INTERVIEW WITH JANET BROWN ON BARRY'S BLOG
An in-depth interview of GIA executive director Janet Brown by Barry Hessenius is posted today on Barry’s Blog on the WESTAF SITE.
BARRY: Acknowledging that you’ve only been at the helm of GIA for a couple of months, nonetheless can you share with us what you think are the major priorities for your funder members at this time, and what your agenda will be for GIA this year? Specifically, what do your members see as the biggest challenges and the highest priorities for both the sector and to them as components of that sector? Where would you like to see the organization head and what would you like to see it accomplish in the short and long terms? What do you see as your role? Will GIA launch and fund any initiatives (with national implications) of its own?
JANET: Like nearly everyone and every business in America, GIA members are re-evaluating their situations and assessing how they can continue to fulfill their missions with fewer resources. Our members come from both private and public sectors. Some have already seen their budgets cut, some will see a larger drop in 2010. Everyone has made some kind of change. We are encouraging members to share their research and decisions that affect their grantmaking with others in the field. We are trying to communicate more frequently with members to share that information.