It’s the time of year to reflect on your membership and share your thoughts and feelings. What has your experience with ninety-nine girlfriends been like this past year? What would you like to see in the future? What are you hoping to learn from our Member Education opportunities in 2022?
In-Person Girlfriends’ Reunion & Orientation!
Let Your Voice be Heard: Complete the Member Survey
Each year we reach out to our members for feedback. Ninety-nine girlfriends is an all-volunteer organization and we are always learning. The deadline for submission is 5:00pm on Thursday, April 28, 2022. Take the survey
The Grants Steering Committee is in full swing!
The Grants Steering Committee is a big deal in ninety-nine girlfriends. It’s one of our largest committees, made up of many teams (Outreach, Intake, Grant Review, Financial Review, Voting, and Impact/Liaisons), and it provides numerous volunteer opportunities while doing really important grantmaking work. Here is just a taste of what is going on with this awesome committee of Girlfriends.
Volunteer Spotlight
KATHLEEN PORCELLO
What brought you to ninety-nine girlfriends?
I was volunteering as a grant writer for NAMI Clackamas when I first discovered ninety-nine girlfriends and the annual Impact Awards program. Months later, I saw a LinkedIn post about the young adult Fellows program, and I immediately applied for an interview! I was drawn to the opportunity to learn firsthand about trust-based philanthropy, grantmaking, and the diverse nonprofits doing incredible work in our region. Plus, I wanted to get to know the many amazing members of ninety-nine girlfriends!
Volunteer Spotlight
JEAN MALARKEY
What brought you to ninety-nine girlfriends?
In the first or second year of ninety-nine girlfriends’ existence, my cousin-in-law, Jinx Faulkner, invited me to an educational event on philanthropy, and I was immediately intrigued by the group and all the great women I met there. I missed the window to join the next year, but was excited to do so in 2018.
Some New Ways to Share ninety-nine girlfriends
We love getting great ideas from our members! A couple of Girlfriends said they would love to have easy-to-use materials to talk to other women about ninety-nine girlfriends. So we created them. Check out Barbara Hilyer’s video sharing the magic of ninety-nine girlfriends. Pip and Tammy host a fireside chat providing a first glimpse of who we are and what we do for those new to the organization. The next Member Update will provide some links to graphics and an FAQ sheet so check back for that next time. You can use these materials to host a small gathering with prospective members and invite them to join or you can share them by email with an invitation to learn more. Whatever works for you. If you have any feedback or requests for additional materials, please let Kaye know.
World Cafes are Here!
With the arrival of spring comes the beginning of a new series of World Cafes! A World Cafe is a way of gathering to share, listen and learn about each other and about ninety-nine girlfriends and is one of our annual methods of recruiting new members. They are informative, interactive, and give potential members an opportunity to connect with members and other prospective members.
Volunteer Spotlight
GINA GESS TAYLOR
What brought you to ninety-nine girlfriends?
I was invited to attend a World Café by my favorite Yoga instructor, Ryan Crosby. I knew if Ryan was involved, it was worthwhile. As a former non-profit professional, I have always admired the giving circle concept. Most important; the giving priorities of this organization align with my own values. Specifically, the focus on equity, inclusivity and life-long learning.
New Governing Board Members Welcomed
We are pleased to welcome the following individuals to our Governing Board!
Improved Language Acknowledges and Welcomes Gender Complexity
Women’s collective giving circles began because women had not historically had a seat at the philanthropy table and felt they could make an impact in their community by pooling their resources and learning together. Since our founding we have been learning about gender and its complexity and are making changes to welcome other individuals who may also not have historically had a seat at the philanthropic table.
Want to Become an Impact Partner Liaison?
Ninety-nine girlfriends provides ongoing support to our impact partners throughout their grant period via our liaison team. Liaisons are a vital link between our membership and our impact partners, playing a critical role as ambassadors, advocates, and allies. We are currently recruiting for members to serve as liaisons for the incoming cohort of impact partners. Are you someone who loves being in conversation with new people, building connections, and gathering and sharing information? This could be a great outlet for you to represent ninety-nine girlfriends and work directly with our impact partners! For more information, contact Van, Impact Team Lead.
Volunteer Spotlight
CAROLINE MCDONALD
What brought you to ninety-nine girlfriends? I first heard about ninety-nine girlfriends while hiking with a friend. She knew a woman who was a girlfriend and who raved about the organization. I wasn't in a financial position to fully contribute at the time but was intrigued by the concept of a women-led collective giving circle. I looked it up online and came across ninety-nine girlfriend's Fellows Program. I loved how the fellowship not only made the organization and its mission more accessible for young women but also included a mentoring and educational component. I applied a month later and was accepted!
Volunteer Spotlight
LORI RUX & ANN DODDS
Have you ever wondered how the magic happens when you log into your directory or who processes your contribution? Well, the answer is the incredible duo of Lori and Ann. Every organization needs a strong, dependable foundation and these two Girlfriends are part of that foundation. We thought you might enjoy learning a little more about them…
99GF Going on Winter Break
To honor our volunteers and to uphold the period of rest that comes with winter, ninety-nine girlfriends will be taking our annual “winter break” beginning in the middle of December. You can expect one more Member Update for the year. Member Updates, along with the rest of ninety-nine girlfriends’ operations, will pick back up in February. We look forward to hearing from you via the annual member survey (coming soon) and picking up in the new year with all of the excitement that the restarting of the calendar brings.
New for 2022: The Girlfriends Fund!
Ninety-nine girlfriends is piloting a new program to welcome members for whom $1,100 is a barrier to participation. Instead, the individual pays $550 and requests $550 from the Girlfriends Fund. This program is made possible by the generosity of members who are able to contribute to the fund. $550 helps one Girlfriend but donations of any amount are welcome and appreciated. And, of course, contributions are tax-deductible, as allowed by law.
You Can Reach the Communications Committee Directly Now
Do you have a photo that you’d like to share of a committee, team, task force or more doing our collective work? Please send it to the Communications Committee with a brief description of who is in the photo and what they are up to. Have an idea for a news piece? Send that too! Have feedback for us? Our ears are open. We look forward to hearing from you!
Summer Socials Were a Big Hit!
How Embedding Trust-based Philanthropy Has Impacted Meet the Finalists
As you have likely heard, we are well on the way to shifting to trust-based philanthropy in our grantmaking and education at ninety-nine girlfriends. This shift is weaving its way through all that we do including events like Meet the Finalists. In the past, we have asked our finalists to make presentations to us about why we should choose them to be funded. We’ve had a lot of conversations about how we might be able to do this differently or better with the goal of centering fairness and equity for each of our finalists.
Join Our Membership Committee and Help Gear Up for 2022!
The Membership Committee oversees recruitment and retention. Although we all do our part to recruit new members, Membership is responsible for organizing World Cafes and guiding all of the committees in recruitment and retention. One exciting thing Membership will be working on this year is developing new and creative approaches to attract a diverse new group of members. Another really important thing Membership will be doing this year is finding ways to help retain existing members. Sound like something you’d like to help with? Contact Kaye O’Kearney, our Membership Committee Co-Chair, to express interest. More detailed information for the opening as a co-chair of this committee can be found here.