By Vera Golden, Chief Program Officer
"My JF&CS journey began in 2007 as a Grants & Contract Specialist to fundraise for the Ben Massell Capital Campaign. I then became the Grants Manager and then the Director for Grants & Measurement. In those roles, I gained an intimate knowledge of the agency, its partnerships, and all agency services available at that time.
I established relationships with key partners like United Way and Federation, and developed process and procedures for grants and program collaboration, data collection, and outcome measures to demonstrate impact and success. Additionally, I and my team implemented strategies to align programs to community needs, agency strategic plan and grant funding.
I recognized over time, programs became independent operators, with little or no integration into the rest of the agency. We have all learned that to affect the most positive impact on our clients, they require access to multiple services. This requires that our programs work as an integrated system to address the diverse needs in the community and our individual clients overall. An integrated system of services will:
- Improve the fundability of the programs
- Create opportunity for maximum impact
- Strengthen client-outcome achievement
- Increase funding opportunities for sustainability
To be successful at this, we need to:
- Identify gaps that prevent best-in-class service operations
- Implement a strategy to achieve best-in-class status in program delivery
- Identify integration opportunities across service areas
- Increase program fundability for government and corporate funding
Over the next five years, this will be my focus: service excellence, integrated programs, and a better, seamless experience for clients, volunteers, donors and professionals."
Vera Golden is the Chief Program Officer, leading a team of Directors to include oversight for program operations, strategy, continuous quality improvement and grants. She brings more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit management, social services, outcome measurement, evaluation, program development and design.