GRAVA is a professional membership organization that promotes and supports excellence in the management and leadership of volunteers in the Greater Richmond area through professional development, networking, and advocacy. |
| Call To Action! |
Do these RIGHT NOW to maximize your GRAVA membership:
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GRAVA Annual Conference - Registration Now Open!
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 The 2014 GRAVA Conference -- July 10, 2014 -- is Virginia's premier gathering of volunteer and service leaders from the nonprofit, corporate and government sectors to learn, connect, and be inspired through a wide range of exciting and informative workshop sessions, special expert speakers, and first-hand knowledge of the latest RVA volunteerism engagement initiatives, events, and more!
 Measuring and Using Outcomes for Volunteer Programs with Special Keynote Guest: Margaret Plantz, previously the Director of Evaluation & Measurement for United Way Worldwide.
Workshop Presenter: Service Enterprise Initiatives with Amy Chapman, Capital One
Thursday, July 10, 2014 from 8:00am - 3:30pm at the Capital One West Creek Town Center, 15075 Capital One Drive, Richmond VA 23238.
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| RSVP for June's Roundtable Discussion | |
What kinds of skills can we as volunteer engagement professionals, cultivate that will not only prepare us for the shifting realities of change, but allow us to facilitate and lead the sort of strategic change that will take our programs and organizations to the next level?
Plum Cluverius of Vedere Consulting introduced us to to facilitation and consensus-building skills. At the June Roundtable, Alison Jones-Nassar and Julie Adams-Buchanan will continue the conversation with an examination of how these skills support the change process.
Thursday, June 5, 2014
Virginia Supportive Housing
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Member Spotlight
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 Shanone Sport County of Henrico
Q: Tell us a little about yourself and why you love GRAVA?- I'm a native of Fredericksburg and moved to Richmond in 2000 to pursue my undergraduate studies at VCU - GO RAMS!
- I have a deep love and appreciation for oldies jazz, R&B, and soul - my son and I spend many evenings in the kitchen singing and dancing.
- I'm new to the profession so I hope GRAVA will help me gain valuable insights to effectively manage a volunteer program. I'm especially excited to connect with others through GRAVA's Volunteer Engagement Message Board!
Click here to learn more about Shanone in her Member Spotlight.
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Nomination Time for GRAVA Board Positions
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GRAVA is actively seeking to fill upcoming board vacancies, including President Elect, Treasurer, Professional Development Chair, and Conference Chair. These positions are key to the success of our organization and are rewarding professional development opportunities. Please take the time to seriously consider running for one of these position or nominating another GRAVA member whom you think would be the right fit.
Candidates must be up-to-date GRAVA members. The President Elect serves for one year (from Aug. 2014-Aug.2015) in primarily a shadowing role followed by two years as President (Aug. 2015-Aug. 2017). The term for each of the other positions is two years (Aug. 2014 to Aug. 2016).
For a copy of the position descriptions and general questions, please contact Kim Frola at kim.frola@vmfa.museum. Or feel free to reach out to the current board member in the positions.
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Volunteer Engagement Message Board
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You asked and we listened!
Several GRAVA members have requested a way to communicate and seek real-time answers to important questions and needs related to volunteer administration outside of normally scheduled GRAVA events.
GRAVA has partnered with HandsOn Greater Richmond to bring you the Volunteer Engagement Message Board, powered by ConnectVA.
Learn more and get started!
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Volunteer Engagement Professional of the Year - Accepting Nominations!
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To more accurately reflect the dynamic nature of our profession, we have recently changed the name of the award from Volunteer Administrator of the Year to Volunteer Engagement Professional (VEP) of the Year.
Recognize one of our outstanding members for his or her contributions to the field of volunteer administration and commitment to GRAVA by sending your nominee's name and a brief paragraph explaining why you would like to nominate this person to Professional Development Chair, Kim Frola at kim.frola@vmfa.museum by June 14, 2014.
Nominees must have a minimum of two years experience in the field of volunteer administration, must be current GRAVA members, and must show a commitment to the field of volunteer administration and the mission of GRAVA. Previous winners are not eligible for re-nomination. However, past nominees who were not selected are encouraged!
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| President's Message | |
Having run a marathon not too long ago, I know how much energy and endurance it takes to train and I know how exhausting it can be to sustain that effort. The last couple of months at work have felt so much harder that sometimes I feel like I can't take another step, figurative or literal.
Do other GRAVA members sometimes feel this way?
Welcome to the profession of volunteer management.
I would be lying if I said I enjoyed every minute. Most of the time my brain is fried and my feet are killing me. Some days I drag myself home after dark and wonder why I don't do something less strenuous. Does everybody work this hard? Whatever happened to "work smarter, not harder" anyway? Any yet...........
Read Alison's full president's message
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May Workshop Recap - Making Meetings Work
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 We all know that working in groups, especially volunteer groups, can be rewarding and challenging. That's why GRAVA chose to focus on Making Meetings Work at their May Workshop. Session facilitator Plum Cluverius emphasized Inclusion, Control, and Openness as the three main dimensions to most human interaction and group dynamics.
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2014 Program Schedule
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GRAVA is utilizing the CCVA core competencies to guide its program planning -- ensuring it is practical, relevant, and will have immediate impact on our members.
| June 5, 2014 | 8:30 - 10:30 a.m.
| Breakfast
Roundtable | | July 10, 2014 | 8:00 - 4:00p.m. | Annual Conference | | August 2014 | No Meeting | Happy Summer! |
Interested in serving as an expert facilitator or know someone who would? Be sure to review our Request for Expert Facilitator or contact Sarah Steadman. |
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See you in June!
Rebecca Eisenman Butler, PR Chair
GRAVA (Greater Richmond Association for Volunteer Administration) |
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GRAVA Buddy System
| Conversations at the February Roundtable led us to a discussion of an exciting idea that the GRAVA board members have been tossing around - a buddy system - in which members who are relatively new to the professional would be paired with more experienced practitioners for regular problem-solving sessions.
The response to this idea was very enthusiastic and so GRAVA will be working to develop this more in the near future. If you would like to be paired with a buddy or be a buddy, please let us know!
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Membership Update
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There is no better time like the present to become a GRAVA member. Join 72 of your colleagues in breakfast workshops and roundtable events.
GRAVA's 2013-2014 programming year runs from September 1, 2013 - August 31, 2014! Request an updated application now from
gilmoredm@verizon.net, then submit it along with your $30 payment.
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| CVA Registration is Open | |
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Are you ready to take your professional development to the next level? The CVA (Certified in Volunteer Administration) credential is the only international professional certification in the field of volunteer resources management. For more information please contact CCVA or request a list of GRAVA members who are CVAs.
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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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GRAVA has a new mailing address!
Membership applications, dues, scholarship applications, and all mailed correspondence should be sent to:
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 Social
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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.
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GRAVA Board
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Secretary:
Treasurer:
Public Relations: Professional Development: Membership: Conference: President:
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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!
Meeting spaces are needed! Reply to this message if your workplace can accommodate a breakfast workshop (35-40 people) or a breakfast roundtable (20-30 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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