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. |
Save the Date: Mixer in September
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 Save the Date:
You won't want to miss our September Networking Social scheduled for Thursday, September 25, 2014 at the VMFA. Join us for good food, networking, and fun!
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Volunteer Engagement Professional
of the Year Winner!
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Rosemary Jones, Director of Volunteer Services, Peter Paul Development Center
Congratulations to Rosemary Jones, GRAVA's 2014 Volunteer Engagement Professional of the Year! On hand to present was the 2013 recipient, Sharon Drennan, Director of Community Engagement with CARITAS.
Click here learn more about Rosemany Jones |
GRAVA Annual Conference Event Recap
|  GRAVA's Annual Conference was a huge success!
Last week, volunteer engagement professionals from around the region convened to join GRAVA for their annual conference focused on Volunteer Management: Connect, Track, Evaluate & Sustain.
Click here to read the full event recap and access materials.
Be sure to like us on Facebook to view conference pictures! |
GRAVA Welcomes New Board Members!
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As the 2013-2014 GRAVA year concludes in August, several board members will be transitioning off with newly elected members coming onto the board.
A huge thank you and best wishes to outgoing Treasure, Anne Burgess; Secretary, Julie Adams-Buchanan; Professional Development Chair, Kim Frola; and Conference Chair, Stephanie Gossett.
Likewise, a huge welcome and congratulations to incoming Treasurer, Kyndall Drumheller; Recording Secretary Mary France; Hospitality Chair, Kate Bausman; Professional Development Chair, Athena Parker; and Conference Co-Chairs, Lisa Adkins and Sheryl Luebke. Current Membership Chair, Melissa Gilmore has graciously stepped up to serve as President-Elect, shadowing our current President, Alison Jones-Nassar, over the coming year in preparation for becoming the next GRAVA President.
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Volunteer Engagement Message Board
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You Asked and We Listened!
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 Guest Blog Posts
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Spotlighting GRAVA's Volunteer Engagement Expertise!
GRAVA partnered with ConnectVA to offer a two-part blog post series on Volunteer Engagement:
- Volunteer Engagement: Assessing Organizational Readiness by Melissa Gilmore
- Volunteer Engagement: Trends in Volunteer Activity by Alison Jones-Nassar
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| President's Message | |
 The GRAVA membership may not be aware of it, but it's been a pretty grueling year for the board.
We've been meeting twice as often to get twice as much done. On top of all of our regular monthly tasks & duties, we've worked hard to implement some major strategic changes, many of which were specifically requested by our members. We debated practices that have been part of the GRAVA status quo for years, carefully discussing which ones contributed lasting value and which ones could be adjusted or maybe even discontinued altogether. We tried new things for the sake of the organization's continued vitality - I am all for trying new things - because we agreed that keeping within our comfort zone purely for the sake of being comfortable was not an acceptable option.
So the excitement I saw last week at our culminating annual conference and the feedback shared in the surveys could not make me happier or more proud. Excellence really is a team effort, and we could not have had a better team this year, a team that certainly includes but is not limited to our fantastic board.
Who else made excellence possible this year?
Read Alison's full president's message
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September Workshop - Valuing Your Values
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 Within any organization, tough decisions and choices are made based on the values of the organization. In your role as a volunteer administrator, it is important that you know the professional values of the field, your organization's guiding values, and where your personal values potentially differ from those values and how to act within the realm of your job. Join GRAVA and Anne Deaton of Bounce for our September Workshop.
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See you in September!
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 profession 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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Scholarship Update:
Sarah Irby
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GRAVA offers scholarships as a benefit to members, hear Sarah's story below:
"Recently, I had the wonderful opportunity to take a course entitled "Volunteer Resources Management Overview" through Nonprofit Learning Point, instructed by Kathy Perun. This course was of particular interest to me because I am now in my first year of my first job in the nonprofit world. Kathy walked us through samples of various forms including a volunteer application, confidentiality agreement, recruitment plan, reference check and volunteer recognition event, just to name a few. She also allowed us to learn from our classmates, who represent various and diverse nonprofit organizations throughout the Richmond area, as the course was very interactive." Contact Professional Development Chair, Kim Frola, for more information on scholarships.
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CVA Job Task Analysis Survey
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Your Chance to Influence the Future of our Profession!
CCVA is conducting a Job Analysis survey to update our understanding of volunteer administration.
We would like YOUR help in updating the skills, knowledge and competencies that practitioners in our field possess by taking this 25 minute survey.
Please join your colleagues around the globe as we evolve together as a community and as a profession.
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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 affiliated purposes. To receive your updated member directory, please send an e-mail to membership chair Melissa Gilmore!
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P.O. Box
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Membership applications, dues, scholarship applications, and all mailed correspondence should be sent to:
P.O. Box 684, Midlothian VA 23113. 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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