June CEO Briefing

June CEO Briefing

Board Updates

• Strategic Planning: SP consultant, Sam Woollard, facilitated a final session with the board to complete their work on the strategic plan. I was truly proud of how each board member stepped in with perspective and clearly embracing more responsibility. The board was divided into three groups – the folks on Zoom formed one group and the in-person attendees formed the other two groups.  Each group was assigned two goals in the Strategic Plan and asked to identify strategies to advance the goal, a timeline by which to do it and to identify how it would be noted as successful (How will we know it’s successful).  At the end, Sam asked each person what they were excited most about and wrote their name next to that priority.  In a graceful way she said, I’m giving this list to Gloria but you own what is next to your name.  It was inspiring to see them so vested in our mission.  We had 100% attendance and participation at this meeting – that speaks volumes.
• Board Retreat: The Board will be on retreat July 15 – 16. Day 1 of the agenda is a racial equity session with Purvi and Zoe; day 2is Prevention immersion with our Prevention team.  There may be some board development focus as well.  This is a hybrid meeting with some board members in person and other attending through Zoom.

End of Session Letter
Please take a moment to read Jackson Walker’s End of Session memo attached here. Jackson Walker is the lobby firm TCFV engages every session for appropriations lobbying.  This session because we did not have a Policy Director in place, I expanded the engagement for support on all substantive agenda items outside of appropriations.  Denise and Kate (and the firm) have deep relationships with almost all legislators and staffers and key intel TCFV will never possess directly.

Current Year Grants
Deroald has posted March billings and April are around the corner. He is meeting with all grant leads.  From my quick review, many grants are experiencing a slow spend rate. Deroald’s meetings will help project usage fort he remainder of the year and any needed budget adjustments.  Please underscore that there is no pressure to you and your teams to spend funds for expense that did not materialize. There are a few agency-wide benefits we can consider once we see how this pans out.

Human Trafficking work with TAASA
Over the last year + I have steered TCFV away from requests to engage in Human Trafficking work.  TAASA has been a leader in this area for sometime and have invested in curating their expertise on Adult Care Coordination –a priority of the HT team at the Governor’s Office.  In full transparency, the navigation to keep CFV out of HT work has not been easy; it has been driven by the recognition of capacity.  In mid-May, at TAASA’s request a few of us met for generative conversation. Joining me was Krista, Seetha and Rita (who wanted to be a fly on the wall).  The conversation was robust, TAASA folks took time to introduce us to the Adult Care Coordination model and we spoke of the complexity of the funder’s directive approach. The core aspect of the first meeting was the recognition that both coalitions have anecdotal information from DV and SA agencies on how this is impacting their work and services to survivors but we do not have specific and clear feel of the landscape.  Rose and I had previously explored the idea of jointly hosting a virtual Townhall to collect more direct and substantive data and information from the field. We then met internally to debrief and landed that TCFV’s HT work would be manageable if we stayed within a narrow scope of work that includes hearing more from our constituents, building some expertise to handle TA calls and to learn of best referrals for questions requiring more depth.  It is NOT being in the Adult Care Coordination model.  Last week Seetha and I had a follow up meeting with them (Krista was on leave and the fly on the wall said Peace Out).  We reached consensus on a virtual townhall:  

Date: August 5th
Time: 10 am – 12 pm
Audience: Executive leaders and front line staff with experience and/or interest in HT
Agenda: Still developing but it will include TAASA providing an overview on Adult Care Coordination, a distinct panel of DV/SA agencies and how they navigate HT services, breakout sessions to invite more dialogue and importantly bringing in a research expert from UT/IDSVA. We will also use this forum to poll attendees with a few questions. TAASA crew also may want to launch a survey. TAASA is handling most of the logistics, event promotion and Seetha has offered to lend support.

Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM) with Houston Astros
Last week I met with Twila Carter and she has developed significant awareness opportunities during DVAM in October. The Astros play their last three games of the regular season October 1 – 3 and Twila is taking full advantage of it. Here is a lineup she is working:

• The Astros Foundation is holding their annual luncheon where the players’ wives model a line of clothing on Oct 1.  All DV organizations in Region 7 table at the event and stay through the luncheon. The Astros Foundation did this for Mother’s Day in 2019 and the amount of people stopping at all the tables was the highest I have ever seen in similar forums.  Most of the luncheon attendees represent Astros sponsors – large corporations which provide a huge opportunity to elevate resources, where to seek help, etc. and importantly exposes DV orgs to potential new supporters. I been asked to say a few words at the luncheon following the keynote speaker who is a champion of dating violence awareness after losing her daughter.
• Over the last three years we’ve been able to release the Honoring Texas Victims at Minute Maid Park. We are looking to do this on October 2nd.  In prior years we’ve had state Sen. Whitmire speak, key community leaders and it is strong launch with Minute Maid field as the backdrop.  We have not defined the schedule or speaker line up but leaning towards an early afternoon well before the game at 6:10 pm.
• At home games, the Astros do a 50/50 raffle where tickets are sold and the winner wins 50% of the raffle ticket sales and a nonprofit receives the other 50%.  Twila is naming TCFV as the nonprofit. She said on a good game the nonprofit typically receives ~$50k. I’ve been asked to sit in the broadcast booth at the October 2nd game so that as the game is being called, DV information can be given as well.

 Other DVAM Ideas
Last year due to COVID we did a DVAM Virtual Townhall to release the Honoring Texas Victims data.  It was a successful approach and plan to replicate it for this October.  The agenda and speakers has not been set; I welcome ideas and anyone who wishes to be involved.  Additionally, Mikisha may look to do similar events either in person or virtually in key communities based on the data.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

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