Welcome to the June Newsletter. This month, the newsletter and our First Friday Conversation are focused on how a successful blog can help tell the story of and fuel the work we do.

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Sending the Right Message - Women's Funds and Blogging

Is it hard for you to tell unfamiliar audiences about how your fund works? Are you finding yourself lost in jargon that loses its meaning outside your office? Blogging is a great way to perfect how you describe your work to an outside audience.

"An organization's blog can provide additional value by informing people about what you do, how you do it and when you do it. The blog is a form of communication that enables quick updates on aspects of the work an organization is doing."

-African Women's Development Fund, "Experiences in the Blog-sphere."

Join us on Friday, June 5, from 7:30-8:30 a.m. PT for a discussion on blogging and how it can sharpen your communications skills. Member fund staffers who have tried their hands at blogging will be on the line to discuss strategies and best practices. We hope to have a lively conversation! RSVP to membership@womensfundingnetwork.org

Resources for Creating an Effective Blog

Find resources on creating an effective blog (presented by Deborah Siegel, Girlw/Pen!, at the conference session, Communications: Blogging Demystified), here. Read tips about what types of post are best received, how to increase traffic to your site through a blog and more from other women's funds already blogging.

Read about African Women's Development Fund's experience creating a blog, "Experiences in the Blog-sphere." Follow the AWDF blog at http://africanwomensdevelopmentfund.blogspot.com.

The Women's Funding Network recently launched a network blog called The She Change, where you can find a list of all the women's funds in the network who blog. If you would like to write a post for the blog, please contact Marcel at mreynolds@wfnet.org.

Examples of Women's Funds Blogs: 

• Ask us how - Washington Area Women's Foundation
• The Women's Fund of Greater Milwaukee 
• Igniting Change - Ms. Foundation for Women 
• And more…
  

For more women's fund blogs check out The She Change. If your fund has a blog that is not currently linked, please send the blog information and URL to Marcel at mreynolds@wfnet.org.

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Looking Ahead to Conference 2010

We are already planning next year’s conference scheduled for April 22nd-April 24, 2010 in Denver CO. If you are interested in participating in the Member Planning Committee please let Amy Zucchero know at azucchero@wfnet.org. We will convene the member planning committee mid summer 2009.

Conference Videos Now Available

Video of our conference plenaries are now available on the Conference Page of our website. Check back for additional videos as they become available this week.

Find all materials and photos from conference on the Conference Page.

Post Conference Survey

Thank you to those who have filled out our post-conference survey. If you have not yet sent us your feedback, please help us make next year's conference great, by filling out our quick survey. Let us know what aspects of conference were the most useful and which parts we could improve upon.

Click here for a link to our online survey. Your suggestions are very important in shaping conference and we appreciate any and all feedback.

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FREE June Member Learning Opportunities!

For information on all of our member learning opportunities, check out our Member Services Calendar!

New Topic: First Friday Call: Blogging as a Way to Fine-Tune Your Messaging and Update Your Community - Friday, June 5, 2009 from 7:30 AM PST to 8:30 AM PST. Hear from Nana Sekyiamah from the African Women's Development Fund, Lisa Kays from the Washington Area Women's Foundation and Elaine Maly from the Women's Fund of Greater Milwaukee about effective blogging techniques for women's funds. Please RSVP to membership@wfnet.org.

Webinar: Using Smart Growth - Thursday, June 18, 2009 from 8:00AM to 9:00AM. Learn how to use the Smart Growth tool to build a strong organization. Please RSVP to membership@wfnet.org.

Introduction to MAKING THE CASE™ - Tuesday, June 23, 2009 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM. In this one hour webinar you will learn about the evaluation framework and online database called MAKING THE CASE™. For more information and to register, email membership@wfnet.org.

Two Upcoming Executive Director Retreats

Women's Funding Network is hosting a special executive director retreat for leaders of small and emerging funds in Abiquiu, New Mexico, July 20-22, 2009, and a special executive director retreat for leaders of mid-sized funds in Abiquiu, New Mexico, July 22-24, 2009.

Retreats provide a unique space for peers to gather for reflection, networking, skill-building and visioning. Click here for more information, and for additional information about participation criteria and logistics contact Amy Zucchero at azucchero@wfnet.org

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New Home for Women's Funding Network

The Women's Funding Network moved to a new office at the end of May. We are now located at 505 Sansome Street, Second Floor, San Francisco, CA 94111. Our phone number, (415) 441-0706, and our fax number, (415) 441-0827, remain the same.

Stop by and see us at our new location. You can always visit us online at www.womensfundingnetwork.org.

Special Subscription Offer to Women's Funding Network Community

Stanford Social Innovation Review is written for social change leaders - people working on innovative solutions to social problems around the world. SSIR pulls together the most interesting and important ideas about social innovation across a wide range of areas from microfinance and the environment to social networks and human rights. SSIR is published quarterly by the Center for Social Innovation at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and is considered to be the preeminent magazine in the field.

SSIR is offering a special subscription rate to the Women's Funding Network community. Your subscription gives you full access to all content on the website. Your special rate is $36.95 (domestic; international rates include additional postage). Go to www.ssireview.org/subscribe and use the promotion code: 2wfnet.

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Job Openings and Upcoming Events at Women's Funds

Learn about events you can support and attend by going to our Events Page at the Women's Funding Network site. Go to the Jobs Page at the Women's Funding Network site to see the latest job openings at member funds.