Ascension LLC is seeking a detail-oriented Rural Economic Data & Engagement Analyst to support a regional planning initiative focused on expanding access to capital for rural entrepreneurs in Western Maryland. This role will support the development of a sustainable, community-rooted Community Development Financial Institution model serving Allegany, Garrett, and Washington Counties.

The ideal candidate will bring strong research, data analysis, stakeholder coordination, and documentation skills. This position is especially well suited for a professional who understands rural economic development, small business ecosystems, community development finance, entrepreneurship support systems, nonprofit or public-sector planning, and regional stakeholder engagement.

The Analyst will support research-heavy and coordination-intensive activities across ecosystem mapping, financing gap analysis, listening sessions, stakeholder interviews, roundtables, and documentation of findings. The RFP requires the selected contractor to conduct research and analysis of the entrepreneurial finance ecosystem, identify financing barriers and capital gaps, review public and regional data sources, organize stakeholder engagement activities, and incorporate findings into final recommendations and planning documents.

Summary of the Contractor Role

The Rural Economic Data & Engagement Analyst will support the Subject Matter Expert and Project Lead by collecting, organizing, analyzing, and documenting information needed to understand rural capital access conditions across Western Maryland. The role will help translate qualitative and quantitative inputs into practical findings that inform the needs assessment, financing gap analysis, governance roadmap, capitalization strategy, final CDFI business plan, and ARC implementation-phase support materials.

The successful candidate should be a strong writer, structured researcher, and organized engagement support professional who can work independently in a remote-first project environment. The candidate must be comfortable reviewing public data sources, synthesizing interview and listening session notes, tracking stakeholder outreach, preparing analytic summaries, and supporting facilitation logistics. Because the RFP emphasizes community development finance, rural economic development, small business lending ecosystems, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, data analysis, needs assessment, report writing, and multi-county partnerships, candidates with experience in these areas should be prioritized.

The candidate should be comfortable using Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint or similar collaboration tools, survey tools, virtual meeting platforms, and publicly available data sources such as census, economic development, business lending, labor market, regional planning, or small business ecosystem data.

Anticipated Day-to-Day Activities

• Collect public, regional, and stakeholder-provided data related to rural entrepreneurship, small business lending, access to capital, business formation, workforce conditions, economic development assets, and nonprofit/community finance resources.
• Analyze entrepreneurial finance conditions across Allegany, Garrett, and Washington Counties to identify financing barriers, capital gaps, service gaps, and opportunities for alignment.
• Support ecosystem mapping by cataloging lenders, chambers of commerce, economic development organizations, workforce partners, entrepreneurship support organizations, nonprofit partners, public agencies, and other relevant stakeholders.
• Develop draft data tables, summary charts, issue logs, interview trackers, engagement trackers, and research notes to support the needs assessment and financing gap analysis.
• Coordinate stakeholder session logistics, including scheduling support, calendar tracking, attendance lists, participant outreach tracking, materials preparation, and follow-up documentation.
• Document listening sessions, interviews, roundtables, and workgroup meetings by preparing notes, action items, emerging themes, and high-level summaries.
• Synthesize qualitative input from entrepreneurs, small businesses, lenders, chambers, workforce partners, economic development organizations, and other stakeholders into clear themes and findings.
• Support preparation of the written needs assessment and financing gap analysis by drafting sections, compiling evidence, and organizing supporting documentation.
• Maintain well-organized project files, data folders, stakeholder lists, version-controlled documents, and supporting materials necessary for grant compliance and project reporting.
• Prepare draft briefing materials, PowerPoint slides, tables, issue summaries, and written inputs for review by the SME, Project Manager, and Ascension leadership.
• Track open questions, data gaps, stakeholder follow-ups, risks, and dependencies that could affect timely completion of deliverables.
• Contribute to the governance and sustainability roadmap, capitalization strategy, final CDFI business plan, and ARC implementation-phase proposal materials by ensuring that findings are grounded in documented evidence.