Wisconsin:

Pay It Forward Wisconsin is a Scholarship Granting Organization operating under the Metropolitan Milwaukee Association of Commerce (MMAC). The organization was founded to facilitate the Federal Scholarship Tax Credit (FSTC), which will expand educational opportunities and access for students through scholarship funding and community partnerships.

The FSTC allows individual taxpayers to claim a 100% dollar-for-dollar nonrefundable tax credit of up to $1,700 for cash contributions made to qualified Scholarship Granting Organizations, beginning in 2027.

About MMAC:

Founded in 1861, the Milwaukee Metropolitan Association of Commerce (MMAC) is the state’s leading business association, representing nearly 2,000 member organizations from diverse industries. MMAC members employ over 300,000 people in the Greater Milwaukee area, and we aim to foster strong partnerships, drive economic development, and offer top-tier resources to our members.