What I’m Doing: Learning how to build integrations that make our lives easier with our new membership software. (I was feeling pretty dorky, but then Kirsten reminded me that I am with my people now, who love to geek out with me about this stuff. #nerd)
What I’m Listening To: Wilco, because I FINALLY get to see them live next week and I’m super excited.
What I’m Reading: NOTHING BUT PHD READING OMG YOU GUYSSSS…Remind me why I thought this was a good idea?! (Only sort of kidding. I love it…but wow.)
What I’m Stoked About: ELGL’s FOURTH employee, the incredible Hallee Haygood, has been KILLING. IT. with the Innovation Cohort and making my life so much easier and nicer. Y’all send her some love.
Hey y’all,
Emily here with the October monthly update on membership and programs. Don’t hesitate to find me on LinkedIn, Twitter (where I am a pitiful novice but love watching all of you and occasionally getting tagged by ELGL rockstars I’ve never met in real life), Instagram, or email.
Here we go!
Membership Update & FALL MEMBERSHIP DRIVE!
Thanks to all of you who are helpful, patient, and kind as we keep refining our internal systems to keep up with ELGL’s rapid growth. We’re fully transitioned to our new membership system, and working to integrate it with the job board and the other benefits we provide to you as ELGL members. You can read more about that transition and the new systems on the login page, but as always, feel free to let me know if you have any questions, and thanks for your patience.
We added almost 130 new members during #ELGLRoadTrips in September (!) and…drumroll please…are launching our first-ever formal membership drive next week!
It’s super fun, because we’re crowdsourcing videos from YOU, our members, on why you love ELGL and think others should join. Not going to lie, y’all, I had to re-record like six times for mine, because I got started talking about why I love this organization and how long I’ve been involved and got a little teary. (Kirsten is really contagious as my work wife – I’m doing jazz hands all the time AND crying tears of joy!) If you’re willing to record for 30 seconds – even if you get teary-eyed – we’d love to have your story to share with others to demonstrate the power, awesomeness, and joy-producing-ness of the ELGL network.
If you REALLY hate recording yourself on video, but want to help out, watch for the membership drive kickoff on all our platforms next week, and share with others or tag a friend or colleague! There will be cool swag…of course. 🙂
Programs Update
The 2019 Innovation Cohort is in full swing. Our request for solutions went out to vendors in August and – okay, okay, another drumroll, please – we received an amazing 53 proposals from our private sector partners! The cohort is making final selections this month, and will start pilot projects by the end of October. As pilots continue, they’ll work on capacity planning for future innovation projects within their organizations.(A huge shout out to all the Cohort mentors, by the way – you guys are amazing and you really make a huge difference for these communities!)
And…here we go, drumroll, again…we’ve launched the first of the 2020 Innovation Cohorts! Applications opened September 26 and continue through November 1. This cohort is for cities, counties, COGs, and other local governments of all sizes, and will focus on economic & community development innovation projects. You can read all about that on the program website and set up a call to start your application here. Reach out to Hallee or I with questions: hallee@elgl.org or emily@elgl.org!
AND, if you’re looking for the perfect way to get involved with the cohort program and you’ve been dreaming about the best mentoring opportunity on the planet – we need you! We’re recruiting mentors for the second cohort now, and would love for you to share your expertise, experience, and learning with other cities and counties across the country. If you’re interested, email me at emily@elgl.org and we’ll discuss what might work best for you!
We’ve also been continuing our Money Talks series about all things grants…but the October webinar has been rescheduled to November 13. Since we’re talking Omnibus Schmomnibus for an update on federal funding for local governments, we thought it best to give a little more time so we can all actually see what’s going to be available. Don’t miss it – register here!
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Since you read to the end of this post, we’ve made it a tradition to share a happy photo at the end…and since we’re in drumroll world, I had to find something drumroll worthy! The photo here is my BEAUTIFUL new-to-me-slightly-used new Honda being all amazing on her first overlanding adventure – a work trip where I found three days to spend in Pisgah National Forest with a campfire at the end of the workday. The only thing that could have (and did) make it better? The photo at the top of this post – that I got to spend the last day with all these amazing people in Transylvania County, NC – close to home, telling stories of the way things were, and finding ways to take the best of what was forward into the new world we’re all building together. Thank you, Kate Hayes, for being an AMAZING RoadTrip host and volunteer and all-around amazing human!
I hope you are all nestling into fall and finding ways to fit in the things you love most, creatively, as we all continue to work hard for the things that are most important. Happy fall to you and your families!
– Emily