At Girls of Excellence, Communities Come First
August 19, 2025
During Advocacy August, we asked for examples of how an organization’s advocacy with public officials has resulted in positive relationship development or advancement of specific goals over time. Below, is the first of such examples from the CEO of Girls of Excellence, Inc. in Atlanta, Georgia.
Does your nonprofit have a story you’d like to share? Email Abbie Evans (aevans@mentoring.org) with a brief summary describing how your organization has worked positively with a public official representing your community.
In the heart of Georgia’s Fifth congressional district – home to nearly three‑quarters of Atlanta – Representative Nikema Williams is putting communities first, investing in the future by supporting mentoring initiatives like those led by Girls of Excellence, Inc. (GOE).
On April 4, 2025, GOE was honored to be recognized by Rep. Williams on Atlanta’s annual 404 Day. This day celebrates all things Atlanta including charitable nonprofit organizations like ours!
Rep. Williams has prioritized lifting up underserved communities through targeted federal support. Though much of her publicly cited funding in 2023-2024 focuses on institutions, research, and youth support projects – including securing millions for HBCUs, public service training, and children’s mental health services – her advocacy for mentoring programs aligns strongly with GOE’s mission.
Receiving the acknowledgment on 404 Day from Representative Williams was an amazing experience, her unwavering support of girls in the community has been so much appreciated and we look forward to doing more with her office in support of girls in the fighting Fifth District! – Toya Russell Phillips, CEO Girls of Excellence, Inc.
GOE offers group mentoring, life skills, personal development, and community service for girls ages 8-18 across Metro Atlanta, from schools and detention centers to community hubs. Their mission is to nurture confidence, ambition, and academic and personal growth through weekly sessions, field trips, events, workshops, and specially designed programs like GOE Money (financial literacy), Ready.Set.GOE! (career prep), GOE Tech (STEAM exposure), and GOE Getter (entrepreneurship).
Maintaining Working Relationships with Public Officials
Many of Rep. Williams’s legislative priorities already align with GOE’s program goals. But we know that continuing to build a positive working relationship with the Representative and her team can further aid our community and youth-serving nonprofit programs like ours in the Fifth District of Georgia and beyond.
Some examples of Rep. Williams’ work:
- Consistent Leadership. Working with her Republican colleague, Representative Don Bacon (NE), each year the duo co-lead a “Dear Colleague” letter to collect support from other bipartisan members of the House for increased investment in the Youth Mentoring Program grant, the only mentoring-specific line item in the federal budget. This letter is then sent to the House Appropriations Committee to demonstrate broad, bipartisan support of this program before they set funding levels.
- Access to Capital & Capacity Building. Williams has sponsored legislation such as the Minority Entrepreneurship Grant Act – aimed at providing grants through HBCUs – to empower entrepreneurial youth, particularly girls, with resources to start and grow ventures. This complements GOE’s focus on entrepreneurship training through GOE Getter.
- Education and Career Readiness. Through federal grants to the Atlanta University Center Consortium’s public service initiatives and support for institutions like Spelman, Williams builds pipelines for students’ academic and civic leadership – resonating with GOE’s Ready.Set.GOE! and college prep priorities (girlsofexcellenceinc.org, nikemawilliams.house.gov).
- Holistic Youth Support. Her backing of mental health training for children across Georgia reinforces the importance of social‑emotional well‑being – one of the 5 pillars GOE structures into its program evaluation model G.I.R.L.S, aimed at tracking self‑awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision‑making (girlsofexcellenceinc.org).
How to support GOE and youth-serving nonprofit organizations like ours nationwide:
- For mentors, community partners, and supporters:
- Visit GOE’s website to sign up as a mentor, peer mentor, or workshop facilitator. Mentors must complete training and a background check; peer mentors must meet GPA and recommendation criteria, and contribute volunteer hours while gaining leadership experience (girlsofexcellenceinc.org, nikemawilliams.house.gov).
- Consider serving on planning committees or supporting academic and career readiness programs.
- For legislative allies and community advocates: