Hello WIN,
Our WIN year is off to a flying start. As of this writing we have 158 members for the 2024 grant cycle.
We had a great grants celebration in October, giving out more than $220,000 to two important projects–$110,342 to the University of Nebraska College of Law’s Children Justice Clinic in support of a licensed independent clinical social worker to partner with law students who serve as guardians ad litem for children in juvenile court, and $110,342 to the Nebraska Panhandle Area Health Education Center in Scottsbluff to support efforts to grow the healthcare workforce pipeline in rural and underserved areas of Nebraska.
Remember that throughout this grant-making process, your voice and your vote matter, and your input counts. You have a say in the final decision about our investments.
A call for Letters of Inquiry went out in December—this was our public signal to potential grant recipients to let us know by February 13 of their interest in being considered for a grant.
Then our fabulous Grants Committee, under the leadership of Jaci Lindburg, reviews every one of those letters—there were 116 last year—and decides which 16 will be asked for further details for a closer review, and finally, which eight will receive a site visit.
Heavy lifting, but that is the core of the work we do as a giving network.
You are welcome to be a part of the grants process by becoming a committee member if you are not already, and in June, by attending site visits of the finalists for our grants. That is such a wonderful opportunity for learning about big ideas and for connection with your WIN sisters as a part of our WIN decision-making process to determine how we will invest our dollars. As always, we are looking for ground-breaking ideas that will have the maximum positive impact, and there are a lot of options and compelling cases to be made. Not an easy decision. Might as well roll up your sleeves and dive in.
As I mentioned, we have xxx members so far supporting our 2024 grant cycle. A reminder that members can join for 2024 any time before June 30 to have their voice counted. Jill Davis is doing a fabulous job as our Membership Committee chair and is constantly suggesting that ‘each one reach one’—that every member reaches out to someone who would be a good WIN member with information about our wonderful, thriving network on a shared philanthropic adventure. Here’s a link to the video that WIN Director Morgan Holen put together for us to share with potential members: (LINK VIDEO HERE)
We landed at 259 members by June 30, 2023, and of course, we ‘start over’ on the count each year, spring boarding off of our strong momentum.
Your leadership team is optimistic that we can attract more members than ever and give out more money than ever to create bigger positive impacts than ever. It’s up to each and every one of us to make that happen, and I know we can.
We have lots of opportunities for connection and learning lined up by our Education Committee headed by Sarah Button. Be sure to take advantage of some of those fantastic options if you can do so.
Thanks to you for your support of WIN. I am grateful to you for your generosity and your participation in creating our others-focused visionary investments.
Hope to see you soon at a WIN event.
Meg