My first year working with the PWCL board was basically a bust. Little accomplished. But then, as G aptly points out, it takes a year to get oriented in an organization. She went through the same thing when she was with the San Diego calligraphers. Finally, though, I'm about to have accomplished something.
This is a 30 year old organization that acts like it's just getting off the ground. Tonight we finished work on the first Strategic Plan for Fundraising that it's ever had. Furthermore, PWCL is probably within a month of getting its first agency-wide Strategic Plan, ever. My part in this? I've written up at least three full-on fundraising plans at this point. The magic trick that got collective sign-off for this one, was that a standardized Strategic Plan form was handed down from on high to us by a consultant. Ah-ha! I plugged my information into the format, and voila! -- we're good to go. [Good trick to remember for later: get sign-off on the packaging -- then fill it with content.]
I'm pleased with my work. My big skill in political contexts is that I'm a listener, an eavesdropper, a note-taker. I didn't really create much -- I just kept notes for a year and a half on what everyone else was saying, all the while trying to fit it into some kind of organization that made sense to my own poor head.
And I think that I've identified what I'm going to do next, too! This 30 year old organization has boxes upon boxes of old documents in the basement and in the crawl spaces. No one even knows what they are. I'm thinking that I'll take the next six or so months to go through them, figure out what to throw out, make what's important usable. It's an organizing task; it's what I'm suited for.
After that? I don't know. I vacilate, trying to decide whether or not I want to resign when the next election cycle comes around.
There was a period where responsibility for fundraising was entirely on my shoulders. That was an impossible task. No fun at all. As of this month, we have a new Development Director. Our third ever -- also our third within just a bit over a year. From the very little I've seen so far, she seems very competent -- and better yet, she comes from the same fundraising framework that I do: the one set out by author Kim Klein.
I joined the PWCL board because this organization's my alma mater; because it was in crisis and Fran asked me to help; because I knew something about the structure of fundraising and thought I could help. I think we're about to arrive at the point where my initial goal is actually fulfilled: a fundraising plan is in place, and we have a qualified person to implement it. [Boy, was I ever unqualified to manage implementation solo, and as a volunteer!]
Whether or not I stay on longer probably depends on my finding new tasks within the organization. Not just tasks that need doing -- those are endless. Tasks that I feel I'm well suited for, that allow me to make a unique contribution.
...I'm torn. Part of me wants to quit when my time's up, freeing mental space for YL and HPL projects. The other part of me likes remaining involved in politics/activism in a practical way. For a long time now, activist groups have been my connection to a larger community. And my involvement gives me a sense of purposefulness in the world... I always feel a little guilty if I'm not contributing to Tikkun Olam [Hebrew: "mending the world"] practically, and on some kind of regular basis.
Went to a PWCL training on child abuse and child witnesses of domestic violence last night. This has me thinking: PWCL might also be a leaping off point, eventually, for the social change work I want to do around how violence against minors gets dealt with by our institutions. Hm...
This is a 30 year old organization that acts like it's just getting off the ground. Tonight we finished work on the first Strategic Plan for Fundraising that it's ever had. Furthermore, PWCL is probably within a month of getting its first agency-wide Strategic Plan, ever. My part in this? I've written up at least three full-on fundraising plans at this point. The magic trick that got collective sign-off for this one, was that a standardized Strategic Plan form was handed down from on high to us by a consultant. Ah-ha! I plugged my information into the format, and voila! -- we're good to go. [Good trick to remember for later: get sign-off on the packaging -- then fill it with content.]
I'm pleased with my work. My big skill in political contexts is that I'm a listener, an eavesdropper, a note-taker. I didn't really create much -- I just kept notes for a year and a half on what everyone else was saying, all the while trying to fit it into some kind of organization that made sense to my own poor head.
And I think that I've identified what I'm going to do next, too! This 30 year old organization has boxes upon boxes of old documents in the basement and in the crawl spaces. No one even knows what they are. I'm thinking that I'll take the next six or so months to go through them, figure out what to throw out, make what's important usable. It's an organizing task; it's what I'm suited for.
After that? I don't know. I vacilate, trying to decide whether or not I want to resign when the next election cycle comes around.
There was a period where responsibility for fundraising was entirely on my shoulders. That was an impossible task. No fun at all. As of this month, we have a new Development Director. Our third ever -- also our third within just a bit over a year. From the very little I've seen so far, she seems very competent -- and better yet, she comes from the same fundraising framework that I do: the one set out by author Kim Klein.
I joined the PWCL board because this organization's my alma mater; because it was in crisis and Fran asked me to help; because I knew something about the structure of fundraising and thought I could help. I think we're about to arrive at the point where my initial goal is actually fulfilled: a fundraising plan is in place, and we have a qualified person to implement it. [Boy, was I ever unqualified to manage implementation solo, and as a volunteer!]
Whether or not I stay on longer probably depends on my finding new tasks within the organization. Not just tasks that need doing -- those are endless. Tasks that I feel I'm well suited for, that allow me to make a unique contribution.
...I'm torn. Part of me wants to quit when my time's up, freeing mental space for YL and HPL projects. The other part of me likes remaining involved in politics/activism in a practical way. For a long time now, activist groups have been my connection to a larger community. And my involvement gives me a sense of purposefulness in the world... I always feel a little guilty if I'm not contributing to Tikkun Olam [Hebrew: "mending the world"] practically, and on some kind of regular basis.
Went to a PWCL training on child abuse and child witnesses of domestic violence last night. This has me thinking: PWCL might also be a leaping off point, eventually, for the social change work I want to do around how violence against minors gets dealt with by our institutions. Hm...
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