December has always been one of my favorite months of the year, in part because, for me, it has generally been filled with pleasant memories and is a time when most people become outwardly grateful to one another. Another reason this season brings me some excitement is that it seems nearly everyone in our world makes a push or sprint to the end of the year. (Yes, I do use the word “excitement” a little more liberally here.) What I really mean is that we’re all pulling our hair out to cross that finish line and meet our goals.
Meanwhile, in the midst of that push, your SMPS Foundation Board of Trustees has also been hard at work. We met in the first of its kind, in-person planning meeting at SMPS headquarters in Alexandria last week to dig deeper into what success looks like for this coming year and the next five. Here are some updates and highlights from the planning session:
Research Update
We plan to produce one large research project annually, with increasing frequency as content and resources emerge, coupling this with smaller projects and quicker output to add value and help our audience address their business challenges more rapidly. To achieve these goals, we are exploring an expanded view of partnerships. Our project for 2024, as noted last month, will be version three of the Sell, Do, Win Business publication and others are in the works.
Expanding Communications and Involvement Update
We are expanding opportunities for committee-level involvement in the work, and the communications team will be reaching out to share what committee involvement means—for individual members and the chapters. Additionally, we’re considering podcasts and other methods of outreach to meet our audience more directly. We strive to be relevant and meet our members where they are by presenting at the point of need, and we will be working to determine the ways we can achieve this.
All in all, our “Zen,” “Nirvana,” or “Dream state” includes expanded partnerships, a donor relations program, and business developer products as well as a few more things that we’re still marinading on … so stay tuned as we move through the year.
Should you have an interest in serving as a Foundation committee member, future board member, or donor (if you aren’t already), please contact us to inquire about how to get involved. We’d love to hear from you! Just reach out at info@smps.org.
In the meantime, your friends at the Foundation wish you and yours a joyful holiday season and a wonderful and prosperous 2024!
Article written by SMPS Foundation President Janet Lively McCauley, CPSM.
