Dear community, we send our condolences to all those who are most impacted by recent tragic incidents across the nation.
We stand in solidarity with and send love to our AAPI communities. Read RVC’s recent Community Solidarity letter.
We have some big RVC updates to share, including programming changes, Green Pathways closing, and an upcoming fellowship gap period. Read more below.
Despite the changes, we will continue to build on RVC fellowship’s solid leadership foundation. RVC fellows and alumni continue to champion change in our communities. Read about alum Amir Noir Soulkin’s inspiring success story below!
Looking for effective tools to help make your grantmaking practices more equitable? We have got you covered! Learn about the Grantmaking Continuum by April Nishimura, our Capacity Building Director, and our founder, former ED Vu Le.
Also, check out the Community Resources and the ‘Jobs in our Networks’ sections!
RVC Statement on Anti-Asian Racism: Community Solidarity
We condemn anti-Asian racism and recent hate crimes against our AAPI communities. Please read RVC’s recent community solidarity letter #StopAsianHate ⠀
We stand with and send our love and support to our AAPI communities.
New Blog Announcement!
Hey grantmakers, we know you’re working hard to make your funding practices more equitable, so RVC leaders April Nishimura and founder and former ED Vu Le collaborated to develop the Equitable Grantmaking Continuum.
The Continuum is a simple tool for funders to assess how equitable their funding practices are.
April’s recent article, Making Philanthropy More Equitable: Introducing the Equitable Grantmaking Continuum, further explores the tool and offers advice on how to best use it.
We hope that you benefit from this tool and invite you to share it with your philanthropy networks!
RVC Fellowship Updates
The Fellowship team has recently engaged in deep strategic visioning and planning alongside key stakeholders, including fellows, partner organization leaders, and community members. After a long feedback process and many discussions, the team has made a few difficult decisions about our fellowship programs.
Green Pathways Fellowship to Close with Current Cohort
RVC Green Pathways Fellowship will close with the current 2019-2021 cohort, who will graduate in August 2021. (Stay tuned for more on the graduation soon). The primary reason for this decision was a lack of funding and capacity to keep the program operating with the quality we value at RVC. We are committed to centering young people and integrating environmental justice education into our core fellowship curriculum. While we are sad to see the Green Pathways Fellowship close, we know the changes will provide us with more space to better serve our fellows and partner organizations.
For more on the decision-making process, check out the Green Pathways page.
Help us find a home for the Green Pathways Program
We are also actively looking for a new home for the Green Pathways program. If you are a Nonprofit or know about one interested in partnering with us to continue a version of the Green Pathways Program, we want to hear from you! Please Email Green Pathways Fellowship Program Manager Flo Sum at [email protected].
Fellowship Gap Period & Next Steps
After working for years without any planning time between cohorts, the RVC Fellowship team is now taking a collective moment to slow down and build in planning time between cohorts.
RVC will have one fellowship program for 12 – 15 mid-level leaders from the communities we serve. And the next iteration of the Community Impact Fellowship Program will start in January 2022. Learn more on the RVC Community Impact Fellowship page.
Our community’s feedback has been invaluable to our team. We send many thanks to our community members who shared their expertise and opinions with us as we grappled with these difficult decisions. Our goal is to be informative and inclusive as we navigate this process, and we are committed to keeping you in the loop regarding our gap period for the fellowship program.
If you have any additional questions or feedback about the Fellowship gap period, please share with our awesome fellowship team at [email protected]. For any questions about the Green Pathways Program updates, please contact [email protected].
Learn about the recent successes and impact of the fellowship programs in our recent annual report.
Stay tuned for more updates about the next iteration of the fellowship program and our 2019-2021 Green Pathways and Community Impact Fellows graduation in August. More information to come soon.
Sign up for our mailing list to stay up to date with our fellowship and organization transition happenings.
RVC Fellows & Partner Updates
RVC is powered by our partners, who tailor their work to the strengths and needs of the communities they serve. Every month, we highlight their amazing work.
Fellowship Alum Amir Noir Soulkin Is the New Director of Development & Communications at RVC Partner EACS
Amir Noir Soulkin was an RVC Community Impact Fellow from 2017 to 2019.
We are celebrating Amir Noir Soulkin, who was recently selected as the new Development & Communications Director at RVC partner organization East African Community Services. Glad to see our fellows leading in the community. Congratulations to Amir and EACS!
Amir shared some reflections about how the fellowship program contributed to his thriving leadership journey.
Through the Fellowship program, I discovered a real talent with fundraising and marketing communications. I was placed at East African Community Services in an entry-level nonprofit position. Today, 3 and a half years later, I have grown to lead our fundraising efforts as the new Development & Communications Director. RVC’s work connecting POC to meaningful work in the nonprofit sector made my dreams of a life of service to the community possible. What a ride it has been!”
Amir Noir Soulkin, Development Director at East African Community Services
Learn more about EACS on their website and follow them on Facebook!
Exciting Updates from RVC Partner Organization SPEB!
Update written by Bilen Eshetu, RVC Community Impact Fellow at SPEB
You’re Invited
In March 2020, we had to cancel our inaugural fundraiser. The unfolding events saddened us, but we pivoted and fully focused on supporting our community through the pandemic. Although we are still grappling with the seemingly never-ending pandemic, our resilient staff, parents, and community partners offer a renewed hope for 2021. Through our ever-growing community, we are reminded to celebrate every victory–and that time is now.
Beloved community, celebrate with us! We invite you to register for the day that suits you, dressed in your virtual best (blazer above the waist, socks, and PJs below), and spend an evening with us!
Mark your calendars! Register for SPEB’s Upcoming Community Harvest Fundraisers:
- Wednesday, March 31, 2021, Community Harvest Fundraiser
- Friday, April 9, 2021, Community Harvest Fundraiser
SPEB Has a New Look: Rebranding & Growth!
We’re changing things up a bit. Besides the fabulous new colors and logo, we have preserved our acronym but changed our name to reflect our growing and diverse community. SPEB, as Somali Parents Education Board, has made remarkable changes and systemic shifts in how school districts respond to children’s mental and physical health as well as cultural identity. Our previous name remains a reminder of the Somali community’s power and brilliance. We will forever honor where we come from by keeping our acronym the same as we embark on our next chapter.
Our new name, Supporting Partnerships in Education and Beyond, reflects our adaptive, flexible, and inclusive direction. We intend to focus on building the capacity needed to effect systems change for the benefit of all students, families, and communities. We thank you for your support for the past 7 years. (Stay tuned for more on the rebranding!)
SPEB Was Featured in Seattle Times & SVP!
SPEB was recently featured in both a Seattle Times article and a Social Venture Partners highlight. Check them out and follow SPEB on their Facebook for the latest updates!
Be a Changemaker
By committing to The Champions to Changemakers Annual Fund, you will be making a pivotal impact in communities of color in the Greater Seattle area.
RVC Changemakers are folks who believe that leadership development and capacity building in communities of color should be spearheaded by the individuals working within these communities. RVC Changemakers believe in building a collective of strong voices — voices that may not always be in agreement, but ones that are always honored, heard and respected. RVC Changemakers push for social change on the ground level, for those who need and deserve it most.
The Champions to Changemakers Annual Fund makes a huge difference, it supports:
- Training and strategic planning sessions for grassroots nonprofits
- Lunch-and-Learns to help RVC’s Community Impact and Green Pathways Fellows strengthen their leadership skills
- Community Connections lunches, where RVC’s community-based partners meet with our major donors to foster more cross-sector collaboration.
You may donate by credit or debit card, or check by mailing it directly to us. For other donation options, please email us at [email protected].
Job Opportunities In Our Network
- Congolese Integration Network is hiring for a Finance & Operations Manager
- El Centro de la Raza is hiring for multiple positions
- Skyway Coalition is hiring for a Coalition Manager
- Rainier Beach Action Coalition is hiring for multiple positions.
- FEEST is hiring for an Operations & Finance Manager
- Change Elemental is hiring for a Communications Associate
- Global to Local is hiring for multiple positions
- Progress Alliance is hiring for an Operations Manager
- Bike Works is hiring for multiple positions
- King Conservation District is hiring for Senior Director of Stewardship Programs
- GCIR is hiring for an Executive Coordinator
- The Leaders Trust is hiring for an Executive Director
- Highlander Research and Education Center is hiring for a Human Resources Manager / Gerente de Recursos Humanos
- Equity in Education Coalition is hiring for a Senior Executive Assistant/Office Manager
- Program for Early Parent Support is hiring for a Donor Relations Coordinator
- Thousand Currents is hiring for multiple positions
- Resource Generation is hiring for multiple positions
- The Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence is hiring for multiple positions
- Zero Waste Washington is hiring for a Community Outreach and Policy Coordinator
- Casa Latina is hiring for multiple positions
- Solid Ground is hiring for multiple positions.
Community Resources & Events
- King County Public Health COVID19 Vaccine Information
- Free COVID-19 testing is available in King County regardless of immigration status. Find a testing site near you.
- United Way of King County, Food Lifeline, the City of Seattle, and Metro Access are offering home delivery of emergency food boxes across Seattle, North King County, and East King County during COVID-19. To order a food box, fill out the form at the link above, or call Toll-Free at 833-540-0800, Mondays to Fridays from 11 am-4 pm.
RVC Stuff To Read
How do you build leaderful organizations: An RVC Leadership Transition Update, written by Ananda Valenzuela, RVC Interim Executive Director
Transformational Capacity Building, (SSIR article) written by April Nishimura et al. (2020)
Community Care During the Pandemic: We Are in This Together, written by RVC
What my work at Got Green taught me about environmental justice, Written by Shaylea Pilarski, RVC Green Pathways Fellow
Reflection on Ramadan During Quarantine, by Anbar Mahar Sheikh, RVC Capacity Building Lead
Never want to miss a blog? Subscribe to our Changemakers Blog!
If you have job postings or events that you would like mentioned in our newsletter, please email the details to Saida. We do our best to fit everything in, but we may not always be able to.
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