At their May 12 meeting, the Georgia City Solutions (GCS) Board of Directors received an update from fundraising strategy consultant firm, Coxe Curry & Associates, on the status of the feasibility study phase of the strategy to secure approximately 5 million over a three-year period for programs and initiatives in support of the adopted strategic plan.
The areas of focus include Equity and Inclusion (E&I), Municipal Workforce Development and Youth Leadership and Engagement.
“An important tool in the fundraising planning process is establishment of the Feasibility Study Committee,” said GCS Managing Director Kay Love. “The role of the Committee is to provide input and strategic guidance on the feasibility study materials and the preliminary case for support.”
The Committee members include GCS Chair, Kirby Thompson; GCS Vice Chair, Yvette Pugh; GCS Secretary & Treasurer, Larry Hanson; GCS Board member, Savannah Mayor Van Johnson; GMA Deputy Executive Director, Bill Thornton and, GCS Managing Director Kay Love. The Committee met with Coxe Curry & Associates at the end of June. Guided by the committee’s input, the feasibility study is expected to be completed in late August. The next step in the fundraising strategy will be the fundraising campaign and is expected to get underway in the fall.
At the May 12 meeting, the GCS Board also received an update on Phase 1 of the Municipal Workforce Development Needs Assessment project funded by GCS. This assessment kicked off on June 14 with a meeting of GMA’s Municipal Workforce Development Advisory Council where they heard a project overview from the Carl Vinson Institute of Government who will be performing the work. The advisory council will serve as the steering committee for this project and will inform the GCS Board about priority issues in the focus area of municipal workforce development.
Additionally, The GCS Board heard from GMA’s Children and Youth Advisory Council Chair, East Point Mayor Deana Holiday Ingraham, about the priorities of the council and initiatives in support of the GCS strategic plan.
The Sugar Hill Golf Club is host to the 2021 GMA Golf Tournament to benefit Georgia City Solutions on Monday, Oct. 18. Registration for the event is open. Join more than 100 golfers to help raise awareness and funds for GCS program and initiatives. Find out more about being a sponsor or playing in the tournament at https://gcs.gacities.com/.
The next GCS Board of Directors meeting is scheduled for Aug. 18, where the board is expected to receive updates and a status report from the Feasibility Study Committee.
This article was originally featured in the July/August 2021 edition of Georgia’s Cities Magazine.