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.
Fellows Applications Close Sunday, March 6
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 Coming!
It’s spring, so it is time for World Cafes! A World Cafe is a method for hosting and is one of our annual methods of recruiting new members. They are informative, fun, and interactive, and give potential members a high-level view of ninety-nine girlfriends. This year, we are having three World Cafes on Zoom. You can find a link to each one here on the ninety-nine girlfriends Events page. Please invite your friends, colleagues, or anyone else who might like to meet other amazing women while learning about ninety-nine girlfriends to attend. And, if you would be interested in facilitating a small-group discussion at one (or all) of the World Cafes, please let Kaye know. Current members are always welcome to attend with prospective members.
Contribute To Our Social Media Campaign
If you’re on social media you may have seen our “Why I came… Why I stayed…” campaign or our love and magic campaign. We’d love to have more submissions coming through our membership deadline. Is this a way you can contribute to our collective membership recruitment? If so, send a photo and your response to one of the following prompts to Tammy (along with your social media handles) and we’ll get you in the queue! Social media is only as good as its content so help us rock it with your submission.
Bring in a New Member
Great news spreads by word of mouth and ninety-nine girlfriends has always been a collective recruiting organization (along with collective giving and collective learning). Members invite other women to become members. We need your help to spread the word about ninety-nine girlfriends and to invite people to a virtual World Cafe conversation or our March 31 event Being Human Together with Coty Raven Morris. Watch for more information on World Cafes in our next issue of Member Updates.
Renew for 2022!
New Girlfriends Fund Bolsters Inclusion Efforts
The Girlfriends Fund, new this year, paves the way to membership if the $1,100 fee is a barrier to participation. The member pays $550 and The Girlfriends Fund covers the remaining $550. Contributions from individuals and members who support inclusion make this fund possible.
Resources are limited. If this program will make your membership possible, we encourage you to join today. Questions should be directed to Membership
Fellows Applications are Open
Our Fellows Program, launched in 2017, invites young women ages 20-35 to bring diverse voices and perspectives to our collective grant-making. The three-years-long program is for women residing in our four-county region (Clackamas, Clark, Multnomah, and Washington counties) who demonstrate a commitment to learning about philanthropy and deepening their awareness of our region’s needs. They receive complimentary access to all ninety-nine girlfriends' events, a mentor, and a professional development series created just for them. Additional details can be found HERE.
Let’s Be Human Together - While We Wait to Be Able to Gather Together
Registration is now open for our first event of the year! Being Human Together with Coty Raven Morris is a collaborative project of your Racial Equity, Membership, and Member Education committees. Coty (who we met at our 2021 Awards Celebration) will help us embark on a conversation about identity and how we can find points of connection that draw us together rather than split us apart.
The 2022 Fellows Applications Is Now Open!
Our Fellows program, launched in 2017, invites young women ages 20-35 to bring diverse voices and perspectives to our collective grant-making. The three-years-long program is for women residing in our four-county region (Clackamas, Clark, Multnomah, and Washington counties) who demonstrate a commitment to learning about philanthropy and deepening their awareness of our region’s needs. A Fellow’s membership contribution is partially subsidized, at decreasing levels over the three years. Fellows receive complimentary access to all ninety-nine girlfriends' events, a mentor, and a professional development series created just for them. The application is open for only six weeks. Additional details can be found HERE.
Join by December 31st and be entered in the raffle!
Help us reach our goal of 100 girlfriends by December 31, 2021! Our overall goal is 500 Girlfriends and if we stay on track with 100 renewals or new Members per month we can get there. To encourage you to help us reach this first goal, we have an incentive for you. It’s a raffle for a basket overflowing with goodies from all around PDX. Coffee, doughnuts, pilates, flowers, plants, fly fishing and more!
RSVP for the Awards Celebration on December 5!
Double Your Impact Through Employer Matching
Many community-minded Oregon employers match their employees’ gifts to 501(c)(3)s. Check out this handy list from another local non-profit to see if your employer is on the list! If they’re not on this list it may still be worth inquiring with your HR department or other internal team to see if they match. Your HR department can also help you fulfill your matching gift and provide you with any of the necessary forms. This is an EASY way to double your impact with ninety-nine girlfriends!
Sponsor the Fellows Program
What if you could help bring in smart, skilled, and engaging young women to diversify our collective membership? That opportunity exists through our Fellows program. Can you help us reach our funding goal for 2021?
Volunteer as a Connector
The Membership Committee is looking for women to join the connector team. Connectors will have a small list of newer members (girlfriends who joined in 2020 or 2021) to periodically reach out to so they feel engaged and included. This is a great opportunity if you don’t have a lot of extra time. Email Kaye or Anne if you would like to join this engaging team.
Share Your Story
Hey girlfriends! Join our campaign to help encourage members to join by sharing what attracted you to ninety-nine girlfriends and why you have stayed. Email your response to the prompt and a photo of yourself to Tammy Wilhoite and we will post it on social media.
Take Advantage of Matching Gifts
Recruit Intentionally
Think about women you know who may add new perspectives to ninety-nine girlfriends and invite them to learn more at a World Café.
New Member Connections
We want to welcome our new members to ninety-nine girlfriends. We can't wait to get to know you. We've organized a series of informal "New Member Connections" over the coming months to meet one another, hear stories from returning members, and get questions answered. Register to attend.