The Link

August/September 2021

Greetings from TPC Co-President Bridget Dunn

It’s impossible to believe that it’s already September! I hope you enjoyed a safe and restful summer. I can’t think of a better way to have kicked it off than at our 2021 Grant Awards & All-Member Meeting on June 3, where we awarded $25,000 grants to 10 exceptional nonprofits. If you weren’t able to join us live, we encourage you to watch the recording at TPC’s website. 

We are looking forward to an exciting year ahead. Our first Philanthropy Dialogue is quickly approaching and promises to be an engaging evening (sign up below). The Grants Committee is already rolling, having recently had its first meeting to begin planning for the upcoming grant season. They are thinking carefully about how we can facilitate a smooth grants process and better embody the principles of Trust-Based Philanthropy. If you would like to learn more about Trust-Based Philanthropy, we encourage you to watch the recording of our January 2021 Philanthropy Dialogue on the topic. 

Additionally, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) committee is busy digesting the report prepared for us by consultants Conditioning Leaders and reconciling their recommendations with our strategic plan and organizational resources. As we determine next steps, we will continue pursuing equitable grant making that fosters systemic change while working to create a community and offer programming that is inclusive, anti-racist, and anti-oppression. 

As you know, TPC relies on its members to play a vital role in supporting all the work of its committees. Joining a committee is an excellent way to share your talents and skills and has the added bonus of connecting you with other members. If you are interested in getting involved with the DEI, Education, Grants, Marketing & Communications, or Membership committees, please reach out to connect@thephilanthropyconnection.org and our administrator Amanda will put you in touch with the appropriate committee chair. We have plenty to do and can always make use of any time or talent you have to give! 

Finally, this past spring, in alignment with our strategic plan values of equity, growth, and sustainability, we rolled out a new membership investment structure. We renamed “Membership Dues” to “Membership Investment” because we understand each member’s contribution to be an investment in our grantees, TPC, and our community at large. Each member now has the choice to contribute the following as her annual investment, with no difference in membership benefits received: Sustainer: $2,500; Catalyst: $1,200; Partner: $600; and Friend: $300

We believe that broadening our membership levels will allow us to increase the size of our grant pool while helping us expand access to TPC to a more diverse membership. If you have not yet renewed, we encourage you to do so soon at the new level of your choosing. If you have a friend or colleague who you believe may be interested in TPC, we ask that you spread the word about these exciting changes. 

In a turbulent and challenging world, I often find the passion, commitment, and creativity of fellow TPC members to be a bright spot. I hope we can continue building community, educating ourselves and others, and making change in the Boston area. To our current members, thank you for continuing to support TPC’s mission, and to others, we invite you to join us for the exciting year ahead!

Upcoming Events

Now! TPC’s Governance and Nominating Committee is seeking board member nominations for seats with terms beginning in January 2022. While open seats are limited, we have a need for development, marketing, and accounting/financial (with an emphasis on accounting) skill sets as well as increased diversity. Please submit nominations for any TPC colleagues who have attributes that align with these needs. Self-nominations are encouraged! Nominees should have at least a full year’s tenure with TPC and been active within the organization by participating on grant teams, committees, or volunteer opportunities and attending dialogues and other events.You may also review the BoardMember Expectations document at the Members Only section of TPC’s website as further guidance. Please inform any nominee that you intend to nominate to confirm she would be willing to serve if selected by the board once the full process is complete. 

Please use this link to share names and related information no later than Thursday, September 22. After reviewing nominations and interviewing candidates, we will present our nominating slate at the November board meeting and announce the full board once the process is complete. 

Monday, September 20, 6:30-7:30 pm. Please register to attend The COVID Journey: Personal and Professional Insights, which will feature Lisa Funaro, ED of MARE (Mass Adoption Resource Exchange) and Jessica Braydon, ED of RESPOND. MARE finds adoptive homes for children and teens in foster care, targeting those without a family member or identified resource that can offer a permanent home. RESPOND Inc. is New England’s first domestic violence agency and the second oldest in the nation. This is an opportunity to connect with fellow members as well as guests that you are welcome to introduce to our vibrant community.

Monday, September 20. TPC is pleased to host leadership from this and last year’s grantee class for a grantee networking event. The gathering, facilitated by Co-President Barbara Gaskin, will serve primarily as an open forum for the leaders of each organization to get to know one another and discuss how the pandemic has affected their organization and what challenges and opportunities it has created for them. (This is a grantee-only event.) 

Volunteer Opportunities

Beginning today you can access a consolidated list of volunteer opportunities (formerly Wish Lists) by visiting TPC’s website and clicking the “Volunteer Opportunities” tile next to “Meet TPC.” This list will be updated as new opportunities arise and previous ones are met. You will still receive emails and social media posts announcing opportunities, but if you need a refresher for ongoing needs this is a convenient resource.

Grants Committee

TPC’s grants season is open! September marks the launch of our 2021-22 grants cycle. The Grants Committee will spend September and October recruiting Grant Team leadership positions with Grant Teams forming in November. Letters of Intent (LOIs) will be received from nonprofits across the region in December and Grant Teams will start meeting by early January to do their important work of evaluating LOIs and full proposals followed by site visits. The result will be each team’s nominations for the TPC Ballot by the spring. Because of the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 and its variants, Grant Teams are expected to meet virtually again this cycle. 

If you are new to the grants process and are interested in learning more about Grant Team leadership roles, please contact us at connect@thephilanthropyconnection.org. We are currently recruiting for Grant Team Captains, Deputy Captains, and Finance Leads. If you are interested in joining a Grant Team as a general member, please keep an eye out for an email in mid-October with instructions for how to sign up for a Grant Team. (You must renew your membership in order to participate on a Grant Team.)

The Grants Committee* expresses its deep thanks to all members who invest time in this inspiring and important work for TPC. We look forward to an exciting grant season ahead!  

* Grants Committee comprises Co-Chairs Tatiana Joyce and Sue Meehan, and Committee Members Kalyn Babikyan, Ruth Ferguson, Amanda Klein, Mary Ryan, and Sarah Rahman

Membership Committee

First, a big thank you to Leslie Levinson for coordinating TPC summer parties and to all our summer party hosts! Members were guests of Susan Benford, Melanie Calzetti-Spahr, Jenny Morrison and Cassandra Trujillo, Leslie Levenson and Claire Vasios, and Sandy Lawrence. It was great to see 45 members who were able to attend these small house parties in person. Between a very rainy July and the pandemic, we really appreciated getting together in small groups!

And now, some asks…it’s that time of year:

Renew: If you have not already renewed or pledged to renew your TPC membership, we ask that you do so as soon as you can. Your timely renewal or pledge makes a big impact as we plan for TPC’s annual budget and work to determine the size of our 2021-22 grant pool.

Invite Friends to Join TPC: Sharing TPC’s new investment structure is another significant way to help broaden our reach and increase the size of our grant pool! Posting on social media really works as do personal emails. With our new structure, TPC is more accessible so please help us spread the word! Need help with how to ask friends? Access an email template that you can send to friends and colleagues. Social media savvy? Use this suggested text for a social media post. We are already seeing results from these posts so please take some time to help grow TPC!

Writing Thank You Cards: TPC’s Membership Committee needs a member to assist with writing welcome notes for those who have joined TPC. The notes are short and writing them is quite simple/ Please contact Caroline Boeckman at cboeckman@thephilanthropyconnection.org if you are interested in volunteering to assist with the notes.

Education Committee

The theme for this year’s educational programming is Intention to Action. We know that members are eager to both learn more and do more as it relates to our philanthropic work. In response, a number of initiatives stemming from TPC’s strategic plan are underway. An Ad-Hoc committee, co-chaired by Susan Sidel and Kathryn Soderholm, will make recommendations to the board concerning TPC’s role in advocacy. Their charge is to research, define, and explore opportunities for members to take action in ways keeping with our nonprofit status and, most importantly, our mission. Other members include Kathy Dunigan, Ruth Ferguson, and Amber Gomes. Our first Grantee Networking Event will take place on September 20. Leadership from this and last year’s nonprofits have been invited to join together in a virtual forum to share practice strategies and challenges. We are pleased to support this effort and hope this pilot will be the start of continued opportunities for nonprofit leaders to connect with one another. Please register for our first Dialogue above and watch for an invitation to participate in the 21-Day Racial Equity Challenge.

DEI Spotlight
Diversity | Equity | Inclusion

We recognize that abortion is a deeply personal decision and can be a difficult topic to discuss. It’s also true that abortions are more common than often acknowledged, with approximately 1 in 4 U.S. women having had an abortion before the age of 45.

With the advent of SB8, the Texas bill that effectively bans abortions, it seems like the right time to share some resources about Reproductive Justice. 

Reproductive Justice is not limited to the question of abortion access alone, but rather is defined by three principles: 1) the right not to have a child; 2) the right to have a child; and 3) the right to parent children in safe and healthy environments. A short history of the term can be found here with more resources below:

Want to share feedback, ideas, or resources? Please email us directly at: Diversity@thephilanthropyconnection.org.