The Link
September 2023
Welcome to the September edition of our TPC newsletter! Whether you have just a moment to skim through this newsletter or a desire to dive deeper into the heart of our mission, we’ve crafted this newsletter with you in mind. There are countless ways for you to get involved, no matter how much time you have to spare.
Don’t miss our rescheduled New Member Invitational happening on October 11th! It’s a fantastic opportunity to introduce your friends to TPC, reconnect with fellow members, or make new connections in the fun atmosphere of Cisco Brewery at the Seaport.
Explore the rest of our newsletter to discover even more ways to engage with TPC, from nominating yourself or a fellow member for the TPC board to enriching workshops, from volunteering with our grantees to exploring the landscape of education in Massachusetts. Your support and participation, in any form, is a positive force driving our shared mission forward.
Don’t miss our rescheduled New Member Invitational – October 11
Originally planned for September 13, but canceled for the rain, please now join us on October 11! Swing by the Seaport after work for an exciting evening of philanthropy, networking, and community engagement at Cisco Brewery. This event is open to women energized by our mission to engage in collective giving to support nonprofits addressing systemic inequities in the greater Boston area.
Whether this is your first TPC event or you simply want to meet more fellow members, this will be the perfect opportunity to gather with fellow service-oriented individuals who are passionate about making a difference. Network with those of all ages from a variety of professions and learn why our 200+ members find meaning in their membership.
Event Highlights:
- Enjoy a complimentary drink and delicious appetizers.
- Network with like-minded individuals from a range of backgrounds.
- Discover the power of collective giving.
- For new members who join at the event, 20% of their membership will be sponsored by a generous matching donor.
- Current members who renew at the event will have $100 sent to the grant pool on their behalf thanks to our matching donor.
- Current members who bring 2 or more prospective new members will have $100 sent to the grant pool on their behalf thanks to our matching donor.
We encourage you to bring along one, two, even three (!) guests – particularly those who are interested in making a positive impact on their community. Together, we can create lasting change through collective philanthropy.
Tomorrow: Deadline to submit a board nomination!
This is the final call to nominate one of your fellow TPC members (or yourself!) to our Board of Directors. TPC’s Governance and Nominating Committee is looking to fill up to six seats with terms beginning in January 2024.
Know a member who would make an excellent addition to the Board? Nominate her! And if you’re interested in serving on the board, please nominate yourself! We welcome self-nominations from people who are excited to deepen their commitment to TPC’s mission
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Workshop
Take your DEI learning further! If you have completed TPC’s Racial Equity Challenge, (or an equivalent DEI training or have background in DEI work), we invite you to put your learning to use. Join TPC Co-President, Kelsea Medard and fellow TPC’ers for the in-person workshop, by joining us Tuesday October 17th at “Fostering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.”
Participants will have the opportunity to build community as they navigate case studies that address issues related to bias, allyship, cultural competence, and more. This workshop is designed to support members in strengthening their ability to navigate conversations involving diversity, equity, and inclusion principles, and to identify ways to foster these principles through TPC’s various activities. It is especially valuable for those leading or serving on grant teams, liaising with grantees, or voting on ballot nominees.
5:30- 6 pm – Socializing and light food + drinks
6 – 7:30 pm – Workshop led by Kelsea Médard
Location: Downtown Boston
Join a Grant Review Team!
We are proud to announce the official launch of TPC’s 2023-2024 grant cycle and our eleventh year of grantmaking!
We invite you to dive deeper into a core part of our mission and sign up to be a part of a Grant Review Team. Please read the grant team member job description, and learn more about our Grant Review process on our website.
Please note that our grantmaking power is a direct reflection of our membership pool. As such, all team members must be renewed by November 1 to be placed on a team. Start the renewal process here.
Thursday, November 9th
Understanding Nonprofit Advocacy: A Workshop for TPC Members
Are you curious about advocacy but do not know where to begin? The workshop you have been waiting for is here!
Join us 5:30 – 7:00 PM, for an in-person training. Gather with fellow members and learn about what advocacy is and why we at TPC are talking about it. We’ll explore how TPC as a non-profit can support advocacy efforts affecting our grantees and how you can advocate individually for causes you believe in.
This In-person training, led by TPC member Pat McSweeney will equip you with knowledge about…
- What do we mean when we talk about advocacy?
- Why is TPC thinking about ways to engage in advocacy?
- What types of advocacy can 501c3 nonprofits participate in?
- Why is advocacy an important tool for addressing inequities in Boston?
- How can I engage more with advocacy as an individual?
5:30 – 6:00 – Socializing and light food + drinks
6:00 – 7:00 – Workshop led by Pat McSweeney
Location: Boston/Cambridge area
Funding Feminism: A History of Women Philanthropists Who Changed Lives
Another opportunity to learn through a Philanos webinar. Note, that all TPC members are able to attend their offerings – we are an affiliate as Philanos is a national giving circle network. The registration page will lead you through instructions.
Funding Feminism: A History of Women Philanthropists Who Changed Women’s Lives
Date: Tuesday, October 10, 2023 12 PM ET.
Historian and author, Joan Marie Johnson, will discuss the history of how affluent women from the late 19th through the mid-20th centuries used philanthropy to advance women’s causes, including education, employment, and the right to vote. Joan will highlight the activism of specific women and how their successes and missteps can be applied to present-day philanthropic efforts.
Speaker:
Joan Marie Johnson PhD
Director for Faculty
Office of the Provost at Northwestern University
Register by Sunday, Oct 8!
In case you missed it
On Tuesday, September 26th TPC members heard from Johannah Malone, Executive Director of Mujeres Unidas Avanzando –MUA, Steven Telesmanick, CEO of Schools on Wheels, and T’Ajmal Hogue, Program Director of Girls Leap. They discussed how their organizations engage in both immediate and long-term work of empowerment, how this is defined and measured, and what we should know as funders.
If you missed it, you can view the recording here.
Grantee Spotlight
We’d like to introduce you to three of our amazing grantees; Mabel Center for Immigrant Justice, Project Citizenship and Mujeres Unidas Avanzando. Gain insight into their transformative work by watching this VIDEO and explore the opportunities below to actively support their mission.
Mabel Center for Immigrant Justice provides expert pro bono legal services to asylum-seeking families that have been separated, detained in family detention centers, and/ or subjected to expedited removal through the dedicated docket.
How you can help: Donate here. Attend their first annual event.
Project Citizenship educates immigrants about the benefits of citizenship, and to help eligible, legal permanent residents to overcome barriers to naturalization.
How you can help: Volunteer, Donate
Mujeres Unidas Avanzando empowers Latina girls and women to believe in themselves and grow into leadership roles through free classes and social services.
DEI Spotlight:
Equity in Education: A Closer Look at the School Year Ahead
It’s back to school season! As students and educators across the state return to the classroom, we decided to highlight some challenges and opportunities for this academic year:
- Free School Meals
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- This school year, Massachusetts became the eighth state to provide free school to all students. Learn more about this program and food insecurity at Project Bread.
- Free Community College for those aged 25 and older
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- On 8/24/2023 Gov. Maura Healey launched MassReconnect, with a first year commitment of $20million towards the full cost of tuition, fees and an allowance for books and supplies
- How heat affects learning
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- Record-setting heat in August and September made for an uncomfortable, and sometimes delayed, start to classes. Due to the heat, some districts announced early releases or closures due to concerns about temperatures inside out-dated school buildings, and both students and teachers reported heat-related health concerns. Read more from the 19th*
- Informative and timely PBS documentary: “The Busing Battleground” about the legacy of segregation in the Boston Public Schools.
- Censorship and book banning attempts in Massachusetts were the fourth highest number of any state in 2022, according to the American Library Association. The MA Library Association conducted its own survey and reported 78 incidents, nearly quadruple what was reported in 2021 (20).
To learn more and for ways to get involved, we recommend starting with some of TPC’s new grantees who work in the education and development space:
Later this month, there will be a series of events exploring the Desegregation and Busing 50th Anniversary Initiative kicks off with METCO’s longest serving executive director Jean Maguire, who will speak about her experiences in community organizing & legal efforts to try to eliminate segregation and to secure educational justice for Black students. RSVP at the link.
Looking ahead: You could take action by promoting active, informed, ongoing participation in our democracy through involvement at the local, state and federal level. In MA, the Voting Access Act has widespread support and, if enacted, will “modernize Massachusetts’ election administration and eliminate remaining barriers to the ballot box.”
Dignity Matters NOW Auction Closes October 1!
Dignity Matters provides menstrual care and undergarments to 15,000 women in Massachusetts each month. Menstrual care is expensive, rarely donated, and can’t be purchased with SNAP/Food Stamps or WIC.
Dignity Matters NOW 2023 is a virtual auction that runs September 26 to October 1, 2023. Dignity Matters can provide a month of menstrual care for just $3. EVERY bid you place helps a woman live with dignity!
Check out the items and bid today!
Minds Matter Boston Marathon Bibs
MMB is looking for five dedicated runners to represent Minds Matter Boston and support our mission of empowering low-income, highly-motivated students to achieve college success. Read on to learn why you should #RunforMMB and how to apply!
RIA 3rd Annual Gala & Silent Auction
TPC grantee (and 1st ever Catalyst awardee) is a women-led nonprofit organization that provides recovery services to survivors of trafficking and exploitation in commercial sex. Support RIA in their 3rd annual gala by attending, sharing, or donating today: https://readyinspireact.