WGC 2023-2026 Strategic Plan

Plan Purpose: To provide a path to guide the organization for the next three fiscal years.

Mission: The Women’s Giving Circle is building a community of philanthropists and creating a permanent legacy to address the needs of women and girls in Howard County.

Vision: Women’s philanthropy shapes the future for women and girls through the power of collective giving.​

Values:

We believe:

• Anybody can be a philanthropist! 
• All gifts are valued and appreciated, regardless of the size.
• All Howard County women and girls have a right to an adequate and sustainable quality of life and an opportunity to develop their full potential.
• Healthy development for girls is achieved through education, life skill training, and a sense of personal authority and safety.
• We need different perspectives and the needs and concerns of all women and girls in Howard County must be fully understood, acknowledged, and addressed in order to respect the dignity of all, and overcome barriers that affect equity for all.
• Available resources should be directed to achieving systemic change in the political, social, and economic institutions that influence the lives of women and girls.
• Philanthropy is not measured by the amount of the gift but by the intent of the giver.
• Women’s philanthropy has the power to improve the lives of women and girls in Howard County now. ​
• A permanent endowment provides a legacy of giving to the generations of women and girls who will follow.​
• Education is the cornerstone of understanding and giving.
• ​Women with compassion and generosity can make the greatest difference by working together for change.

See the WGC’s Statement of Unity

STRATEGIC THRUSTS

Administration/Governance/Finance

Objectives:

• Streamline meetings to ensure member time is maximized.
• Develop metrics that provide insight into which events to start, stop and continue on an annual basis
• Continue to build out policies and processes that promote the success of WGC through the Governance Committee.
• Develop processes to include oversight, auditing, and others that ensure WGC moves from ad-hoc to defined and repeatable through the Finance Committee.
• Operate profitably and increase endowment by 25%.
• Support the development of diversified funding sources through the Membership & Development Committee.
• Ensure a DEI lens in all our work.

Marketing and Communications

Objectives:

• Focus communications about WGC’s giving options, grants and events on WGC members, prospective members, nonprofit partners, and the broader Howard County community.
• Promote grantee partner organizations.
• Enhance and promote philanthropy throughout Howard County.
• Promote and engage in regional and national philanthropic news.
• Ensure a DEI lens in our communications.

Events

Objectives:

Host events that fall within four identified areas:

• Giving: We engage women, and at times their families, in opportunities to give to the community in a variety of ways.
• Learning: We engage women in events to learn about philanthropy and the various issues and nonprofits that we fund.
• Networking: We bring our members and others together to learn about the WGC and how to get involved, or further engaged in our work.
• ​Celebrating: We bring our members and others together to celebrate women’s philanthropy and our collective giving.

• Partner with organizations that support goals similar to the WGC.
• Promote events that tap into the wider Howard County philanthropic audience.
• Ensure a DEI lens as part of this process.

Grants

Objectives:

• Manage an open and transparent process to consider and support our grant funding partnerships.
• Continue to provide funding based on data from the State of Women and Girls in our identified areas:
  • Demographics and Diversity 
  • Work and the Economy 
  • Education and Educators 
  • Health and Well-Being
  • Safety and Justice 
  • Leadership and Political Participation
• Ensure a DEI lens over our grantmaking.

 
Membership & Development

Objectives:

• Provide and promote four distinct ways for members to give:    
  • Community Member
  • Sponsor Member
  • Legacy Member
  • Big Give Member
• Build relationships, and connect current and past WGC members.
• Create an environment that is inclusive.
• Maintain 95% of existing members.
• Ensure a DEI lens in our membership and development efforts.

Action Plan for 2023-2024

• Technology:
  • Maintain WGC's website
  • Manage WGC's social media
  • Manage WGC's online finances

• Implement Committee Work plans:
  • Events
  • Finance
  • Governance
  • Grants
  • Membership & Development