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 2013/2014 membership cycle. Remember that your feedback is always welcome! |
| Call To Action! |
Three things you can do RIGHT NOW to maximize your GRAVA membership:
- GRAVA's 2013-2014 member cycle starts on September 1! Join or renew your membership right now by downloading an application and sending it along with payment to GRAVA member chair Melissa Gilmore! If you become a member before September 30, you'll be entered to win a $25 Amazon gift card!
- Mark your calendars right now for GRAVA's 2013-2014 schedule of professional development programs (see exact dates below), starting with our first Breakfast Workshop on Thursday September 5 from 8:30 - 10:30! And don't forget to save the date for GRAVA's Become a Member in September evening mixer, scheduled for Thursday September 26 from 5:30 - 7:30 at the VMFA!
- Register for the FREE webinar on Fearless Leadership, scheduled for Wednesday July 31 at 2 p.m. local time (details below)!
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2013-2014 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!
| September 5, 2013 | 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. | Breakfast Workshop | | September 26, 2013 | 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. | Member Mixer | | October 3, 2013 | 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Lunch Bunch | | November 7, 2013 | 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. | Breakfast Workshop | | December 2013 | No Meeting | Happy Holidays! | | January 9, 2014 | 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. | Breakfast Workshop | | February 6, 2014 | 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Lunch Bunch | | March 6, 2014 | 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. | Annual Conference | | April 3, 2014 | 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Lunch Bunch | | May 1, 2014 | 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. | Breakfast Workshop | | June 5, 2014 | 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. | Lunch Bunch | | July 10, 2014 | 8:30 - 10:30 a.m. | Breakfast Workshop | | August 2014 | No Meeting | Happy Summer! |
Your GRAVA board is committed to providing workshops in 2013-2014 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 |  I can't even begin to describe how inspired I was this summer to be a part of so many great learning opportunities and initiatives! Within a month's time I attended three major conferences: the state conference in Virginia Beach on June 13 (see the report below from Stephanie Gossett); the national conference in Washington D.C. from June 18-21; and of course GRAVA's own annual conference in Richmond on July 11. Perhaps the best experience of all was the Summit for Advanced Volunteer Engagement (SAVE), where the theme of Fearless Leadership got me thinking in completely new ways about the possibilities for excellence in our field. At one point I jotted down the thought, "We already have the super powers we need to meet our biggest challenges and achieve our highest goals!" The hard reality is that, now more than ever, we really are facing some tough challenges, both as individuals and as organizations. Maybe our efforts to engage volunteers are undervalued by our colleagues. Maybe our programs are marginalized and considered optional to the mission. Maybe our organizations are experiencing difficult transitions as they struggle to maximize dwindling resources. Do any of these challenges resonate with you? The good news is that we all DO have the super powers we need (commitment to professionalism, best practices, leadership skills, peer networks, and collaborative relationships with strong partners, just to name a few) to transcend these difficulties and to make our work more relevant than ever. And over the next two years, GRAVA will do its best to help you put your super powers to work. Our 2013-2014 program schedule will be designed to address specific challenges we face as volunteer managers and to equip us with the tools we need to succeed. And GRAVA's collaborations with innovative national & local partners like CCVA, Re-Imagining Service, HandsOn RVA, Capital One's Investing for Good Certification Program, and RVA Engage will make success more possible than ever. Looking around, I see a lot of superheroes ready to fight the good fight in our own backyard! For starters, GRAVA has an incredibly active and hard-working board that is dedicated to making YOUR professional development a top priority (with special kudos to conference chair Stephanie Gossett for an awesome conference!), and we are thrilled to welcome new members Julie Adams-Buchanan, Rebecca Eisenman, and Sarah Steadman to the team! VAY award winners like Sharon Drescher embody the principles of excellence that make our work so exciting and meaningful! HandsOn staff members, led by Executive Director Vanessa Diamond, are on the cutting edge of innovations in community service! The visionary leadership of CCVA Executive Director Katie Campbell is making it possible to align resources across our community for maximum impact! And last but not least, GRAVA members are out there in the trenches every minute of every day doing work that matters and making a difference ! Now that's what I call inspiring! Are you ready to find out what it means to be Fearless Leaders? Are you ready to be the best you can be? If so, then mark your calendars, put on your capes, and prepare to activate your super powers! I can't wait to see you in 2013/2014! At your service,
Alison Jones-Nassar
President, GRAVA
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| July Conference Highlights | 
Thanks to everyone who attended the Greater Richmond Association for Volunteer Administrators Conference in Richmond, VA on Thursday, July 11, 2013. You and nearly 80 others crossed political, racial, religious, age and geographic boundaries to come together in a powerful way. You really demonstrated your commitment to our theme: Sharpening Your Tools: The Right Volunteer for the Right Job!We're so grateful to title sponsor Capital One - along with HandsOn Greater Richmond and AARP VA - for supporting the only convening of volunteer administrators in the Richmond Tri-Cities area and for helping to make it a huge success!I hope you'll agree that we had a lot of great moments that allowed us to laugh and learn! Who can forget NVAVA member and experienced presenter Angie Carrera's great information on "How to Re-Inspire or Fire A Volunteer"? Or CCVA Executive Director Katie Campell's thought-provoking workshop on "Applying Ethics to Your Work with Volunteers"? How many of you will heed the inspiring self-care advice of James Brooks (AARP Associate State Director - Community Outreach) to "wipe your feet at the door"? And last but not least, who was NOT challenged and energized by the culminating tag-team session on Corporate Engagement presented by Capital One's Amy Chapman and HandsOn led by Vanessa Diamond?
GRAVA congratulates all raffle prize winners and recognizes "Bring-A'Bud" contest winner Lisa Adkins! You'll find more highlights, stories and photos on GRAVA's facebook page! Please feel free to share any additional comments about this year's conference!
And now that you're back into your daily routine, I hope you'll join GRAVA's 2013-2014 Membership Year! Be sure to mark your calendars for GRAVA's first workshop of the 2013-2014 membership cycle on September 5, 2013 at 8:30 am (location TBD).
Thanks again for coming and for the great work you do every day. We hope to see next year!
In service,
Stephanie Gossett
Conference Chair
GRAVA Board
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| Congratulations to HandsOn RVA! |  HandsOn Greater Richmond was awarded the 2013 George W. Romney Award at the 2013 National Conference on Volunteering and Service in June 2013! The Romney Award is the pinnacle of excellence, presented to honor the collective success of a HandsOn Network Affiliate in making a meaningful difference through volunteering and service in their community and across the sector. The award is one of the highest honors a volunteer center can receive from HandsOn Network and the Point of Light Institute.
"HandsOn Greater Richmond's story is one of incredible growth in a short period of time. They have evolved from a home grown website to a powerful Action Center that serves over 200 partners each year and engages over 7,000 volunteers. Recognized as their region's hub of volunteerism and a leading local voice in civic engagement, HandsOn Greater Richmond was founded upon and guided by ideals around the importance of partnership, collaboration and innovation."
This award was established in 1996 to honor Governor Romney and his personal commitment to volunteer service at all levels of society.
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| Postcard from the State Conference |  Field report from GRAVA board member Stephanie Gossett: The 2013 Virginia Service Foundation's Conference on Volunteerism and Service was held Thursday June 13, at the Wyndham Virginia Beach Oceanfront Hotel.
More than 250 Virginians active in service gathered in Virginia Beach for a full day of exciting workshops and networking. Training sessions focused on emergency preparedness, volunteer management, new healthcare changes, and more. Bill Basl, AmeriCorps Director with the Corporation on National & Community Service, delivered the keynote address. The conference also featured exhibits from area organizations and was sponsored by the Virginia Service Foundation, AARP, and HPS Enterprise/Diamond Hill Retreat.
As GRAVA board member and AARP representative I had the pleasure of serving on the 2013 planning conference committee. Due to my involvement with this year's conference I was able to integrate GRAVA into my resource table booth with AARP. This allowed GRAVA to be represented at this conference at no charge to the association with complimentary advertisement for the 2013 GRAVA conference. This conference was a huge success!
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| Membership Update |  Update from Membership chair Melissa Gilmore:
August 31 marks the end of the 2012/2013 GRAVA program cycle, which means that your annual membership also expires on 8/31! Why renew? We can think of at least TEN REASONS why your $30 GRAVA membership is a terrific deal!
- Free admission to five breakfast workshops per year, which provide training on topics such as conflict resolution, stress management, ethics, recruitment, and retention;
- Free admission to four members-only brown-bag lunch meetings per year, where best practices are shared;
- Discounted admission to GRAVA's annual Professional Development Conference;
- Eligibility to apply for professional development scholarships for training and materials;
- Assistance in becoming Certified in Volunteer Administration (CVA);
- Guidance for newcomers from our pool of experienced members;
- Eligibility for the Volunteer Administrator of the Year Award for practices in volunteer management;
- Access to a members-only directory to facilitate communication and partnerships;
- Listing and linking of your agency on GRAVA's web site;
- Advocacy for the volunteer management profession.
Visit the GRAVA web site right now to download your 2013/2014 membership application and bring it along with payment to the September 5 breakfast workshop or mail it to P.O. Box 684 Midlothian, VA 23113.
Join or renew before September 30 and you'll be entered into a drawing for a $25 Amazon gift card! And don't forget to invite a friend or colleague to the September breakfast workshop or forward this newsletter to someone who could benefit from membership in our professional network.
For more information on membership, please send an e-mail to Melissa Gilmore at Melissa.gilmore@lung.org. See you in September!
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| Save The Date! |  Who said GRAVA has to be all work and no play? One of the most valuable benefits that your GRAVA membership has to offer are the opportunities to connect with colleagues and friends throughout the year. SAVE THE DATE right now to attend our second annual Become A Member In September Mixer! DATE: Thursday September 26TIME: 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.LOCATION: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts* Light refreshments AND adult beverages will be available for a small fee.
Bring a friend who joins GRAVA and you'll be entered into a drawing for a special prize! Door prizes will also be awarded.
Stay tuned for more information coming to your inbox soon! We hope to see you AND your friends there! |
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Tip of the Month
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From Best Practice Guidelines For Screening Volunteers developed in cooperation with Volunteer Canada, 2008
Screening is a process performed by an organization to ensure that the right match is made between the work to be done and the person who will do it. Screening serves to create and maintain a safe work environment. It is an ongoing process designed to identify any person- whether paid or unpaid, volunteer or staff - who may potentially cause harm to children, youth or other vulnerable persons.
Educating participants, staff and volunteers about potential abuse is very important. However, it is not enough! As soon as any organization opens for business - whether run by staff or volunteers - it has a responsibility to appropriately screen any person who will have access to vulnerable persons. Screening requirements and procedures differ for each non-profit organization according to the level of risk to which participants are exposed. All non-profit organizations should develop a screening approach that is consistent with its duty of care.
Organizations will be held accountable for the harm caused to participants resulting from their failure to exercise their duty of care.
The application of good screening policies will ensure that organizations meet their obligation to take reasonable steps to protect those in their care.
Step one: Risk Management
Step two: Using your organization's organizational chart and position descriptions to identify and manage risk
Step three: Recruitment process
Step four: Application form
Step five: Interviews
Step six: Reference checks
Step seven: Background checks
Step eight: Orientation and training
Step nine: Supervision and evaluation
Step ten: Participant follow-up
To view the entire publication in PDF form, click here!
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| Upcoming Webinar: Fearless Leadership! |  Ever ask yourself "What if?" when it comes to your volunteer program? What if you stepped outside your comfort zone and took more risks and reached for the big, hairy, audacious goals that you dream about? It's time these daydreams became a reality!
Inspired by the Case Foundation's Be Fearless campaign to encourage a more fearless approach to creating lasting change, this month's Nonprofit Insights webinar is about trying things that are out of our comfort zone, being fearless and dreaming big - with your volunteer engagement.
Join Sarah Koch, Case Foundation Director of Social Innovation to learn about the key values of the Case Foundation's Be Fearless campaign, which focuses on igniting a more fearless approach to change-making. Featured panelists will explore how their organizations have stepped away from traditional ways of engaging volunteers, and how this has helped them develop new approaches to tackling some of the social sector's toughest challenges.
To sign up for this FREE webinar on Wednesday July 31 from 2 - 3 p.m. Eastern Time, click on this link!
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| Upcoming Professional Development Opportunities | |
Be sure to sign up for FREE webinars offered by VolunteerMatch!
August 6: Playing By The Rules - Creating an Effective Handbook
August 8: Creating A Comprehensive Training Program
August 20: Walking the Walk - Engaging Volunteers In Your Program
September 10: Measuring Success - How to Strategically Assess Your Program
September 17: Developing a Strategic Plan
September 19: Build Staff Buy-In For Volunteer Engagement
October 10: Writing Useful Position Descriptions
October 17: Successful Interview Strategies
November 6: Where Do We Go From Here?
November 7: Engaging Skilled & Pro Bono Volunteers
Don't forget to check out Nonprofit Learning Point's 2013 class schedule!
August 6: Advanced Social Media
August 21 & 28: Creating A Healthy Work Environment
August 22 & 29: Small Project Management in a Box
September 30: Stress Management
October 2: Fostering Effective Corporate Relationships
October 23: STaff Supervision
November 11 & 18: Recruiting a Diverse & Inclusive Board
December 4: The Leadership Challenge
December 10: Engaging the Faith Community
Everyone Ready: Online Volunteer Management Training
August 19: Mandated Service: A Human Resource Opportunity (Instructor: Katherine H. Campbell, CVA)
September 16: Cutting Edge Trends and Issues in Volunteerism (Instructor: Susan J. Ellis)
COMING SOON!
October: Tapping into Corporate Volunteer Programs
November: Effective Supervision - A Seminar for Busy Staff Who Partner with Volunteers
December: Middle Managers - Their Vital Role in Volunteer Success
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See you in September!
Alison Jones-Nassar
GRAVA (Greater Richmond Association for Volunteer Administration) |
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| Welcome, New GRAVA Board Members! | |
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GRAVA is thrilled to welcome three new highly qualified members to the 2013-2014 board:
Julie Adams-Buchanan Secretary Julie has professionally managed volunteers for 5.5 years and is currently with the Shepherd Center of Richmond. In March of 2013, she received her CVA and she considers GRAVA to be "one of the best professional organizations in Richmond." As GRAVA secretary, Julie will record board meeting minutes, communicate information to the membership, and coordinate workshop hospitality.
Rebecca Eisenman Public Relations As Southside Community Partners' Manager of Online Services, Rebecca coordinates and manages all community-building initiatives. She also co-administers ConnectVA including content management and offline programming. Rebecca has her MSW and is a graduate of the 2013 Emerging Nonprofit Leaders program. As Public Relations chair, Rebecca will administer the web site, produce the monthly e-newsletter, build media relationships, and promote GRAVA within Central Virginia.
Sarah Steadman Programs Sarah has served as program coordinator for NAMI Virginia since 2009. In this role, she is responsible for promoting affiliate growth throughout the state. Sarah has her MSW and is a graduate of the 2012 Emerging Nonprofit Leaders program. As Programs chair, Sarah will solicit speakers and coordinate all logistical details including locations for the breakfast workshops. |
| Thanks To Jamie Seagraves! | |
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The GRAVA board would like to extend its sincere thanks to Jamie Seagraves for his valuable service to the organization! During his two-year (2011-2013) term as PR chair, Jamie maintained the web site and leveraged a variety of media connections to promote the annual conference, the VAY awards, International Volunteer Manager's Day, and general GRAVA programming and member benefits. He brought a strong sense of commitment to his participation on the board, and he contributed a wealth of ideas and strategies in support of GRAVA's mission. As a result, GRAVA is a stronger and more vibrant organization!
Thank you, Jamie, and we look forward to our continued partnership!
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Thanks To
Our Conference Sponsors! | 
Visit Our Sponsor |
| New Report on Engaging Millenials | |
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At the June Lunch Bunch, ConnectVA program manager Mark Hickman provided GRAVA members with an excellent introduction to the Millenial generation, a generation that is eager to connect, get involved, and give to causes that matter. If you'd like to find out more about this topic, check out the newly published 2013 Millenial Impact Report!
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| Creating A Strategic Volunteerism Plan: We Did It! | |
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Most organizations have a strategic plan, a fund development plan, a marketing plan and an IT plan. Why is it that so few have a volunteerism plan? Recognized as the oldest voluntary health organization in the United States, the American Lung Association began a three-year planning process for volunteer involvement only six years ago. The Association recently took a different approach to the process, resulting in a volunteerism plan that has ownership from many stakeholders, simultaneously building both the culture of volunteerism and the capacity to sustain it.
In this feature story, authors (and GRAVA members!) Mary Ella Douglas, Melissa Gilmore, Katherine H. Campbell and Marybeth K. Saunders explain how they created the Association's latest strategic volunteerism plan. To read more, click here! |
| Job Posting | |
The Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation is seeking a creative and imaginative individual to manage the Foundation's large and vibrant volunteer and intern programs. The ideal candidate should excel in relationship building and will ensure qualified volunteers and interns are attracted and retained. This position provides volunteer resource management services including needs assessments, recruitment, placement, administration, communications, recognition, evaluation and training.
TO APPLY:
You must fully complete a Commonwealth of Virginia employment application - For more information and to apply please go to www.historyisfun.org. Background Check/E-Verify required. Please see website for full description of background investigation. EEO/AA/ADA
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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 the PR chair. |
2013/2014 GRAVA Board
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Secretary: Treasurer: Public Relations: Professional Development: Membership: Conference: President: 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 | |
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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