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February 2023

Introducing our "FRIENDraising Challenge"

We are launching a FRIENDraising Challenge! Please keep reading to learn more about the need for and the details of the Challenge.

This is the time of year when we reach out to ask you to continue your membership by making your annual $1,500 contribution. Your participation is valued and much needed this year as we endeavor to improve the lives of women and girls through our grant making.

Our nonprofit agencies are serving record numbers of women and girls, while dealing with workforce challenges, rising cost of housing and overall inflation. In our last grants cycle, we were able to fund only 38% of the requests. This year, we've received grants requests for more than $1.34MM. The need is great! WGA membership declined during the pandemic, like many other organizations. Our membership in 2022 increased slightly over the prior year, but we still have a way to go to reach pre-pandemic levels. And like most investments, our Endowment lost some value last year. This decreases the amount that will be contributed from the Endowment Fund to the Grants Pool.

From our 2021 Membership Survey, we learned that the overwhelming majority of our members (97%) join because they were asked by friends and acquaintances. I am pleased to announce that with an anonymous donation, we've created a FRIENDraising Challenge!

So, let's work together to grow our 2023 Grants Pool by finding NEW MEMBERS! The FRIENDraising Challenge will recognize and reward members that recruit their friends and colleagues to join now. The Challenge starts now and ends April 13th. We all understand that the more members we have, the larger the grants pool, and the larger our impact! We are strong…but we can be stronger!

'Empowered Women, Empower Women.' - Jane Finette

FRIENDraising Challenge

Purpose
Challenge, motivate and encourage our current members to reach out and ask their friends and other women to join WGA and have fun while recruiting.

The Challenge
In 2001, our 5 Founding Members thought it would be great if each could bring in ten friends to create the Women's Giving Alliance. In 2002 when WGA made its first grants, the five women had recruited, not 50 but 163 founding members!

We all have friends, too! Since most members joined because a friend asked them to join, let's follow our Founding Members' lead and grow our membership circle! Who can find friends who want to help women and girls and get an honorary donation to the Grants Pool as an added reward? We created a 'WGA New Member Recruiting Toolkit' folder with resources that you can utilize and share with friends inviting them to become a member.

Recognition & Reward Components

Bragging rights that you introduced women to join in our mission to help women and girls!
FRIENDraising Cocktail Party Celebration! You and your new members will all be invited to the FRIENDraising Cocktail Party in May where we will celebrate the growth of our grants pool and our organization. Very fun and social with heavy hors-d'oeuvres, live music and open bar. Look for the Party date in the March eNews.
For every 5 members recruited by the same member, $500 will be added to the 2023 Grants Pool in the honor of that member.
We dreamed of having fabulous cars and prizes for the Top Recruiters in our group…but we feel that contributions to our Grants Pool are more impactful. Top Recruiters will get some special recognition!
New members and their recruiting members will be recognized in our monthly eNews.
Recruiting members will also be recognized at Member Forum with special name tag ribbon and listed on screen during the program.

Details

FRIENDraising Challenge starts today Thursday, February 16, 2023, and ends Thursday, April 13, 2023.
During this Challenge, to qualify as a new member, a payment (in full or partial) must be received by TCF by EOD Thursday, April 13, 2023.
Help us look for and track our New Members. When you have recruited a new member, send her name to Nikki Sabol at nsabol@jaxcf.org. This will alert Nikki to watch for the new member's contribution. In your email subject line, please include "WGA FRIENDraising". Your friend (new member) may also use the comment box on our website's payment page to provide your name.
Unfortunately, we don't have a system to "share" credit for a new member.
Donations to the 2023 Grants Pool made in the honor of the recruiting member (see above for qualifications) will be capped at $10,000 total.

It's Membership Renewal Time!

>> IF YOU ARE A LEGACY MEMBER OR HAVE ALREADY RENEWED YOUR MEMBERSHIP FOR 2023, THANK YOU! <<

If not - don't miss your chance to be a part of the 2023 Grant Award Pool! To ensure that your contributions are included in this year's grants pool, your membership payment must be received by April 15, 2023.

Your valued investment as a WGA member will not only help fund the exceptional grant proposals we have received, but also fuels our mission: to inspire women to be strategic philanthropists and invest in the lives of women and girls in Northeast Florida.

If you are a new member age 40 or under, take advantage of the one-time Delores Barr Weaver 4Sight Initiative—your first-year investment is just $750.

Grantee Highlight: Lutheran Social Services of Northeast Florida

For more than 40 years, Lutheran Social Services (LSS) has provided assistance to struggling families living in Northeast Florida and WGA has had the privilege of partnering with LSS on multiple grants. In 2021, WGA approved a two year grant to support their Steps to Success program, a unique support model that offers financial counseling, career coaching and benefits assistance. One client, Jennifer James, is beautiful example of this program's success. Read more about Jennifer's story HERE.

February 2nd Downtown Connector Was a Success!

On Thursday, February 2nd, members and their guests gathered at The River Club to socialize, mostly socialize and also to learn more about WGA and our mission. We had a great group of 45 women! The event was engaging, informative and a great way to introduce other women to our giving circle.

Upcoming WGA Events

North Beaches Connector

FEB 28 | 5:30 - 7:00 PM
LOCATION: 1600 SELVA MARINA DR.
Atlantic Beach, FL 32233
Presenter: Terri Florio, Executive Director of MaliVai Washington Youth Foundation
Register.

WGA Wine Exchange & Clay Community Connector

MARCH 2 | 6:30 - 8:30 PM
LOCATION: FLEMING ISLAND, FL 32003
Melissa Shrader Home (register for address)
Hosts: Melissa Shrader & Nancy Jones
*Bring 2 bottles of wine!*
Register.

WGA Grantee Visit with First Coast No More Homeless Pets

MARCH 7 | 11:30 AM
LOCATION: 464 CASSAT AVE.
FCNMHP's veterinary technician program helps prepare young women for careers in veterinary medicine
Register.

Overcoming Barriers to Student Success

APRIL 4 | 11:30 AM
LOCATION: 6261 DUPONT STATION CT. E.
Jacksonville, FL 32217
Hosted by Communities in Schools
Register.

If you enjoyed this issue of the eNews—Forward to a Friend!

WELCOME BACK: Nancy Felton | Lorin Thies | Veronica Maybury |
Milena Spasova

JOIN | RENEW
GRANTS | MEMBER DIRECTORY | CONNECTORS

245 Riverside Avenue | Suite 310 | Jacksonville, FL 32202
904.356.4483 | wganefl.org

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