2012 Message From Your Board, written by WAVAW’s Board Chair

Every year as I sit down to write this message I have an opportunity to really appreciate the wonderful work that happens at WAVAW and the amazing women who lead, learn, achieve and create so much that makes a difference in women’s lives.

Last year I told you that the Board would be focusing on three priorities:  Developing a new Strategic Plan, Fundraising and finding better space.  We have made progress on all three and all three remain priorities for 2013.

Strategic Plan
Staff and Board invested many hours in this exercise and as a result have identified five key directions for the next 3 years:

• Continually foster a culture of feminist service excellence for the women we serve and be recognized a community leader in sexual assault.
• Provide the best place to learn, work and volunteer to ensure that health and engagement for all WAVAW women.
• Promote attitudinal and systemic change about sexualized violence against women.
• Continue to build on our financial strength by contributing a net surplus to our balance sheet at the end of fiscal 2015.
• Increase our general profile in order to enhance the community’s understanding of the full mission of WAVAW.

Fundraising
Our Fundraising committee has been doing a wonderful job of getting Directors involved with thanking our existing donor base.  From writing personal thank you notes to “Thankathons” on the telephone to face to face meetings.

Finding a Better Space
We completed a feasibility study that assessed our ability to conduct a capital campaign to raise the money required to purchase our own space.  While the conclusions from the report advised that we would likely be unsuccessful in a bid for capital, the information gained through interviews with a diverse range of people in our community has been invaluable and continues to inform fundraising roles and responsibilities at WAVAW.

This year all eight of the current Directors will stand for re-election which is a first since I have been a volunteer Director!  Having this continuity on the board allows us to be more productive and effective in serving our stakeholders.  Shabira Rajan, myself  and Irene will also participate in Governance/Leadership  training with a community of peers through Vantage Point starting in September.  We look forward to bringing new ideas and connections back to WAVAW.

I will close with a quote I love from author, activist and proud feminist, Isabel Allende:

“For real change we need feminine energy in the management of the world.  We need a critical number of women in positions of power, and we need to nurture the feminine energy in men.”

WAVAW is a real life example that feminine energy can and will change the world!

Yours Sincerely,

Jacqueline, Board Chair