About Us
-
Brief History of GIVN
GIVN began with the vision of one newly elected county board member representing two townships in rural Northern Wisconsin. During his meetings with voters in the spring of 2021, a lack of services for older residents was constantly mentioned. This individual (Richard Logan) discussed this matter with the Town Boards of Presque Isle and Winchester and held discussions with a rural development consultant and grant writer (Dan Peterson) who had recently moved back into the community. They held several meetings about the best approach for improving local services. Mr. Peterson strongly advocated for the formation of a rural health network and said they had proven successful in developing needed services in many similar rural communities nationally.
-
Health Network Description
The Gogebic, Iron, and Vilas Network (or GIVN) was established in 2022 by a group of local officials who were concerned about access and the quality of health care available to residents of Northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
After several planning meetings involving these officials, the planning committee decided to establish a two-state rural health network based on models proven successful in several Western states. Initial meetings with the town governments of Presque Isle and Winchester, Wisconsin found them supportive of the development of any programs that might assist the large number of seniors who were living and moving to their communities.
Governance and Project Management
Governance and oversight of the network is the responsibility of the network’s Board of Directors. Decisions concerning the network will be discussed in network meetings and approved by the Board of Directors before action is taken. It has taken GIVN approximately three years to become a non-profit and acquire its first HRSA grant. Although hiring and retaining professional staff may become an issue in the future, GIVN currently has a well-functioning Board of Directors and Project Director for its network grant. Dan Peterson, MPA (the Project Director) has 30 years of management and grant writing experience. The current Board Chairperson of GIVN has similar experience in state government. The project team for the GIVN rural health planning grant includes these two individuals, two other local government leaders, and the project’s consultant/evaluator from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. GIVN has recently hired the project’s planner who is expected to remain a GIVN employee once additional funding is acquired. The project’s work team will guide the project to ensure effective oversight. Thus, GIVN believes it is well qualified to fully implement its planning grant by September 29, 2025.
Structure, Leadership, Size of the Organization, and Staffing
On November 8th, 2023, the network’s planning committee selected a Board of Directors to lead the organization over the next two years. The Board Chairperson is a retired state employee. The Vice-Chairperson has 20 years of medical and nursing home experience.
The board’s Secretary/Treasurer as a health consultant who successfully implemented the start-up of the Oregon-Washington health Network in Pendleton, Oregon. The current board of Directors of GIVN has many years of rural health experience including implementing many successful grant funded projects. It also has many years of experience in implementing and evaluating health care services on the Federal, state, and local level including 10 or more successful foundation grants.
To date the GIVN Board of Directors has completed articles of association, drafted bylaws, been assigned an EIN, and completed SAM and Grants.gov registrations. It has also completed the state of Wisconsin’s process for designation as a non-profit association. GIVN submitted its application for designation as a federal non-profit to the Internal Revenue Service by 10/15/24. The Board of Directors of GIVN is currently in the process of implementing personnel and accounting policies and procedures. It also has contracted the services of a CPA to manage payroll and expenditures of the network. By January 30, 2025, it is expected that GIVN will have addressed all the requirements necessary to successfully carry out a wide range of health and social services projects that will benefits all residents of Northern Wisconsin and the Western Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Sponsors & Funding
The start-up of the GIVN network was privately funded through the generous contributions of the core planning committee, private citizens, and members of the GIVN Board of Directors. Between 11/8/23 and 10/1/24, $600 in private contributions was raised for the start-up of the health network. These were used to establish the network as a state not-for-profit organization, hold planning and board meetings, and develop required policies and procedures to facilitate the network’s planning grant
The HRSA Rural Development Planning grant awarded to GIVN on 10/1/24 in the amount of $100,000 is seen as the first step in broad-based funding for Northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. Over the next three years, GIVN plans to seek state, federal, and foundation funding to address its five most needed services. These are senior nutrition and health services, behavioral health including dual diagnosis treatment, expansion of transit services to unserved areas, paramedic emergency medical services, and training of needed community health workers, peer navigators and other paraprofessionals. GIVN believes it has developed the capability to provide these greatly needed services including others to be identified during the GIVN Rural Health Strategic Planning Project.