On this #GivingTuesday, We are excited to express our heartfelt gratitude to the incredible #Sigtribe Partners who made 2023 an exceptional year of growth and achievement.
At the start of the Year, we joined forces with our creative and digital partner, Touch Management, setting the stage for an incredible journey to expand our #sigtribe. Looking back, we're immensely proud of our strides together. Here are some highlights:
**@NewarkBronzeShields Annual Scholarship Gala:** Secured sponsors, expanded commitments for 2023 and deepened ties with @IdellRobinson. #SIGRoots is proud to support his thought leadership in healthy community-police relations, sending more black and brown students to college and technical schools! Boom!
**@Leader2LifeNJ.org Red Carpet Toast-Off:** Hosted a memorable event for an organization committed to educational equity in Newark. Kudos to @AltarikWhite, a national trailblazer in #mentoring black boys and young men, and for rivaling the public school system by getting more students their high school diplomas. We are all in, are you?
**@HBCUScholarshipRideFoundation:** Wrapped up the Year by adding a new partner, supporting @HassanAbdulSabur, and elevating the organization's profile, thrilled to contribute to exceeding fundraising goals and sending more Newark children to HBCUs.
It's been an honor serving alongside these institutions. On this #GivingTuesday, I invite you to support any or all of these organizations and make a lasting impact. Here's how you can help:
My mentor and I had a discussion about the value one adds to an institution. How is it measured? How does one see themselves and how others see them as a team member? However, you're likely, not used to thinking about your value in terms of money, and that's okay. But when you do start thinking about it, it's important to remember that your value as an employee is more than just the amount of money you make.
It's also about how you contribute to your organization—how much you help it thrive and what kind of difference you make in its success. When it becomes clear that this contribution is making a "steep change" difference in your organization, for this performance, it is undoubtedly worthy of reward - the question is not how much in terms of traditional monetary value. The question is, what do you want as a complete package? Latitude in innovation? Work-life balance? More Influence? The question is personal and yours to make.
We don't often get opportunities to offer perspective about monetary reward/value in our work environment, so it usually takes us by surprise - it may feel like a trap when asked, too if that makes sense.
My advice is to stay the course; be firm yet respectful in your ask, and ask for what you want!
-Shonique
Nothing beats a face to face meeting
Shonique Banks, MASCL|Partner
You know what they say: "There's no such thing as too many tools."
Technology can be a great tool for your organization, especially for business development. However, I firmly believe that technology should never replace human interaction.
Technology can be seen more as a facilitator when it comes to your B2B efforts. Just remember, don't let technology make the initial connection for you. Let the person behind the keyboard convey the passion that inspired your work and garner interest from potential funders.
I've found that connecting with funders on a personal level can help you advocate for your cause. By doing so, you'll be able to show your passion for the work, which may help you get a better understanding of their decision-making process.
While technology is great at helping you get your message across in an informed and organized manner, nothing beats a face-to-face meeting. By all means, use technology to its fullest potential, but remember that people are still the most important resource out there.
-Shonique
a mother's day reflection
Shonique Banks, MASCL|Partner
As I reflect on this past weekend—Mother’s Day: I celebrate the mothers, sisters, and caregivers alike, who are our family's and communities' heroes. By any means necessary we get things done-- Seemingly with little effort, we are their super-power, way-maker, and confidants.
This is why I started Strategic Impact Group—to live into my superpower: being a woman. In my lifetime, I have witnessed the firstBlack 1st Lady, the first black woman to have a syndicated TV talk show, the 1st Black woman to be Vice President and Supreme Justice, and black women across this country turn red states to blue!
In my family, I will be the first woman to do many things—but I am most proud ofyou:#sigtribe. This space is where women of all hues and background can see themselvesand their causes aligned with creating equity for all—and it wouldn't exist without each of you!
So thank you for your contributions to making an impactful change in ourcommunity#sigtribe.
- Shonique
Strategic Impact Group is a multi-discipline organizational firmcommitted to partnering with our clients to define collective change, mindsets, and mobilize action. Ready to move your project forward? Contact Us.
