Chief Operations Officer
MS Alliance
Greetings Friends,
It’s summertime. Many a song has been written about the mellow, long days of sunshine. Whether you’re finding that the living is easy or have chosen to sit back and unwind, I hope you all have found some time for rest and relaxation this season – all while celebrating our nation’s Independence Day in July and uplifting our LGBTQ+ friends in June during Pride Month.
At the Alliance, summer is an excellent time for planning, building, and enhancing our programs and services for you, our members. We have listened to your feedback. Your experience matters to us, and as a result, you will see some updates and changes in several of our signature programs. As we work to become more representative of the issues facing the communities we serve, we have begun to lean into the work of creating a robust diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging (DEIAB) framework.
Later this summer, using feedback that we have received from you, the Alliance will begin a series of internal meetings and evaluation to reflect on our roles and responsibilities. We will develop strategies that we think will best support our members as we work together to create more just and equitable communities throughout our state. We are excited about this process and look forward to sharing more with you in the coming monthsl.
In early fall, we will begin a series of forums around the state and look forward to seeing friends and colleagues in person, as health advisories allow. Be on the lookout for more information regarding this. In the meantime, kick back, enjoy the slower pace, and gear up for a transformative year ahead.
All my best,
Ellen
Related Articles
Woodward Hines Education Foundation Supports First-Gen College Success in Mississippi with $1.5 Million Grant to FirstGen Forward
The Woodward Hines Education Foundation is focused on college completion in Mississippi, and its funds will allow FirstGen Forward to expand its impact in the state.
State’s Nonprofit Sector: An Economic Engine
This commentary piece from the Alliance Executive Director originally appeared in the December issue of the Mississippi Business Journal.
The recent challenges facing nonprofits have dominated public discourse, overshadowing a fundamental truth: Mississippi’s nonprofit sector remains one of our state’s most vital economic drivers and community lifelines. As executive director of the Mississippi Alliance of Nonprofits and Philanthropy, I see firsthand the transformative work of thousands of organizations operating with integrity, transparency, and remarkable efficiency across our state.
Equity in Response, Recovery and Resilence: An Action Report in Five Parts
The Mississippi Alliance of Nonprofits and Philanthropy (the Alliance) was created to enhance coordination, collaboration, and communication among nonprofits, maximizing existing funding and expanding resources. The Alliance also focuses on embedding equity into nonprofit work, aiming to ensure equitable outcomes. During the 2022 Jackson water crisis, nonprofits worked to meet urgent needs. Recently, with funding from the US Water Alliance, the Alliance and its partners have been studying equity in disaster response, recovery, and resilience efforts.