GRAVA is a membership organization devoted to providing education opportunities for, promoting the professionalism of, and strengthening the leadership of volunteer organizations and programs in the Richmond area. We hope that this newsletter and the many activities described in it will bring value to your membership and encourage your active participation during the 2012/2013 membership cycle. Remember that your feedback is always welcome!

May 2, 2013: Breakfast Workshop & Volunteer Administrator of the Year Award

June 6, 2013: Lunch Bunch

August, 2013: No Meeting

Your GRAVA board is committed to providing workshops in 2012-2013 that emphasize practical tools that can be applied right away. Don't miss a single program - it's going to be a fantastic year!

I don't know about you, but this is an excruciatingly busy season for me. As a volunteer manager who is expected to single-handedly manage an entire program and accommodate hundreds of motivated volunteers, I barely have time to do my e-mail, much less think strategically. Most days, my focus is aimed squarely at the top of my to-do list and as soon as I check one thing off, the next thing is screaming for attention. This is how it is in the trenches. 

 

And yet, the April Lunch Bunch was a great reminder to me of the incredible importance of thinking beyond today's emergency. It was such a refreshing experience to gather with other individuals like myself - who know exactly what it's like in the trenches - and talk about something as significant as the challenges we face in managing our own organizational leaders' expectations. I was so impressed by the diversity of experiences in the room and so energized by the insightful contributions made by the participants. It provided me with a much-needed reminder that what we do is really exciting and important, and the opportunity to share and network is not a luxury - it's an absolute necessity. 

 

Did you miss the April Lunch Bunch? If so, I strongly encourage you to make an effort to attend the rest of this year's programs. The 

May workshop, featuring Susan Wilkes' interactive presentation on Leadership and Volunteer Management, is a program none of us will want to miss. June's Lunch Bunch will address the timely topic of Engaging Millenials, and of course, our annual professional development conference will take place in July. Do yourself a big favor and put aside your to-do list for an hour! Exciting things are happening in GRAVA and you can't afford NOT to be a part of it! See you in May!  

 

At your service,

Alison Jones-Nassar

Acting President, GRAVA

If volunteer management is both a science and an art, then the science component is the application of best practices and the art component is the leadership. But how do we define leadership, and how is it different from mere program management? Wikipedia defines leadership as "a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task." In other words, volunteer managers are in a position to demonstrate true leadership every single day. So where do we begin? 

DATE: Thursday May 2

TIME: 8:30 - 10:30 a.m.

TOPIC: Leadership and Volunteer Management

LOCATION: To Be Announced

COST: Free for GRAVA members, $8 for non-members at the door

RSVP: Reply to this e-mail or call 804-306-6499!

Past recipients for this award include:

Nineteen GRAVA members attended the April 4 Lunch Bunch gathering on the exciting topic of Managing UP With Volunteer Expectations! Many thanks to GRAVA public relations chair Jamie Seagraves for hosting this stimulating and provocative discussion. Here are some of the main highlights: 

• According to Betty Stallings' 12 Key Actions of Volunteer Program Champions, "Citizen engagement will never reach its potential until there is sufficient [leadership] credence and support given to the development of the unacknowledged donor base with a financial value that far exceeds the total of cash contributions: VOLUNTEERS." 
• As volunteer managers, we are the number one champions for the value of our volunteers and programs and it is up to us to model desired behaviors & actions for our organizational leaders.
• Don't wait for an invitation to advocate! Take every opportunity to quantify AND qualify volunteer value in conversations, meetings, reports, and newsletters. 
• Request to be on the agenda of your board meetings and report on your program's strategic impact through a combination of statistics, profiles, and anecdotes. 
• Include volunteers at staff meetings and events and allow them to express their personal perspectives on the value of their service.
• Take every opportunity during National Volunteer Week to draw organizational attention to the many ways your program supports the strategic goals of your organization.  
• You are the expert! Provide ongoing opportunities for staff to receive training on volunteer engagement best practices.   
• Don't forget to read Susan Ellis' excellent article, What Leaders of Volunteers Can Do To Gain Executive Attention!    

ATTENTION all GRAVA members: You could win a $50 gift card simply by inviting your volunteer management friends and colleagues to GRAVA's professional development conference in July! To find out how, check out the details below: 

• All GRAVA members are eligible for this contest!
• The Bring-A-Bud contest begins on March 15 and all registrations MUST BE RECEIVED by July 1.
• The more BUDS you invite to the conference, the greater your chances of winning!
• BUDS can be GRAVA members OR non-members. 
• BUDS must actually REGISTER for the conference and indicate you as the referring member on the registration form.
• You'll receive ONE raffle ticket for each BUD who registers as a result of your invitation. The more registrations, the more tickets and the more chances to WIN!  
• The randomly-drawn winner will be announced on July 11, 2013 at the annual conference.
• Conference registration forms can be downloaded from our web site. 
• For additional information, please contact conference chair Stephanie Gossett at sgossett@aarp.org.  
• THANK YOU FOR HELPING TO MAKE THIS GRAVA'S BEST CONFERENCE EVER!

Board service provides great opportunities for skill development and it's also a fantastic addition to any professional resume. Is this YOUR year to take your leadership & advocacy skills to the next level by serving on the 2013-2014 board of GRAVA? Elections will take place at the final business meeting in July and we are seeking energetic and motivated candidates for the soon-to-be-vacant board positions of:

To receive complete position descriptions for the above opportunities or submit your name for consideration, send an e-mail to Alison Jones-Nassar at ajonesnassar@verizon.net. 

"What is the definition of 'giving?' Has the term become synonymous with nothing but money - rather than the giving of an individual's time, talents and skills? And what about the word 'philanthropy?' Has it, too, become indistinguishable from the giving of only money? Are philanthropy and giving just about money?.....Those of us focused on volunteer involvement need to listen carefully to the use of language by others - and be careful in our own word choices. Our goal should be to encourage the widest possible spectrum of giving and philanthropy, getting people to participate as they can, when they can, while helping our organizations to see any form of gift as support worthy of appreciation and cultivation."

Need suggestions on affordable lunch and dinner caterers in Richmond.  Preferably one that delivers and offers diversity in choices (vegetarian, gluten free, etc).   All suggestions appreciated!

Are you ready to take your seat at the boardroom table? 

 

Join Organizational Solutions and HandsOn for our first speed-networking event of the year especially for board members.  In just 2  hours, you will learn about more than 60 board and board committee positions available with various nonprofits of the greater Richmond region.  These nonprofits address a variety of community issues, ranging from domestic violence awareness and prevention, housing, community development, philanthropy, arts, and much more!  Although they vary in many ways - mission, geographic area, size and others - they all have one thing in common: they rely on the professional and leadership skills of community members like you for their Boards of Directors and board committees.

 

DATE: April 30, 2013 

TIME: 6-8 pm 

COST: $15

• Discover nonprofits you may not have previously known
• Learn about leadership opportunities with organizations that align with your passions and where you can contribute your skills
• Hone your networking skills and "elevator pitch"
• Meet other community-minded individuals with similar passions

Please note:  This registration is only for volunteer candidates that are seeking positions. To REGISTER, click here!

From The HandsOn Network National Volunteer Week Resource Guide:

 

National Volunteer Week is about inspiring, recognizing and encouraging people to seek out imaginative ways to engage in their communities. It's about demonstrating to the nation that by working together, we have the fortitude to meet our challenges and accomplish our goals. National Volunteer Week is about taking action and encouraging individuals and their respective communities to be at the center of social change-discovering and actively demonstrating their collective power to foster positive transformation.

 

Step One: Get Your Community Involved

• Provide a variety of opportunities for to engage in the work of your organization
• Reach out to groups and individuals
• Make sure that placements are meaningful and connect back to the mission

Step Two: Share Your Stories

• Quantity: Number of volunteers, number of hours, number of projects, number of leaders
• Quality: Volunteer profiles, volunteer testimonies, client testimonies, impact to your organization, impact to the community, impact to the issue

Step Three: Recognize and Thank Your Volunteers

• Nominate a volunteer for a local, regional, or national award
• Recognize your volunteers with letters, certificates, pins, plaques, or gifts
• Organize a formal recognition event
• Publicize volunteer activities and achievements in your newsletter
• Publicize volunteer accomplishments in your local newspaper
• To download this guide, click here!
• For more volunteer recognition ideas, click here! 

U of R Institute of Philanthropy
Everyone Ready
Stevenson Inc.

Register NOW For GRAVA's Annual Conference! 

The 2013 Virginia Conference on Volunteerism and Community Service will take place on Thursday, June 13. The location and conference schedule will be announced soon. Stay tuned for more details!

Hi This is Judi Woolfolk with Richmond Raiders.  I am excited to offer you the opportunity to partner with us on our home game April 13, 2013. Volunteer Appreciation Night!  We will be recognizing the Richmond Community Volunteer Organizations!!! 

Did you know that GRAVA offers scholarship assistance to GRAVA members who would like to pursue professional development opportunities such as Nonprofit Learning Point classes, workshops, conferences, online learning opportunities, book purchases, and CVA? To find out more or request an application, just click here!

New P.O. Box

GRAVA Is Now On Facebook & Twitter!

Collectively, GRAVA members have a lot of valuable knowledge and experience to share. And now we have our very own Facebook page & Twitter feed to capture all this collective wisdom! But it's up to YOU to contribute to the interactivity of these accounts. These social media tools are for posting photos and events, sharing tips, and exchanging information & comments. To be a part of GRAVA's social media committee, send an e-mail to Jamie Seagraves. 

Alison Jones-Nassar
Conference:
Stephanie Gossett
Treasurer:

Membership:

Public Relations:

Professional Development:
Kim Frola

Please visit the GRAVA Facebook page for more information! And don't forget that our doors are always open for your comments, suggestions, and feedback!

Reminders

and help GRAVA increase its member network!

  

with your recommendation.