Case Study
Girls on the Run—Chicago
Fundraising, Communications, and Design
Photo courtesy of Girls on the Run—Chicago
How Women Unite! Got Connected
WU! Executive Director Liz Jansen participated in the Crossroads Fund’s leadership program, the Giving Project, and she was in the same cohort as Mollie Anderson, the Director of Development of Girls on the Run—Chicago (GOTR). The two stayed in touch over the years, and in May 2020, Mollie reached out to WU! about a series of trainings related DEI in the nonprofit space.
Photo courtesy of Girls on the Run—Chicago
About Girls on the Run—Chicago
A national organization with a Chicago presence, GOTR is dedicated to creating a world where every girl knows and activates her limitless potential and is free to boldly pursue her dreams. They inspire girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident using a fun, experience-based curriculum which creatively integrates running. Trained coaches use physical activity and dynamic discussions to build social, emotional, and physical skills in every girl while encouraging healthy habits for life. Their programming is inclusive and meets the unique needs of each girl, regardless of her circumstances, ability, or background. GOTR inspires all girls to build confidence and make intentional decisions, while fostering care and compassion for self and others.
GOTR serves girls ages 3–18 across 8 Illinois counties, including Cook. The organization uses a sliding scale fee structure based on each girl’s household income, making the program accessible to all families. GOTR has never turned a girl away due to her family’s inability to pay.
Evidence shows that participating in GOTR transforms lives by unleashing the confidence and unstoppable strength that every girl possesses. Now more than ever, girls need to be accepted, inspired, and motivated.
Photo courtesy of Girls on the Run—Chicago
GOTR’s Need
In February 2020, GOTR began discussing the need for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training for their staff. After the murder of George Floyd and the racial justice uprisings in Summer 2020, GOTR was reminded of how critical conversations around DEI were to the strength of an organization and their ability to equitably carry out their mission. They were poised to take their good intentions and transform them into meaningful action. The first step in this process was to learn more about issues like systemic racism, unconscious bias, and others; begin the work of identifying what change could look like within their organization; and then committing to making that change.
Women Unite!’s Impact
WU!’s Liz Jansen and Sterling Haukom Anderson facilitated five, two-hour trainings for GOTR, which included the following modules:
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: focused on critical terms and concepts including diversity, equity, inclusion, and privilege.
Racism in the Nonprofit Sector: how racism shows up in all aspects of the nonprofit sector—from programming and fundraising, to staffing and hiring.
Implicit Bias: dives specifically into bias and the way that shows up in the workplace.
Cross-Cultural Communication: equips staff on how to communicate effectively and respectfully.
Allyship 101: includes practical examples of how individuals can begin to incorporate an allyship framework into their personal and professional lives.
WU! connected course content to GOTR’s specific context by providing a big-picture introduction to systemic oppression and how that leads to inequities in all areas of life, discussing how the organization could ensure its communications were culturally competent, and finding ways in which the staff could empower those they served.
In addition to the trainings, WU! provided two workshops, one for managers, one for non-managers, focused on setting clear goals around the concepts learned in the training sessions and tangible action steps that the organization could implement.
Mission Alignment
Both WU! and GOTR believe in the power of women and girls to change the world. GOTR instills in young girls the values of embracing differences and finding strength in connectedness, standing up for ourselves and for others, and recognizing our female power—all ideals which guide WU! as well. GOTR invests in girls, giving them the skills and confidence they need to champion crucial societal issues, lead the next generation of changemakers, and take up the mantle of social justice organizations. The Girls on the Run grow up to become the Women who Unite!
“Working with Liz and Sterling at Women Unite! laid the groundwork for lasting change at Girls on the Run. I was so impressed with their engaging content willingness to customize lessons. They provided a safe space for team members to develop a shared language and explore their own relationship to issues of race and class. Our team continues to reference learnings as they wrestle with decisions and navigate day-to-day work.”
—Jill Eid, Executive Director, Girls on the Run-Chicago