The Grants Steering Committee is looking for one volunteer support person for each of our 10 finalists (who have yet to be determined). You would work directly with the nonprofit to assist with the recording of their video for Meet the Finalists and would deliver the video to our videographer. You might help with encouragement, advice, equipment, location, and/or anything else the organization needs to get ready for Meet the Finalists. This is a unique opportunity to learn and ensure a positive experience for our future Impact Partners! Reach out to us if this sounds like your thing.
Let’s Learn More Together
Your Member Education Committee has been at work putting together the first two of a series of three members-only, in-person, small-group discussions to learn about the top three subjects you voted for through the last member survey.
We are currently offering Let’s Learn More about Having Difficult Conversations and Let’s Learn More about Gender. Meanwhile Let’s Learn More about Systemic Racism is in the planning stages.
Volunteer Spotlight: Barbara Hilyer
Barbara Hilyer
I joined ninety-nine girlfriends in the first year, 2016. I was invited by an old friend who had recently moved to Portland; I had not heard of it and did not know anyone else involved. Since I moved to Portland after having retired, I didn’t know many people in town and was looking to make more connections, as well as learn more about the needs of the community. Having spent my career in public education, I had always been involved in direct service and had never considered being involved in philanthropy. That seemed like something out of my league.
Grantee Partner Update: Constructing Hope
In July, the organization was a recipient of a large grant from the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund in support of Building Equity: Clean Energy Careers through Construction Pre-Apprenticeship Training.
On October 6, Constructing Hope will be hosting their 15th Anniversary Celebration & Awards Happy Hour!
Constructing Hope was recently featured in a construction industry news site, Construction Dive–with a profile on the organization's work.
Grantee Partner Update: POIC+RAHS
POIC+RAHS' annual gala is coming up around the corner on November 3 at 6pm, taking place at the Hyatt Regency Portland at the Oregon Convention Center. The POIC + RAHS Gala is the organization's biggest fundraiser of the year, drawing a diverse array of business and community support.
POIC was featured on OPB for their collaboration w/ PSU to support BIPOC students and college graduates entering the workforce.
They are also hiring for various positions on their team.
A Friday Morning with Trash for Peace
A Friday morning with Trash for Peace
Francie Royce, liaison to Trash for Peace
On a Friday morning I arrived at the Trash for Peace warehouse on SE Water Avenue in Portland's Central Eastside, a bit before 9:00 am to look for Mo. A man greeted me and introduced himself as Mo, the day coordinator for Trash for Peace. Two other men entered the warehouse and Mo made introductions. Jim and Dave are hired to clean up the Central Eastside neighborhood. I followed Jim out the door as he rolled a custodian cart on our way to gather trash.
Intersectionality Works: Building Feminist Analysis for All
From the PSU Center for Women’s Leadership
Wednesdays 10:00 am-12:00 pm Pacific Time from October 12 through November 9.
The many crises that Oregonians face today—soaring rents, unaffordable childcare, the rollback of rights—require bold leadership. Different leadership. We believe this moment calls for intersectional feminist leadership.
Make an Impact - Join the Membership Committee!
2022 Impact Partner Convening
Volunteer Spotlight: Nicole Bennett
What brought you to ninety-nine girlfriends?
They knew I had been searching for an organization where I might find connection to like-minded people, make a difference in the community, and could offer my time and energy toward systems change that would move the dial toward racial equity in our community. I jumped in right away on a Grant Review Team and the training and engagement as a racial equity facilitator last year. I have been excited to discover this incredible group of women who are so intentional in their commitment to the work of philanthropy and to the open and thoughtful examination of the potential systems within the organization that may inadvertently be keeping the giving process from being fully equitable. I have thoroughly enjoyed the engagement and honest conversations with other members in structured groups, break-out-groups as part of racial equity presentations, and during the work of the Racial Equity Committee.
POIC + RAHS: The Kitchen Is Serving Love!
What Is Trust-Based Philanthropy (TBP)?
Activities Are Ramping Up!
Watch your email inbox because we’re getting to a really exciting and educational part of our year. In October, your Member Education Committee will offer several small-group discussion opportunities to learn about gender, systemic racism, and how to have an inclusive conversation.
Next we we move on to Meet the Finalists (a signature event where you learn about this year’s finalists for Impact Awards), voting for Impact Awards, and our signature Awards Celebration. It’ll be a few months of wonderfully engaging activities and opportunities to learn and connect before our winter break (January-February).
Find a Volunteer Spot That Works for You!
Volunteer Spotlight: Holly Cook & Sara Daley
Holly Cook
What brought you to ninety-nine girlfriends?
A neighbor told me about ninety-nine girlfriends one evening as we were walking home from a get-together. She said something like "I wonder if you would be interested in this group I'm in. It's a group of women. We each put in $1,100 and....". I zoned out thinking that she was going to say something about getting a list of women's names, you send each woman on the list a pair of underwear and then, when your name gets to the top of the list, you get eleventy thousand pairs of new underwear! But then I heard her say, "...and then we give all the money away." What?! Please say that again. I had never heard of a collective giving circle. The idea of pooling resources, learning about the needs of our community and participatory philanthropy all alongside women who were interested in similar goals...well now that is exciting! You can keep your underwear. I was hooked.
Grantee Partner Highlight: Trash for Peace Featured on Podcast
Building Local Power, a podcast, features Trash for Peace’s Ground Score Association initiative, a ‘peer-led’ effort organized by and for workers who identify as canners. Taylor Cass Talbott and Kris Brown from the initiative are interviewed: https://ilsr.org/canning-waste-episode150/
Member Survey Helps Shape the Year Ahead
Please Update Your Directory Profile
When we are looking for volunteers, we run reports from our member directory looking to see who has expressed interest in, or identified skills in, certain areas. Below are instructions on how to update your interests and skills in that directory. If you aren’t in a position to volunteer there is also a box for you to check so we know not to bug you.
Call for Fellows Mentors
A few Fellows are still looking for Mentors -- girlfriends who can help them get connected in and beyond our organization. We are particularly looking for Mentor candidates who have expertise in career coaching, nonprofit communications, event planning, or fundraising. A love of local coffee shops and/or outdoor activities would be a plus. Interested? Please contact Michelle Hynes, program co-lead. Learn more about the Fellows Program here.
Volunteer Spotlight: Heidi Sobol
What brought you to ninety-nine girlfriends?
In 2016, I met Halle Sadle, one of the original girlfriends, as her husband was an actor in a play that my husband was directing. She saw that I was new to Portland and working part-time from home, so I hadn’t met many people, and invited me to the first award dinner which was the following week. It was quickly clear to me that this was a way for me to meet people, learn more about my new home city, and learn about philanthropy and the non-profit world as well.