Winnipeg, Manitoba · Canada
Rifat
Islam
Rupok
Development professional, data analyst, and social science researcher building evidence-based impact at the intersection of community, policy, and human need.
Development Coordinator · Siloam Mission
01 The Mission
Evidence & purpose.
Development Coordinator at Siloam Mission — Winnipeg's largest shelter and housing programme for Indigenous and marginalized peoples. I manage a $17M+ grant portfolio across 23+ federal, provincial, and municipal funding agreements, pairing research rigour with data-driven strategy.
+Close
With 6+ years of progressive experience spanning fundraising, grant management, data analytics, and community development, I bring a research-informed, equity-centred approach to development work across Canada and South Asia.
Based in Winnipeg, I serve as Development Coordinator at Siloam Mission, where I manage a portfolio of $17M+ across 23+ active federal, provincial, and municipal funding agreements, maintain relationships with major donors and institutional partners, and coordinate housing and shelter programs serving Indigenous and marginalized communities.
My academic background in Peace and Conflict Studies — combined with certifications in fundraising, project management, and data analytics — gives me a rare ability to bridge qualitative research rigour with quantitative programme evaluation and strategic planning. Outside of work, I tinker on Flowly — a small, ad-free RSS news reader I built as a hobby project (public beta).
Four Pillars of Practice
01 · PMI Certified
Project Management
Coordinating multi-stakeholder, multi-stream programmes from initiation through close-out. Proficient in Agile and traditional waterfall approaches, stakeholder mapping, risk registers, and Gantt-based scheduling — applied across housing programmes, grant-funded initiatives, and research projects.
02 · Google Certified
Data Analytics & Visualisation
Hands-on experience in Python (Pandas, NumPy, Matplotlib), SQL, R, and Tableau. Applied donor analytics, programme evaluation metrics, and human rights dataset analysis to drive evidence-based decision-making and grant compliance reporting.
03 · MSS, University of Dhaka
Social Science Research
Trained qualitative and quantitative researcher. Experienced in ethnographic fieldwork, survey design, thematic analysis, policy analysis, and evidence synthesis. Published researcher on South Asian geopolitics, social movements, and digital violence.
04 · UC Davis Certified
Fundraising & Development
Full-spectrum understanding of the development function: donor cultivation and stewardship, major gift strategy, grant writing across government and foundation streams, case development, and donor impact reporting.
02 The Portfolio
$17M+ under management.
PMI-certified, with demonstrated experience leading complex multi-funder programmes simultaneously — zero missed deadlines across CMHC, PHAC, MB Housing, City of Winnipeg, and private foundation streams.
+Close
Selected Project Leadership
Siloam Mission · 2023–Present · $17M+ Managed
Multi-Stream Federal & Provincial Housing Grant Portfolio
Lead coordinator for a concurrent portfolio of housing and shelter grants across CMHC, PHAC, MB Housing, and municipal streams. Responsible for full project lifecycle: application, financial planning, compliance monitoring, quarterly reporting, and stakeholder coordination with government, Indigenous partners, and community organizations.
Siloam Mission · 2024–2025 · Delivered 2025
Housing Strategy 2025 — Organisational Planning Document
Co-led the research, data synthesis, and writing of Siloam Mission's 2025 Housing Strategy — a forward-looking planning document integrating community needs assessments, housing data analysis, and stakeholder engagement outcomes to guide multi-year programmatic and capital investment decisions.
Beyond Peace · 2020–2023 · 6 Research Staff Led
Korail Slum — Education Technology Field Research Project
Designed and managed a full-cycle community research project studying technology integration in education for marginalized children in Dhaka's Korail slum during COVID-19. Oversaw team of six research assistants, coordinated field logistics, managed ethical protocols, and produced the final policy report.
Manitoba Métis Federation · 2023 · Delivered in 8 Weeks
Policy Research Initiative — Métis Community Data Analysis
Delivered a time-constrained policy research project producing culturally relevant data analysis and recommendations for Métis community programmes. Applied Indigenous data sovereignty principles to ensure ethical and community-centred research practices throughout the engagement.
Project Management Framework
Initiation & Scoping
Charter development, SMART objectives, stakeholder identification, feasibility assessment for funded initiatives.
Planning & Scheduling
Gantt charts, critical path method, resource allocation, risk registers, and milestone-based work breakdown structures.
Agile Delivery
Iterative sprint planning, stand-up facilitation, retrospectives, and backlog management for adaptive project contexts.
Stakeholder Management
RACI matrices, communication plans, community consultation, government liaison, and cross-functional team coordination.
Monitoring & Evaluation
Logic model design, KPI dashboards, programme evaluation frameworks, grant compliance, and impact reporting.
Close-Out & Reporting
Final deliverable documentation, lessons-learned reviews, funder final reports, and project knowledge transfer.
03 The Data
Data into decisions.
Google-certified data analyst applying quantitative methods to fundraising strategy, programme evaluation, and social science research — across the full workflow from collection design to visualisation.
+Close
Fundraising
Donor Analytics
Retention modeling, major gift segmentation, giving trend analysis, and fiscal year benchmarking for major gift portfolios.
Compliance
Grant Reporting
KPI dashboards, programme output tracking, compliance data verification, and funder impact reports with visual data summaries.
Evaluation
Community Needs Assessment
Survey instrument design, mixed-method data collection, and statistical analysis for housing, shelter, and social programme evaluation.
Advocacy
Human Rights Data
Complex human rights dataset analysis, data visualisation for advocacy reports, and ethical data protocol development at the Centre for Genocide Studies.
04 The Trajectory
Six years. Two continents.
From grassroots community development in Dhaka to managing Winnipeg's largest shelter and housing grant portfolio. Select a role to expand the full record.
Jun 2023 – Present
Winnipeg, MB
Development Coordinator
Siloam Mission Inc.
Current
+
Serving as the central coordination point for Siloam Mission's development and grant management function. Responsible for managing $17M+ across federal, provincial, and municipal streams with zero missed deadlines and a 78%+ grant success rate. Combining data-driven donor strategy, cross-sector relationship management, and evidence-based case development to support Winnipeg's largest shelter and housing programme for Indigenous and marginalized peoples.
- Manage full grant lifecycle across 23+ active funding agreements — CMHC, PHAC, MB Housing, City of Winnipeg, and private foundation streams
- Coordinate quarterly and annual funder compliance cycles across federal, provincial, and municipal housing programme agreements
- Built internal data infrastructure for shelter programme reporting — automated Python data pipelines, consolidated datasets, and leadership reporting templates
- Led donor analytics informing strategy and planning for a major capital initiative
- Produce donor analytics reports (major gift segmentation, fiscal year benchmarking, trend analysis) using Excel and Python
- Drafted the case for support and appeal materials for a major organisation-wide emergency fundraising campaign
- Coordinate Youth in Philanthropy Committee visits, annual donor events, and community consultation sessions
- Author and maintain grant agreement tracking systems, compliance calendars, and reporting dashboards
- Co-lead Housing Strategy 2025 — research, data synthesis, stakeholder consultation, and final document production
- Cultivate and steward relationships with major donors, government officials, and corporate partners
- Draft cases for support, donor impact reports, and grant applications using evidence-based narratives
Apr – May 2023
Winnipeg, MB
Research Analyst
Manitoba Métis Federation
Canada
+
Contracted policy and data research supporting Métis community governance and programme development. Delivered culturally grounded analysis with actionable recommendations under tight timelines, applying Indigenous data sovereignty frameworks throughout.
- Conducted policy landscape scans and comparative programme analysis for Métis community initiatives
- Applied Indigenous data sovereignty principles (OCAP®) to research design and data handling
- Produced written reports and data visualisations for leadership and external stakeholders
Oct 2020 – Apr 2023
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Managing Partner
Beyond Peace
International
+
Co-founded and led a peacebuilding research and community development organisation focused on grassroots social change, education equity, and conflict resolution across Bangladesh. Managed operations, international partnerships, and a team of six research staff.
- Led partnership development with international peacebuilding organisations, securing collaborative research agreements
- Designed and managed the Korail Slum education technology field research project — full cycle from ethics approval to published report
- Oversaw strategic planning, resource allocation, and capacity-building for a team of six research assistants
- Facilitated public workshops on conflict resolution, peace education, and community dialogue
- Produced a 14-episode Bengali-language podcast on geopolitics, COVID-19 health policy, and technology trends
Dec 2020 – Dec 2021
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Research Data Analyst
Centre for Genocide Studies, University of Dhaka
International
+
Analysed complex human rights and atrocities datasets at one of South Asia's leading genocide research centres. Produced policy-focused reports, data visualisations, and training materials for junior researchers while maintaining strict ethical data protocols.
- Processed and analysed large-scale human rights datasets documenting conflict and atrocity events
- Developed data visualisations and narrative policy reports for academic and advocacy audiences
- Maintained ethical data protocols including anonymisation, source verification, and chain-of-custody documentation
- Trained junior analysts in research methodology, data handling procedures, and documentation standards
Jan – Nov 2020
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Research Assistant
NETZ Partnerschaft für Entwicklung und Gerechtigkeit
International
+
Supported equitable development and social justice research for a German-Bangladeshi development partnership. Conducted literature reviews, field data collection, and stakeholder presentations informing development programme design.
- Conducted systematic literature reviews on development justice, rural poverty, and gender equity in Bangladesh
- Collected and organised field survey data from rural communities
- Produced stakeholder briefings and research summaries for programme development team
Jan 2018 – Dec 2019
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Administrative Assistant
Community Development Federation
International
+
Provided administrative and programme support for grassroots community development programmes, building foundational skills in organisational coordination, funding compliance, and community event management.
- Coordinated community programme events, volunteer scheduling, and logistical planning
- Supported funding application processes and compliance record management
- Maintained organisational documentation, correspondence, and stakeholder communication records
05 The Research
Rigorous inquiry.
Academic training in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Dhaka, applied to publication, grant writing, programme evaluation, and policy advocacy — scholarly rigour in practical development work.
+Close
Research Areas
South Asian Geopolitics & Security
US-China rivalry and regional instability in South and Southeast Asia; great power competition and its local effects on Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, and the Bay of Bengal region. Published on SSRN with 62 abstract views (2025).
India-Bangladesh Relations
Comprehensive analysis of diplomatic, economic, and security dimensions of bilateral India-Bangladesh relations following the 2024 political transition. Most-viewed work with 3,329+ SSRN abstract views and 370+ downloads globally.
Digital Media & Collective Violence
Original thesis research (University of Dhaka, 2018) examining how social media platforms enable, amplify, and structure acts of collective violence in Bangladesh — using discourse analysis, content mapping, and incident data to assess platform affordance theory in conflict contexts.
Housing, Homelessness & Urban Policy
Applied policy research on housing equity, supervised consumption, and urban planning in Winnipeg — drawing on frontline programme experience at Siloam Mission. Published letters in the Winnipeg Free Press (2025).
Education Access & Technology Equity
Field research on ICT integration in education for marginalised children in Dhaka's Korail slum during the COVID-19 pandemic — examining how resource constraints, digital literacy gaps, and infrastructure barriers shape educational equity in informal urban settlements.
Methods Toolkit
01
Qualitative Research Methods
Ethnographic fieldwork, in-depth interviewing, focus group facilitation, document analysis, thematic coding, grounded theory, narrative inquiry.
02
Quantitative & Mixed Methods
Survey design (Qualtrics, Google Forms), descriptive and inferential statistics, cross-tabulation, content analysis of large text corpora, mixed-method integration.
03
Policy & Document Analysis
Comparative policy analysis, legislative review, critical discourse analysis, grey literature synthesis, systematic literature reviews for advocacy and programme design.
04
Applied Programme Evaluation
Logic model development, Theory of Change design, KPI framework construction, outcomes measurement, and evidence-based grant reporting for government and private funders.
05
Community-Based Research (CBR)
Participatory action research, community needs assessments, ethical engagement with Indigenous and marginalised communities, OCAP® principles, trauma-informed approaches.
06 The Credentials
Built to think.
Trained to deliver.
A thesis-based master's degree in Peace & Conflict Studies, reinforced by professional certifications from Google, PMI, and UC Davis.
+Close
Education & Certifications
2016 – 2018 · Dhaka, Bangladesh
Master of Social Science — Peace & Conflict Studies · University of Dhaka
Thesis-based master's degree in one of South Asia's leading social science programmes. Specialisation in peace processes, conflict theory, and political violence. Trained in qualitative, quantitative, and mixed research methodologies.
Professional Certification
PMI Project Management Certification · Project Management Institute
Covers traditional waterfall, Agile, and hybrid methodologies. Skilled in project initiation, work breakdown structures, Gantt scheduling, stakeholder management, risk registers, monitoring and evaluation, and formal project close-out documentation.
Professional Certificate
Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate · Coursera / Google
8-course professional certificate covering data cleaning, analysis, and visualisation using Python, SQL, R, Tableau, and BigQuery. Emphasis on practical data-driven decision making and storytelling.
Certificate
Fundraising & Development Foundations · UC Davis Continuing & Professional Education
Covers the complete fundraising and development function: donor relations, gift officer ethics, prospect research, grant writing, major gift strategy, and development communications.
Full-Spectrum Toolkit
Fundraising & Donor Relations
Full donor lifecycle — cultivation through major gift stewardship. UC Davis certified. Experienced with major gift portfolios, donor analytics, and fiscal year reporting.
Grant Writing & Management
Full grant lifecycle: research, writing, compliance, financial tracking, and funder reporting across federal, provincial, and private foundation streams.
Data Analytics
Google certified. Python, SQL, R, Tableau, Excel, BigQuery. Applied to donor segmentation, programme evaluation, human rights data, and grant KPI reporting.
Project Management
PMI certified. Agile and traditional PM across complex, multi-funder programmes. Stakeholder mapping, risk management, WBS, Gantt, M&E framework design.
Social Science Research
MSS trained. Qualitative and mixed methods — fieldwork, interviewing, thematic analysis, policy document analysis, systematic reviews, and community-based research.
Community Engagement
Indigenous-centred, trauma-informed community engagement. Deep Winnipeg non-profit network. Experienced with consultation, partnership development, and equity-based programme design.
Multilingual Communication
Professional fluency in English and Bengali. Experience producing academic, policy, and media content in both languages for diverse international and diaspora audiences.
Policy Writing & Advocacy
Published letters and op-eds in the Winnipeg Free Press. Academic working papers on SSRN with 3,000+ international views. Skilled at translating complex issues for public and funder audiences.
Government Relations
Experienced liaising with federal (CMHC, PHAC), provincial (MB Housing, MSGC), and municipal government officials for funding applications, compliance, and stakeholder communication.
07 The Record
Publications & press.
Working papers, field research reports, a thesis monograph, and published letters — read by scholars, policy analysts, and practitioners worldwide.
+Close
Winnipeg Free Press · 2025
Housing Equity & Urban Policy — Letters to the Editor
Published multiple letters in 2025 addressing housing equity, supervised consumption sites, urban planning, and addictions policy in Winnipeg — contributing a frontline development professional's evidence-based perspective to public discourse.
SSRN · April 2025
India-Bangladesh Relations Paper: 3,000+ International Readers
"Recent Developments in India-Bangladesh Relations: A Comprehensive Analysis" attracted 3,329+ abstract views and 370+ downloads globally since April 2025 — reaching scholars, policy analysts, and practitioners across South Asia, Europe, and North America.
Beyond Peace · 2021
COVID-19 & Education Access in Dhaka's Korail Slum
As Managing Partner of Beyond Peace, co-authored and led a field research report on technology integration in education for marginalised children during the pandemic — bridging community-level data collection with policy-level recommendations for education equity.
University of Dhaka · 2020
Bengali-Language Podcast — 14 Episodes
Produced and hosted a 14-episode Bengali-language podcast covering South Asian geopolitics, COVID-19 health policy, technology trends, and international economics — distributed on Spotify, Anchor, and YouTube for Bangladeshi and diaspora audiences.
08 Contact
Let's connect.
Open to conversations about development roles, research collaborations, data analytics projects, and community initiatives in Winnipeg and beyond.