We at Exhale Pro-Voice are excited to share our Strategic Priorities for 2023. Thank you to Ayanna Kelly for her expertise and guidance in developing these priorities at our 2023 virtual Board Retreat!

Clarify Organizational Messaging

Throughout the history of our organization, Exhale Pro-Voice has occupied a unique position in the abortion conversation. By providing mental health-focused services, some have been concerned that we take an anti-abortion approach, because much of the rhetoric around abortions and mental health is driven by anti-abortion activists. 

While we have always taken an abortion-positive stance, we were not explicit about that until 2022. In trying to ensure that we would be a welcoming space for everyone looking for support around their abortions, our messaging ended up being pretty unclear. It is on us at Exhale Pro-Voice to clarify our organization messaging. 

In clarifying our messaging, we hope to not only better advertise our services (namely, our After-Abortion Textline and Training offerings), but to better partner with the reproductive and mental health fields as well. To support us in this task, we are honored to have Cassandra Corrado join the Board of Directors given her prior work in marketing and her current work as a sex educator.

Secure Financial Stability

While Exhale Pro-Voice has been the premier organization at the intersection of abortion and mental health since 2000, we have been entirely volunteer-run for several years. Given our expertise and the gap that we fill in both reproductive and mental health fields, a priority for 2023 is to secure financial stability for Exhale Pro-Voice and build up a paid staff. Grounded in an anti-oppressive framework, paying staff for their labor will reduce burnout and demonstrate to our highly committed team that the work they do is specialized, necessary, and worthy of compensation.

We will enhance our fundraising and grant application strategies, and continue to build out our Training program as a revenue source. We are excited to have welcomed Ariana Gevov to the Board of Directors following her success raising over $20,000 for Exhale Pro-Voice during our Summer 2022 Fund-a-Thon!

Develop a Plan to Scale Up

Along with our priority to secure financial stability, we also aim to have a clear path for where our funds will go. Yes, we want to pay staff, but how can we do that as smoothly and thoughtfully as possible? How can we scale up? This is the less exciting — but absolutely necessary — part of being a successful non-profit! 

We need to ensure that our internal systems are optimal and that we can readily support staff and volunteers in their roles. We look forward to continuing to check in with Ayanna about our work here throughout 2023.

We cannot wait to see what 2023 holds for us! We are already diving into the work. Thank you so much for all of your support! 

You can help us secure financial stability by setting up a monthly donation to Exhale Pro-Voice here.

Much appreciation,

The Exhale Pro-Voice Board of Directors