Rio Grande Valley (RGV), a diversity-rich region located at the southernmost point of Texas, has unique grande highs and lows that seldom come to light. While the region piques investor interest because of economic and geographical transformations, prominent issues like poverty and inequities in healthcare persist. The RGV Health Connect Organization reports the region’s median household income is $48,890, compared to $73,203 for Texas. The region also has 24.7% of families living below poverty level, nearly triple the percentage for the nation.

Western Governors University (WGU) and the AltaCair Foundation determined that an effective method to address the region’s challenges is collective action, hence the idea for Accelerator2024, a research-based conference that focuses on the nonprofits and community-based organizations (CBO) in RGV. The conference will include interactive sessions and developmental workshops that support attendees in positively transforming their region by achieving individual and organizational goals.

Workshop 1: Strategic Planning for Direct Teams

Facilitator: Patricia Rosenlund, Executive Director at Easterseals Rio Grande Valley

Objectives:

• Defining and exploring the art of strategic planning for proactive organizational management
• Introducing the stages and importance of strategic planning for short-term and long-term outcomes
• Identifying resources that support organizational growth

Life is unexpected, but our brains are attuned to perceiving most threats much before they surface. In our personal lives, we tend to prepare ourselves and strategize ahead of time to tackle challenges with either fight or flight or other creative coping mechanisms. But how do we strategize and prepare our organizations for challenges, survival, and growth? This workshop is an answer to that!

“Strategic planning could easily be misconstrued as an extra task when you are busy with your organization’s daily operations, but that same plan can serve as a guide for improved focus and clarity for the realization of short-term and long-term goals,” said Patricia Rosenlund, executive director at Easterseals Rio Grande Valley. “A strategic plan is like a map that helps you and your team navigate through opportunities and challenges to celebrate the smaller steps and accomplishments as you move toward bigger outcomes and greater achievements.”

The strategic planning workshop explores the art of strategizing that helps organizations manage and plan scheduled projects as well as prepare for issues or crises that may pose an imminent or sudden threat to the organization. The facilitator explains the hoops and loops of strategic planning and shares resources that the participants can turn to when they devise plans for their organizations. The workshop encompasses interactive discussions with the group and encourages participants to craft strategies for their unique goals and challenges.

Workshop 2: Board Development

Facilitator: Sabrina Walker Hernandez, President and CEO at Supporting World Hope

Objectives:

• Recruiting and retaining high-impact board members aligned with your mission
• Recognizing the value of each board member and leveraging that for organizational success
• Understanding fiduciary responsibilities associated with board membership

According to BDO Alliance USA, strong nonprofit boards are integral to the sustainability and continued growth of the organization, but finding the right mix of members isn’t always easy. Forty-four percent of organizations report that attracting quality leadership and board members is a high or moderate level challenge.

“This workshop will benefit both established as well as emerging nonprofits because we’ll discuss practical tools to help transform the board into a catalyst for change. The aim of this workshop is to ensure that attendees leave equipped with actionable steps to enhance the performance of their board for an elevated impact of the organization,” said Sabrina Walker Hernandez, president and CEO at Supporting World Hope.

Based on experience and industry analyses, the facilitator for this workshop educates on the importance of and the mechanisms for board-development for increased organizational success. The participants in this workshop explore practical ways for the creation and management of a board, fiduciary responsibilities associated with board membership, and stakeholder engagement for desired success. The interactive discussion promotes participants to network and share their unique goals with the group and develop solutions that yield to effective organizational and board management strategies.

Workshop 3: Workforce Development

Facilitators: Stephanie LaPuma, Academic Director and Associate Dean at WGU’s Michael O. Leavitt School of Health; Lara Carver, Administrative Director at WGU’s Michael O. Leavitt School of Health; Ivette Morales, Strategic Partnerships Manager for WGU (South Region)

Objectives:

• Understanding workforce development and associated challenges
• Exploring opportunities to develop and advance skills through formal education in health and nursing
• Identifying diverse pathways to education for career advancement and diversification

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the overall employment in healthcare occupations is projected to grow much faster than the average for all occupations from 2022 to 2032. The report further mentions that about 1.8 million openings are projected each year, on average, in healthcare occupations due to employment growth and the need to replace workers who leave the occupations permanently.

“This workshop will dive into pathways to education and opportunities in the healthcare and nursing industry for the development of a competent community workforce. We’ll tap into the affordable and customizable competency-based model of education, the dynamic industry landscape, and the innovative programs relevant in the contemporary market,” said Stephanie LaPuma, academic director and associate dean at WGU’s Michael O. Leavitt School of Health. “The interactive session will benefit employers, employees, and prospects because it’s an opportunity to not just learn about the dynamic healthcare industry but also an opportunity to network with the various stakeholders that make up the industry.”

The goal of this workshop is to hold interactive discussions pertaining to workforce development as well as formal education in health and nursing programs. The facilitators in this workshop work closely with the participants to identify workforce challenges, determine resources to alleviate those challenges, suggest solutions for proactive approaches to workforce management, and share information about pathways to opportunity. This session encourages participants to explore solutions for their organization and workforce to aim for holistic growth.

Workshop 4: Grant Writing

Facilitator: Heather A. Marsh, Regional Director of WGU Advancement (South Region)

Objectives:

• Understanding storytelling and how it fits the grant writing process
• Identifying areas of collaboration across nonprofits to optimize funding for shared success
• Creating a fundraising roadmap

Coopetition, rather than competition, and the art of storytelling are critical components that can amplify the reach of nonprofits and the causes they champion. While data serves as the foundation for the projects we undertake, pitching for grants with a human-like anecdotal approach could distinguish you from the crowd and heighten donor-interest. That’s the power of storytelling. But what if you and your neighboring nonprofit both have relevant and interesting approaches to address the same cause? That’s where the power of collaboration comes into play to advance those shared proposals for common goals and mutual success.

“Here’s a scenario: You and your staff spend hours creating proposals to compete with another nonprofit, even though the cause you’re both aiming to address is the same, and the donor bank you’re approaching is likely the same as well. So why compete when you can collaborate?” said Heather Marsh, regional director of WGU Advancement (South). “Securing funding for a cause is a team sport, and oftentimes, nonprofits must tear down walls to make this happen. This interactive session will highlight various collaboration methods (coalitions, collective impact initiatives, shared back-office services) and discuss ways in which CBOs with complementary philosophies can jointly develop funding requests to serve their respective populations, creating a win-win situation for all stakeholders.”

This workshop comprises a research-backed presentation demonstrating the art and importance of storytelling in grant writing. Key components include interactive discussions revolving around challenges, methodologies, resources, and solutions-focused strategies. The goal of this workshop is to help participants think from the perspective of their audience when framing key messages and narratives in return for a better, targeted impact. The workshop also includes a discussion for optimizing the fundraising process via internal and external collaborations, and the art of creating a customized roadmap to facilitate grants.

With upskilling, reskilling, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration as the pillars for Accelerator2024, these workshops will encourage brainstorming with a spirit of mutual progression among diverse stakeholders.

WGU’s strategic partnership with the AltaCair Foundation aims to address RGV’s healthcare disparities and yield scalable solutions that can be replicated for the nationwide optimization of value-based care, healthcare workforce, and health equity. The transformative initiative is already underway, with an invitation for like-minded individuals and organizations to collaborate for the region’s advancement.

Accelerator2024 will be held Thursday, October 17th, in McAllen, TX. Click to learn more and register to attend this free event.

This blog is part of a series. Read the other blogs here.