February 2022
Starting Off 2022 Strong
At the beginning of the year, Fair Chance takes time at staff meeting to reflect on the previous years’ accomplishments. We practice the art of recognition, affirmation, celebration and gratitude. In 2021, we served 19 nonprofit organizations in DC and Prince George’s County in our partnership programs. We also launched the Prince George’s S.O.A.R. program, allowing us to engage even more nonprofits in Prince George’s County through monthly workshops. We accomplished so many things last year — too many to list here. I am grateful for incredible staff, board of directors, and advisory board who have such a strong commitment to our mission and success.
Fair Chance has kicked off 2022 with the announcement of four new DC nonprofit partners in the Praxis Program (read below). In March we will graduate our second cohort of Prince George’s County nonprofits from the Ready for Work Capacity Building Program and will start up a new capacity building program with the DC Deputy Mayor for Education’s Learn 24 grantees. In late spring we will say “congratulations” to nonprofits in the 2021-2022 DC Pathways Program and launch a new group in the fall. We have an exciting line-up of learning community topics, workshops, coaching opportunities and a retreat through our Alumni Network Services as well as our Prince George’s County S.O.A.R. program. Much activity in pursuit of strengthening the DC region’s nonprofit sector!
In addition to our capacity building work, we are also planning to announce our 20th anniversary this summer. As a part of celebrating our legacy and impact, we will also be sharing a new strategic vision for Fair Chance’s future. We began this process at the end of 2021 and are considering this a learning journey for both board and staff. We are working together to define our identity, grounded in racial equity and belief in the power of community-based nonprofits, and to determine how we will grow our services and impact. As a part of the process, we are intentionally engaging the greater Fair Chance community. A variety of diverse voices are critical to our goal. If you like to be a part of this inclusive, reflective, and generative effort, please contact me. We welcome your perspective in the co-creation of Fair Chance’s future.
Yours in Solidarity,
Gretchen Van der Veer, PhD
Chief Executive Officer