Update on Giving Voice Strategic planning and next steps

Understanding the needs of Sisters in the Giving Voice network into the future has been the focus of the efforts to date under the Hilton Foundation grant. That grant was awarded to GV to help us with planning for our future and identifying the resources we will need organizationally to strengthen our network. The purpose of this article is to provide an update on our progress to date and provide a preview of things to come.

Many of our sisters participated in these efforts to date and have shared their perspectives to create a better understanding of the:

• purpose and value of GV today and in the future 

• level of communication and support needed within the network 

This sharing happened at the Assembly in Kansas City last August and on a series of subsequent conference calls with our consultants from Plante Moran. 

The opportunities that from that sharing included identifying the need for: 

• Developing a clear articulation of the purpose and value of GV and communicating externally that GV is essential to the sisters who participate in it in terms of networking and support as well as the leadership opportunities GV provides 

• Enhancing and emphasizing the communication of the value of GV to the outside world to improve understanding, participation and support 

• Recognizing that the leadership of GV, and the network itself could benefit from a structure that is operationally effective yet maintains the spirit, shared leadership, and virtual nature of GV 

• Increasing interest of sisters to participate more actively in GV activities and to feel more connected to the network 

As we move into the next phase of this process, Plante Moran will help GV with the following: 

• Creating a level of organizational infrastructure that reflects our values; 

• Promoting support for and participation in internal initiatives 

• Generating external support for the organization 

• Creating materials that can be used to communicate to others the importance of GV 

• Developing a communications and technology strategy to enhance the content and structure of the website and increasing internal and external traffic to the site 

• Developing a financial budget based on our strategy and organizational structure 

We expect that we will be seeking volunteers to help us with some of these initiatives to ensure that we remain peer led and supported. We will continue to update you on our progress.