Greetings!
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! |
| Call To Action! |
Three things you can do RIGHT NOW to maximize your GRAVA membership: |
2012-2013 Program Schedule
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Save these dates in your work calendar right now so you can get the most out of your GRAVA membership this year!
June 6, 2013: Lunch Bunch TOPIC: Engaging Millennials
Facilitator:
Mark Hickman
July 11, 2013: Annual Professional Development Conference (Rescheduled)
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!
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| Message From The President | 
A couple of months ago, the GRAVA board asked the membership to contribute feedback on how the organization could be improved and provide increased professional development value. Here is some of what we heard:
- We want more networking opportunities.
- We want more information on emerging trends and how to adapt to them.
- We want more information on engaging volunteers as donors.
- We want more resources for advocating for our profession.
- We want more learning opportunities for experienced practitioners who have been in the field for 10+ years.
- We want more strategies and tools for applying concepts to our individual work situations.
- We want more workshops that focus on "soft skills" and leadership.
This feedback gave us very valuable direction on the next two years and we sincerely thank you!
In many ways, the May workshop represented GRAVA at its best. We had a great turnout for the presentation, and it was thrilling to see such a high level of excitement and engagement in the room! The topic of Leadership and Volunteer Management has relevance for every GRAVA member, and we could not have had a more experienced and dynamic facilitator than Susan Wilkes. Within one brief hour, Susan offered both rich content and multiple opportunities for reflection and application. Katie Campbell continued the momentum with her update on RVA Engage, an exciting new regional initiative that every GRAVA member needs to be aware of (see below). After all, one of its goals is "identifying, sharing, and applying best practices" and isn't this exactly what GRAVA is all about? Finally, we wrapped up the workshop by crowning our 2013 Volunteer Administrator of the Year, Sharon Drescher. I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate exemplary leadership in our field, and I could not be more proud of my colleagues on the board and in the membership for the leadership they demonstrate every day. Thanks for inspiring me to lead an organization we can all be proud of!
At your service,
Alison Jones-Nassar
Acting President, GRAVA |
| RSVP For The June Lunch Bunch! |  Whether you call them Millennials, Gen Y, Generation Next or Echo Boomers, today's high schoolers, college students, and young professionals are proving to be the most important generation for causes. Many nonprofits have evaluated this group on the thinness of their wallet and written them off. What causes are missing is that this is the most passionate, most connected group of fundraisers yet. They may only have a few bucks in their pocket, but they actually care about causes, want to work hard for them, and are electronically connected to huge networks of donors and participants. For a nonprofit, the real question is not "Should we engage them?", it's "How do we engage them?" Please join Mark Hickman, program manager for ConnectVA, as he facilitates the June Lunch Bunch discussion on how GRAVA members can engage this savvy and passionate group in ways that benefit your program, your organization, and your cause!
DATE: Thursday June 6
TIME: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
TOPIC: Engaging Millenials
LOCATION: 7501 Boulders View Drive, Ste 101, RVA 23225
For a map link, click here!
COST: Free for GRAVA members ONLY
RSVP: Reply to this e-mail or call 804-306-6499!
**Don't forget to bring your bag lunch!** |
| May Workshop Highlights |  Thirty-three GRAVA members attended May's excellent workshop on Leadership and Volunteer Management, presented by organizational psychologist and leadership consultant Susan Wilkes, PhD. Here are the highlights:
- Five leadership practices have been identified in the work of Kouzes & Posner and the good news is that these can be learned through study, reflection, application, and coaching.
- Practice 1, Modeling the Way: Leaders create standards of excellence and then set an example for others to follow.
- Practice 2, Inspiring a Shared Vision: Leaders passionately believe that they can make a difference and enlist others in their dreams for the future.
- Practice 3, Challenging the Process: Leaders look for opportunities to improve the organization and they accept disappointments as learning opportunities.
- Practice 4, Enabling Others to Act: Leaders strengthen others and make each person feel capable and powerful.
- Practice 5, Encouraging the Heart: Leaders recognize contributions that individuals make, celebrate accomplishments, and make people feel like heroes.
- To receive the presentation slides and handouts, click here.
- The Emerging Nonprofit Leaders program is a competitive 8-month program that provides participants with opportunities for self-assessment, one-on-one coaching, and monthly group learning sessions.
- To find out more about this program, send an e-mail to susanwilkes@comcast.net.
- GRAVA members are encouraged to consider taking the Emerging Nonprofit Leaders challenge! The due date for applications is August 12 and you can download a form by clicking on this link!
- Don't forget to read Marlene Wilson's classic article: What Do We Mean By Leadership?
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| Congratulations To Sharon Drescher! |  The leadership of GRAVA was very pleased to announce Sharon Drescher of CARITAS as our 2013 Volunteer Administrator of the Year! As Volunteer Development Manager, Sharon works with volunteers from more than 150 congregations to provide shelter for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Sharon also engages volunteers for the Furniture Bank and CARITAS Works. In the first two months of 2013, 117 volunteers logged over 2,000 hours. Sharon was nominated by CARITAS Volunteer Coordinator Anna Murphy, who said, " Sharon is one of the most hospitable and welcoming individuals I have ever met. She is constantly looking for ways to recruit and engage new volunteers....Sharon's versatility and warm personality are, I think, one of the main reasons we have so many repeat and consistent volunteers.... It is inspiring to watch Sharon take such pride in providing a welcoming environment for our ever-growing number of volunteers. Realizing CARITAS is an organization that relies so heavily on volunteers, she truly values each person's time and commitment, and goes above and beyond to show that gratitude." Sharon has been a GRAVA member since 2009 and credits what she has gained from the association for much of her success. Please join the GRAVA board in celebrating Sharon's award by sending her a message of congratulations! |
| RVA Engage Update |  RVA Engage is a new regional initiative to explore the possibility of transforming how nonprofits, government, educational institutions and corporations work together to create change through civic engagement and volunteer service. An initial group of stakeholders met in September 2012, followed by a meeting of volunteer "mobilizers" in February 2013. Thus far, the points of consensus include:
- Goals - reasons to work together:
- To build community
- To align the impact of volunteerism to create real change = "move the needle" on local issues
- To maximize finite resources ($, volunteer time, materials)
- Themes for action:
- Conduct mapping of volunteer engagement in the region
- Develop a common language
- Identify data sources we use...and need
- Define and align metrics
- Identify, share, and apply best practices
- Keep the conversation and communication going
The next conversation will be with nonprofit & government agency representatives (the "receivers"). Clearly, GRAVA members play the pivotal role of connecting "mobilizer" and "receiver" organizations, and Alison Jones-Nassar has been participating in the conversations so far to ensure your voice is included. We're not sure exactly what path the evolution of RVA Engage will take, but the potential for positive impact on our collective work is significant. Stay tuned for more updates as they emerge!
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| Bring-A-Bud Contest |
 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!
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| Membership Update |  Report from Membership Chair Melissa Gilmore:
Currently, GRAVA has 73 active members! A GRAVA directory is available and many picked the latest version up at the May meeting. If you weren't in attendance or you would like an updated membership directory, please e-mail Melissa Gilmore at Melissa.gilmore@lung.org. GRAVA would like to welcome the following new members: - Jennifer Boyle and Andrew Kirk, both with Junior Achievement
- Mary Ella Douglas, Assistant Vice President, Field Support for the American Lung Association
- Penny Jordan, Volunteer and Training Manager with Make-A-Wish Greater Virginia
- Melissa Powell, Elder Friends Program Manager with Family Lifeline
- Kelsi Ramdeo, Director of Volunteerism with Girl Scouts of the Commonwealth of Virginia
- Heather Wells, Special Events & Volunteer Coordinator with United Way of Greater Richmond & Petersburg
- Sarah Erickson, Volunteer Coordinator with Ronald McDonald House Charities
As a membership organization, GRAVA thrives on the participation of its members! Don't forget that your attendance and feedback strengthen our professional network, and we all benefit from an organization that is active and diverse. Thanks for supporting our efforts to increase membership and encourage participation! |
| 2013 GRAVA Board Vacancies |
 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:
- Programs Chair: responsible for organizing logistics (topic, speaker, location, etc) for five breakfast workshops (Sept, Nov, Jan, May, July)
- Public Relations Chair: coordinates all aspects of PR & Marketing, including the web site, press releases, and Constant Contact e-newsletter
- Secretary: maintains records of all meetings, coordinates with PR chair to communicate important information to membership, responsible for workshop hospitality
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. |
| Tip of the Month |  From "Strategic Volunteer Management: Expanding Your Organization's Brain," Energize Inc. May 2013 Hot Topic by Susan J. Ellis
Having volunteers is not a strategy, nor is having more next year a meaningful goal. The problem in volunteer management is not that our organizations are without strategies of various sorts; it's that volunteers are not naturally integrated into those strategies even as an operational tactic. They appear on the horizon long after making plans, as extra participants in the work to be done and possibly only tolerated in that limited role.
What Might a Volunteer Involvement Strategy Look Like? It all begins with an expanded vision of who volunteers are (or might become). With that perspective, he might develop any number of practical strategies, such as:
- To expand our knowledge and experience base, we will intentionally recruit volunteers who are as different from the paid staff as possible, and we will seek the ideas and opinions of those volunteers because they have many different points of view.
- We will include volunteers from as many occupations and professions as possible so as to establish radiating networks of contacts throughout the community.
- We will ensure that our volunteer corps represents the demographics of our clientele (age, ethnicity, gender, income level, where they live, etc.) so that we can get immediate feedback on all our activities from a perspective most like those we serve.
- We will create volunteer roles to expand our programs in different ways, perhaps to offer weekend and evening hours, serve remote geographic locations and in different languages, initiate online services, or other adaptations that help our clients and also match the abilities of new volunteers we can then invite to participate.
- To read the full article, click here!
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| Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities | |
Be sure to sign up for FREE webinars offered by VolunteerMatch!
May 14: Measuring Success
May 16: Single Days of Service
June 13: Managing Difficult Volunteer Transitions
July 11: Where Do I Go From Here?
August 6: Playing By The Rules
August 8: Creating A Comprehensive Training Program
Don't forget to check out Nonprofit Learning Point's 2013 class schedule!
June 5 & 12: Fostering Collaborative Relationships
July 11 & 18: Leading Change
July 16 & 23: Social Media
July 24 & 31: Risk Management
August 6: Advanced Social Media
August 21 & 28: Creating A Healthy Work Environment
August 22 & 29: Small Project Management in a Box
Southside Community Partners Learning & Leadership series:
May 30: Managing a Successful Volunteer Program, a Review of Best Practices (Instructor: Alison Jones-Nassar)
Everyone Ready: Online Volunteer Management Training
May 20: The Power of Integrating Volunteers Throughout Your Organization (instructor: Martin Cowling)
June 17: Effective Delegation Skills (Instructor: Andy Fryar)
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See you in June!
Alison Jones-Nassar
GRAVA (Greater Richmond Association for Volunteer Administration) |
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Register NOW For GRAVA's Annual Conference!
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Sharpening Your Tools: The Right Volunteer For The Right Job!
DATE:
Thursday July 11, 2013
TIME:
8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
LOCATION:
Capital One Town Center, West Creek Campus
PARKING:
Plentiful parking will be available in the newly constructed parking deck!
COST:
$25 for GRAVA members, $35 for non-members (cost includes continental breakfast & box lunch for registrations received by 7/1/13)
REGISTRATION DEADLINE: July 1, 2013
PLEASE NOTE:
Due to campus security requirements, on-site registration and payment will not be permitted.
All registration forms and payments MUST be received in advance!
Conference topics & speakers:
How To Re-Inspire (or Fire!) a Volunteer presented by
Angie Carrera, Volunteer Resource Coordinator for the Office of Public Private Partnerships for Fairfax County (on loan from NVAVA)
Inspiring Words for Volunteer Administrators
presented by
James Brooks, Associate State Director for AARP Virginia
Applying Ethics To Your Work With Volunteers presented by
Katherine Campbell, Executive Director of CCVA
Requesting and Responding to Corporate Support
presented by
Amy Chapman, Community Affairs & Corporate Volunteerism Officer for Capital One
in collaboration with
HandsOn Greater Richmond
To receive additional information, send an
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| Registration Is Now Open For The 2013 National Conference! | |
Registration is now open for the 2013 National Conference on Volunteering and Service, scheduled for June 19 - 21, 2013 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington D.C. To view conference rates, click here.
AND mark your calendars to attend the Summit on Advanced Volunteer Engagement (SAVE) Preconference from June 21 - 23, 2013!
SAVE is specifically designed for individuals who have at least three years of experience in engaging volunteers in nonprofit, government and community organizations. The program is a combination of deliberate dialogues facilitated by subject matter experts and the sharing of best practices, proven models and innovations.
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Updated Member Directory
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One of the
many benefits of GRAVA membership is a member directory that allows active members to connect with one another for networking, problem-solving, or affiliative purposes. To receive your updated member directory, please send an e-mail to membership chair Melissa Gilmore!
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New P.O. Box
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PLEASE NOTE: GRAVA has a new mailing address!
Membership applications, dues, scholarship applications, and all mailed correspondence should be sent to our NEW address at
P.O. Box 684, Midlothian VA 23113. Mail sent to our old P.O. box will be automatically forwarded, but slight delays should be expected. If you would like to confirm that your recently mailed membership application and check have been received, please send an e-mail to our membership chair, Melissa Gilmore!
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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. |
2012/2013 GRAVA Board
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Acting President & Secretary: Public Relations:
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! |
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Reminders
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Forward this e-newsletter to a friend RIGHT NOW
and help GRAVA increase its member network!
The GRAVA web site is now up and running! You can visit the site for event details, see a list of current members, download a copy of our brochure, and much more.
Meeting spaces are needed! Reply to this message if your workplace can accommodate a breakfast workshop (35-40 people) or a lunch bunch (12 - 15 people).
Do you know of a dynamic speaker who could present a future GRAVA session? Contact the Programs Chair
with your recommendation.
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