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New Year, New Goals!
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| Happy New Year! |
Our WGA leadership wasted no time getting started, and on January 7th we hosted our first-ever Leadership Retreat. After sharing my leadership vision to grow and support a large, diverse and engaged membership, twenty-five of our organization's leaders met and discussed future action steps to cultivate a GROWTH culture within WGA. The energetic brainstorming sessions resulted in many thoughtful ideas.
Membership growth is mission critical. Awareness of the importance and focused efforts to increase the number of members will ensure that we have a future that is strong, sustainable and successful.
We all understand that the larger our giving circle, the larger the grant pool, and the larger our IMPACT!
Over the next two years, you will hear me say many times, that grant making is our heartbeat. Membership is the lifeblood.
Please join me and our Leadership Team in this exciting goal: to grow membership to 600 by the end of 2024. We are currently at 441 members – this goal is ambitious and attainable. Each one of you will contribute to our success by telling other women about WGA, inviting them to our events, and asking them to join. Our future is full of many positive possibilities to be strong, sustainable and successful.
Moving Forward: Stronger Together,
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| Grant Application Due Date Approaches |
WGA's 2023 grant application process is now open, and nonprofits are invited to apply!
Nonprofit agencies and their clients in Northeast Florida continue to be disproportionately negatively impacted by recent and persistent economic conditions. In response, the Women's Giving Alliance is offering one-year, one-time grants for agency workforce support or for client basic needs support.
The deadline to apply is 5 p.m. EST on January 30, 2023.
Please share this message with your Northeast Florida nonprofit network! To make it even easier, you can click here to email the grants link to your network. |
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| Welcome, 2023 WGA Steering Committee |
Thank you to our incoming Steering Committee, for your leadership and supporting our vision to grow and support a large, diverse and engaged membership. We have an united focus to increase our membership thereby increasing our grant pool! Our theme is: Moving Forward - Stronger Together!
Pictured
FIRST ROW (left to right): Doreen Gross (DEI and At-Large), Vicki Waytowich (Grants), Sabeen Perwaiz (Vice-President), Sheila Collier (President), Wanda Willis (TCF Liaison), Barb Wenger (Special Committee), Karen Mayfield (Special Committee), Pam Field (Education) SECOND ROW (left to right): Marty Jones (Governance), Trina Medarev (Advocacy), Courtney Weatherby-Hunter (Membership), Elizabeth Gainer (At-Large), Tina Wirth (Grants), Kenzie Crane (Membership), Jana Ertrachter (Special Committee) NOT PICTURED: Rachael Mueller (Vice-President), Susan Rodgers (Secretary), Barbara Finke (Treasurer), Saralyn Grass (Advocacy), TriciaRae Stancato (Communications), Joni Poitier (DEI), Tara Braithwaite (Education), Jan Healy (Governance), Margaret Barton (At-Large), Gracie Simendinger (At-Large), Elizabeth Bernardo (Special Committee) |
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| WGA Reaches 80 Legacy Members! |
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WGA created the lifetime Legacy Membership in 2010, as we looked forward to our 10th anniversary. Legacy Members establish an individual endowed fund with a minimum gift of $25,000. We have just reached the milestone of 80 Legacy Members!
When you join as a Legacy Member, you ensure WGA's work continues forever. You receive a lifetime membership and all of the benefits that come with it. Each year, WGA makes a gift in your name to the grantmaking pool.
Did you know?
When establishing your Legacy Membership Fund, you may use a variety of assets to do so!
Here are some tips:
- Spread the payments over five years to complete the endowment.
- Create planned gifts to give by way of a bequest by will, life insurance policy, charitable gift annuity, life estate or charitable remainder trust.
- The Community Foundation for Northeast Florida works with your professional adviser to assist you.
To discuss a lifetime Legacy Membership, please contact Nikki Sabol, Women's Giving Alliance Director, at 904.356.4483 or NSabol@jaxcf.org.
Learn more about Legacy Membership HERE
Download the Legacy Brochure and view our list of Legacy Members HERE |
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| Organizational Assessment Provides Insights |
After WGA's joyful 20th Anniversary commemoration earlier this year, we directed our attention to Focus Forward – positioning our giving circle for the best outcomes for the next two decades. WGA hired an independent consulting firm, Clarity Transitions, to provide recommendations for the growth, member satisfaction, and long-term impact of WGA. Clarity conducted more than 40 extensive interviews with a variety of stakeholders. Here's a brief summary of their findings:
- There were no critical issues identified that require immediate attention.
- Members reported exceptional satisfaction with WGA including its purpose, delivery on mission, and the opportunity to connect with a stellar group of members.
- The Community Foundation is viewed as providing great support and expertise to WGA while allowing the organization to operate with a level of independence.
- This is not surprising as (a) The two-year staggered term for the Steering Committee causes at least 50% turnover each year; and (b) There are no membership requirements for WGA other than the annual financial membership contribution.
More than 20 short, medium and long-term recommendations to enhance growth, member satisfaction and mission impact were identified. These will be evaluated by the appropriate WGA committees in 2023. After which, Leadership will convene a Strategic Session to establish and prioritize actions vetted and endorsed by the Committees. This process will be coordinated by an ad-hoc committee selected by President-elect Sheila Collier. Stay tuned! |
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| Check out some of our recent events and don't forget to visit the calendar for more upcoming events. |
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| Grant-making is considered the heartbeat of WGA. On January 12th, Chairs of the Grants Leadership Team provided an informative education opportunity for our members to learn about the four-step process (research, finance, decision and evaluation) used to award our annual grants. |
| Upcoming WGA Events |
| Downtown Connector |
FEB 2 | 5:00 PM
LOCATION: THE RIVER CLUB
All WGA members and their guests are welcome.
Register. |
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| Civic Leadership |
FEB 15 | 11:30 AM
LOCATION: THE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
Riverfront Conference Room (1st floor of building). Space is limited.
Register. |
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| First Coast No More Homeless Pets |
MARCH 7 | 11:30 AM
LOCATION: 464 CASSAT AVENUE
WGA grantee visit with First Coast No More Homeless Pets
Register. |
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| Overcoming Barriers to Student Success |
APRIL 4 | 11:30 AM
LOCATION: 6261 DUPONT STATION CT. E.
Overcoming barriers to student success hosted by Communities in Schools
Register. |
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| WGA Grantee Makes a Difference! |
| St Gerard's provides the critical needs of pregnant teens with programs to prepare them mentally, socially and physically to succeed by graduation. Read the heartwarming story of Brittany Glisson, who at 17 found out she was pregnant, accessed St. Gerard's programs and support and is now their Executive Director! |
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 If you enjoyed this issue of the eNews—Forward to a Friend! |
WELCOME NEW MEMBERS: Melynda Rogers | Kim Clontz | Donna Mann |
Gwinn Volen | Jennifer Mayo | Eileen Smith |
| WELCOME BACK: Chris Lester |
| WELCOME NEW LEGACY MEMBERS: Patricia S. Freeman | Melissa Shrader | Barbara Nellson |
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904.356.4483 | wganefl.org |
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