Happy New Year! Welcome to SIA's 25th year!

Happy New Year! Last year was a big one for Spirit in Action. We gave $18,800 to 20 partner organizations for emergency COVID-19 responses . We experimented with a new grant review system , using the local expertise of the African Advisory Board, and have over 20 grant partners for this year! We had online meetings with the North American Board and African Advisory Board. We also highlighted more African voices on the blog, and got a new website (waaaay back in April). I’m starting this year with the deep understanding that we cannot know what the year will bring. And even so, I have big dreams for Spirit in Action as we celebrate our 25th anniversary! Exploring a multi-year funding model to better support the stability of our grant partners and reduce the stress on their leaders. As part of this, I’ll be highlighting on the blog some of the amazing staff people who keep these grassroots organizations thriving. Meeting with some of the amazing women from Universal Love Alliance, supporting rural women in Uganda in 2019. Increase the diversity of people in our decision-making , as well as examining our unconscious bias and the colonialist tendencies in development and international philanthropy. Staying true to our roots by continuing to focus on building relationships and encouraging our partners. We’ll do this by hosting online workshops about topics that interest our grant partners, and having our African Advisory Board check in regularly with new grant partners. I’ll also be looking for new ways of grant reporting that give partner organizations useful information for improving, and give donors a true picture of what change is happening. Finally, instead of celebrating 25 years of SIA in person, we’ll get creative to find ways throughout the year to honor our past and dream large for the future . Thank you for being part of Spirit in Action in 2021! Picture left: Leaders from Visionary Women's Fund in Kenya are social workers and community development specialists.