The global economic meltdown has affected every walk of life. Every organization, whether “for-profit” or “non-profit,” is examining the manner in which it operates because, clearly, now is not the time for “business as usual.”

Challenging times are often the impetus for creating change. In light of the current realities, we, in Women’s Philanthropy, needed to reassess how we function, so that we remain strong and relevant in a way that propels us into the next decade and sets us up for growth and success.

We are responding to these very real challenges, in which resources are growing scarcer. In addition, staff’s increased role in the cultivation and solicitation of donors means that it is more difficult for our professional staff to support the current dual structure of our lay leadership model. Accordingly, we have taken a good, hard look at how we work, and recommended that a streamlining of our structure and operations would best serve the aims and goals of Women’s Philanthropy. We want to position Women’s Philanthropy for continued success, building upon the strengths that we have all worked so hard to achieve.

A streamlined structure will enable us, in this new reality, to do the work that is so critical to our mission. In no way will these changes compromise our stature at UJC MetroWest or diminish the gains we have achieved over all the years we’ve been in existence. In fact, we believe we will become even more empowered, because this new model will allow us to be more effective and responsive to needs as they arise.

In planning for change, an enormous effort was made to be as inclusive as possible, and we involved much of our top leadership in discussions about the proposed ideas. The process began with a Think Tank consisting of past, present, and future leaders. It continued with meetings of our Lifetime Leadership Council, the Vice Presidents of Women’s Philanthropy, and the Vice Chairs of Women’s Campaign, to gain input from each of these groups.

At the Women’s Philanthropy Board meeting on March 4, a motion was approved to adopt an amended version of our governance rules to reflect the recommended streamlining of our structure that we believe is necessary. Beginning July 1, 2009, we will have a president of Women’s Philanthropy, fulfilling the roles of both president and campaign chair. Our focus on campaign, outreach and education and community development will remain paramount to our mission within this new model.

By streamlining our lay structure, we will be enabled to use our professional resources in the most efficient manner in these changing times.

Every generation of leadership, both lay and professional, must envision the best possible path into the future; we proposed these changes based on our analysis of factors affecting Women’s Philanthropy today.

We have an opportunity before us to stay ahead of the curve and to meet the challenges of the changing times so we remain a vibrant and valued part of the MetroWest community.

Thank you for your devotion to Women’s Philanthropy and for your belief in our future.

B’ahava,
Paula Saginaw President,
Women’s Philanthropy

  >>back to top

.
Privacy Policy and Terms of Use

United Jewish Communities of MetroWest NJ
901 Route 10 • Whippany, NJ 07981
Phone: (973) 929-3000 • Fax: (973) 884-7361
www.ujcnj.org •