Here's a look back at what happened at the Hub in February 2024.
Muffin Monday: Open Data Day (February 26)
Muffin Monday is a monthly Members-only networking event with complimentary breakfast. Each month a new theme is chosen, and collaboration and continued conversation are encouraged.
On February 26 we celebrated Open Data Day (ODD), an annual celebration of open data all over the world, held March 2–8, 2024. Groups from nearly every country create local events where they use open data in their communities.
Needs, Leads & Brags: Automation Tools (February 15)
In this quick session, the Needs, Leads, and Brags crew brought up the topic of automation and productivity, and how we can all use some of the newer tools to make our lives a little easier. A few of the tools shared:
Zapier is an online automation tool that connects your apps and services. You can connect two or more apps to automate repetitive tasks without coding or relying on developers to build the integration.
Grammarly is a digital writing tool that provides grammar and spell checking, plagiarism detection, and suggestions about writing clarity, concision, vocabulary, style, and tone. It can also create "snippets" for pre-written sentences and phrases.
Asana and Trello are both task and project management programs with very similar features. Asana seems to be a bit more robust; Trello is more for the "visual" planners.
#SHOWLOVE: Valentine's Day Appreciation
In honor of Valentine's Day, Open Gov Hub provided "Thank You" cards to Members to show each other appreciation. Thanks for participating, everyone!
Mardi Gras at the Hub, February 13, 2024
Mardi Gras (February 13)
Open Gov Hub celebrated "Fat Tuesday" on February 13, 2024. Surprisingly, this was the first time hearing of "Fat Tuesday" for many of our Members, and especially the Hub's CEE Fellows. The Hub's own Event Coordinator, Adam Morales, found the baby! Learn more about Mardi Gras.
Gender-Inclusive English in the Workplace (February 13)
Hub Member Emma Arcos hosted a virtual event on gender-inclusive English in the workplace. The event was a great introduction to pronouns and provided a safe space for questions on LGBTQ issues.
Jodi Omear of JaM Strategies, February 7, 2024
Peanut Butter & "JaM" Strategies Day (February 7)
Our friends from JaM Strategies hosted a complimentary strategic planning session led by Jodi Omear, Co-Founder and Partner at JaM Strategies, expert communications consultant, and organizational and nonprofit strategist. Some of the highlights:
Only 15% of strategic plans are successful. So... why do they fail? A lack of knowledge sharing between departments, teams, and the organization.
Tips for a successful strategic plan: Stay flexible. Dream big, focus small. Continually refer back to the plan.
Community Engagement Exchange Fellows at New Member Orientation, February 2024
New Member Orientation (February 6)
On the first Tuesday of every month, the Hub celebrates our new Members with an orientation and then a Happy Hour. On February 6, the Hub was honored to welcome over 20 special guests from IREX's Community Engagement Exchange (CEE) Program. These fellows are working with nonprofits for the next 3 months to gain experience, expertise, skills, and resources to develop multisector approaches and build healthy and engaged communities in over 100 countries.
