Paola Rodríguez Tiel
@paolarodrigueztiel
Fundraising and partnerships professional advancing gender and data-driven initiatives.
What I'm looking for
I am a fundraising and partnerships professional with 5+ years advancing gender equality and data-driven initiatives across the UN, INGOs, and government. I specialise in mobilising public and private funding through grant writing, strategic partnerships, and donor cultivation.
At Data Friendly Space I built a fundraising strategy, produced donor intelligence on 100+ donors, secured 17+ strategic partnerships, and helped win $1.5M across grants and a service contract by leading proposal and pitch development for AI-powered humanitarian solutions.
With the United Nations Complex Risk Analytics Fund, I supported donor cultivation and grantmaking that helped secure $13M, designed an Open Call for Proposals on Gender Data that yielded 230+ applications, and strengthened monitoring and outreach to expand Global South and feminist group participation.
My background combines program management, MEAL, and policy experience—managing humanitarian programs, coordinating teams, and producing data-driven narratives and tools to support gender-responsive programming and donor reporting. I prioritise ethical data practices, inclusivity, and measurable impact.
Experience
Work history, roles, and key accomplishments
Partnerships and Fundraising Associate
Data Friendly Space
Jan 2025 - Jul 2025 (6 months)
Developed and implemented a fundraising strategy, securing 3 grants and 1 service contract totalling $1.5M and establishing 17+ strategic partnerships to grow the donor pipeline and visibility.
Cultivated donor relationships and supported grant strategy that helped secure $13M for EOSG initiatives, designed an Open Call yielding 230+ applications, and improved grant monitoring systems.
Supported monitoring and evaluation of the Tipping Point initiative across endline surveys and qualitative research, producing data-driven reports and materials to inform gender equality strategy across 1,400+ projects.
Graduate Assistant Rapporteur
Columbia University
Oct 2022 - Jun 2023 (8 months)
Planned and delivered hybrid seminars, managing logistics, facilitation support, vendor coordination, and post-event follow-up to ensure successful program delivery.
Program Coordinator and Project Manager
Spanish Red Cross
Jun 2021 - Jul 2022 (1 year 1 month)
Managed the ICRC Restoring Family Links project, leading a 5-person team to deliver humanitarian services, design risk-mitigated systems, and coordinate gender-responsive programming across refugee sites.
Supported drafting of Section 72 of the 2020 Domestic Abuse Bill and developed advocacy strategies, conducting policy research and coordinating with CSOs and media to advance legislation.
Legal Aide
Monroe County Public Defender's Office
Jan 2019 - May 2019 (4 months)
Conducted legal and quantitative research into police practices to inform a policy paper on racial justice, analyzing data to highlight racial bias in law enforcement.
Research Assistant
Peter D. Watson Center
Jan 2018 - Jan 2019 (1 year)
Conducted research on national borders and conflict, supporting data collection, transcription, translation, and qualitative content analysis for academic projects.
Education
Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework
Columbia University
Master of Arts, Global Thought
2022 - 2023
Completed a Master of Arts in Global Thought, focusing on interdisciplinary approaches to global issues and critical theory.
University of Rochester
Bachelor of Arts, International Relations
2017 - 2021
Earned a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations with a secondary focus in Gender, Sexuality and Women’s Studies, engaging in research and policy-oriented coursework.
Availability
Location
Authorized to work in
Portfolio
pitchandpurpose.substack.comSalary expectations
Social media
Job categories
Skills
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