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VG Flash July 2005 |
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Membership Retention Efforts |
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The Membership and Development conveners, Fay Weber and Maggie Ford, have begun a process of contacting lapsed members to encourage them to continue their support. Between now and the Midyear Meeting in October, letters will be sent to some and phone calls made to others. We hope to learn from this process how VG can confidently sustain its donor support from year to year in order to continue the recent growth in the number of grants funded. In support of this work, there will be training at the Midyear Meeting in October for board and committee members. We look forward to having the expertise of an organizational manager at this meeting. |
| Barbara Carey VGIF President |
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On Site Visit to Sierra Leone |
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Sarah Hobson and Yuri Futamura of the New Field Foundation made an on site visit to the Agency for Rural Advancement (AFRA) project in Bo, Sierra Leone that VGIF funded in 2004 (Project 1944). Contact was made with New Field through a Non-Profit Roundtable held in San Francisco this past Spring and attended by VGIF member Rita Skillman. New Field offered to visit a venue of one of our grant recipients during a regularly-scheduled trip to the region. Hobson's and Futamura's June 30th report states in part that they "were struck by the commitment of the community to the project, the charisma and creativity of training coordinator Nafoei Mbriwa, the high quality of their gara-tie dying textiles, and the possibilities they have of developing an effective business based in a rural area". Project participants demonstrated the processes used, which include the use of a natural dye derived from locally grown cola nuts. A report will be posted on the VGIF website. We are grateful to these two capable observers for their generosity and professional evaluation which included suggestions for future activities for the group. |
| Evelyn Cumming VGIF On-Site Convener |
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Presentations to Groups of Prospective Members |
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VGIF President Barbara Carey has recently attended the AAUW New Mexico State convention, the University Women of Europe (sub-group of IFUW) Annual General Meeting (AGM), and the AAUW Biennial Association Convention on behalf of VGIF. In August, she will participate in the Canadian Federation of University Women AGM for the same purpose. In each case, the VGIF President carries VGIF brochures and Updates for distribution and she speaks about VGIF when given the opportunity. Any VGIF member who attends similar meetings is encouraged to inquire about participating as a spokesperson for VGIF. Printed materials are available in quantity upon request from the VGIF office and will be provided to you without charge. PowerPoint CDs, a large portable banner with stand, and video CDs are also available for those who might be able to make more elaborate presentations. All the visual materials detail past projects that have been successfully completed, while the publications also include information on membership. To review the inventory of presentation tools, visit the VGIF website and review the "membership materials" and "project grants library". |
| Barbara Carey VGIF President |
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The Virginia Gildersleeve International Fund