GIRLS ON THE RUN OF NOVA

Girls on the Run of Northern Virginia (GOTR NOVA) sees a strong correlation between supporting the character development of young girls and pre-empting issues of unhealthy lifestyles and risky behaviors. Very few programs tackle not just physical health, but emotional, social, and mental health as well – there is great need for physical activity programs addressing the “whole girl".

Providing an early antidote to damaging messages and behaviors is the driving motivator for Girls on the Run. Research has shown that girls engaged in sports are less prone to depression, low self-esteem, and poor body image—all factors that contribute to hazardous and unhealthy decisions later on in life including risky sexual behavior and substance abuse. These are all threats readily available in vulnerable communities throughout our region. Research conducted by George Mason University, on behalf of GOTR NOVA, has shown girls to have higher self-esteem and more satisfaction with their body size after completing a season of Girls on the Run. Indeed, by offering a fun and social environment rich with active female role models that encourages parent participation, GOTR NOVA makes physical activity welcoming for girls.

Currently, GOTR NOVA is not serving all of the girls in our territory. Because our model is school-based, we can only serve girls whose schools agree to host a team. Often the schools with the highest percentage of girls in need of financial aid are the same ones that are least likely to host teams as they are under-resourced and neither teachers nor parents are able to advocate for the program.

GOTR NOVA is committed to expanding our services, working with new partners, increasing our outreach to low-income communities across Northern Virginia, and scaling our impact to reach more girls, more families, and more communities.

Engagement of the Entire Family
We are committed to engaging the family, not just the girl participating. Our curriculum includes a companion Grown Up Guide that allows family members to follow along with each lesson. By offering parents and guardians discussion questions, we are reinforcing lessons and encouraging the entire family to engage in healthy choices. We are also helping families to see the value of GOTR and hopefully to advocate for and re-enroll their daughters in our program. Our end of season 5K which celebrates all our girls have accomplished, is open for all family and friends to participate in.

Targeted Outreach to Under Resourced Communities
We want to ensure all local girls can benefit from the lessons of Girls on the Run. We are targeting expansion Title I school communities where there is a higher concentration of families experiencing poverty and therefor a higher number of girls with limited access to high quality youth development programming.

Partnerships with Community-Based Sites
We currently offer programming almost exclusively at school sites. This model helps eliminate transportation hurdles but restricts access for girls whose schools do not choose to host the program as well as for families which homeschool. Indeed, should a school decide not to host Girls on the Run, there is currently no option for any students there who wish to participate. We have launched a pilot program with local aftercare centers in order to better understanding of what works, where potential pitfalls lay, and what the true cost is on both sides. Ideally, GOTR NOVA hopes to offer enough non-school sites that girls throughout Northern Virginia will be able to access the program at school or through off-site partners.

Diversify Funding Base
We are working to increase the percentage of our participants who receive financial aid. In order to support this, we need to shift from a funding model extremely reliant on earned income in the form of program fees to one more focused on individual and foundation fundraising. While doing so, we must continue to be mindful of what percentage of full to reduced fee participants is sustainable. Currently, we are focused on creating a more balanced funding model; one that does not depend too heavily on any one sponsor or gift, but rather on a strong foundation of individual gifts, partner companies, and foundation support.

Girls on the Run of Northern Virginia's small staff of five requires that we leverage our work with the support of interns, volunteers, and committed board members. We take advantage of advanced technology systems to work smarter and provide efficient and more equitable service to our families and to the girls we serve.

GOTR NOVA has also focused on forming partnerships which can elevate awareness of our mission throughout Northern Virginia. We are proud of our efforts to bring together schools, parents, community members, and corporations to serve the girls of our community. By working with corporations such Wegmans as well as community leaders such as the Northern Virginia Healthy Kids Coalition, and George Mason University, GOTR NOVA has established ourselves as a leading nonprofit in Northern Virginia, focused on health and wellness for the entire region.

Our work would not be possible without the committed corps of Volunteer Coaches who give more than 17,000 hours of their time each season. Not only do these volunteers deliver the curriculum and serve as mentors to our girls, but they provide invaluable feedback and often serve as the connection to new school sites and new teams. The schools continue to offer an identity and structure to each of our teams, and to the girls who run with us. Our volunteer coaches support and encourage that identity and, in turn, infuse the entire school community with the positive messages enforced by GOTR NOVA.

In addition to our Board of Directors who provide general oversight, lead the overall strategic plan, and ensure fiduciary sustainability, GOTR NOVA also manages an Associate Board of young professionals who work to engage new supporters and raise additional funds for the organization. Both groups are available to support and stand-in for staff members at events and speaking engagements, adding to the pool of our time and talent.

We work closely with members of the higher education community. Most recently, students from both American University and The George Washington University used GOTR NOVA as the key subject for projects that will directly benefit our work. George Mason University hosted a pinnacle study for GOTR NOVA in 2011; a project that proved our impact and dramatically increased our perceived value.

GOTR NOVA has the advantage of a “fee-for-service" program that provides a steady revenue stream for our annual budget. This earned income is projected to represent 75% of our annual budget in FY15. This covers much of our overhead and administrative costs, allowing us to focus on contributed income to cover program scholarships.

Finally, Girls on the Run has both national recognition, and a strong local presence. Our National organization helps advocate for the value of our program while partnerships with the DC and Montgomery County Councils provide collegial, mutual support on a variety of issues.

Currently, GOTR NOVA is not serving all of the girls in our territory. Because our model is school-based, we can only serve girls whose schools agree to host a team. Often the schools with the highest percentage of girls in need of financial aid are the same ones that are least likely to host teams as they are under-resourced and neither teachers nor parents are able to advocate for the program. Currently, GOTR NOVA offers programming at 29 out of the 91 Title I schools in our territory. This reflects an increase thanks to targeted outreach to underserved communities, but at only 34% of designated Title I schools in Northern Virginia we know that we can do more. GOTR NOVA is committed to expanding our services, working with new partners, increasing our outreach to low-income communities across Northern Virginia.