All-Valley nonprofit board event a huge success

CHELAN - On Friday March 10, 56 board members representing 25 nonprofit organizations from across the Lake Chelan Valley attended a training on board governance and best practices for nonprofit boards. The purpose of the event – to develop stronger and more engaged boards to create a vibrant culture of philanthropy and service in the valley.
The All-Valley Board Event was created by a newly formed group of Nonprofit Executive Directors from the valley who meet monthly to discuss nonprofit work and cover regular topics like fundraising, donor stewardship, board and committee development, volunteer recruitment, communications, and program delivery.
“We have all these amazing nonprofits that fill varied and diverse needs in the valley,” said Aimee Sheridan, Executive Director of Historic Downtown Chelan, “our boards are the engines that drive our success and our director’s group felt like bringing these volunteer leaders together in one place would create synergy and excitement around what we could all accomplish together.”
The Lake Chelan School district hosted the event in their board room and the training was facilitated by Chuck Orrestad of DNA Partners LLC, a consulting group that excels in leadership development and board governance. The agenda covered key concepts for healthy governance, the four functions of a governing board, common pitfalls of board, the role of the board, the role of a board member, and special considerations in being part of a small community.  
After the training, participants in the workshop had time to share their key takeaways and set action steps they hoped to accomplish with their own boards. Many of the participants asked if this gathering could happen annually, and possibly even quarterly.
Chuck Orrestad said, “This was extraordinary. In all my years of doing this, I have not seen a group like this from so many different organizations come together to work toward a common purpose. It was inspiring.”
If you are an Executive Director, or volunteer director for a nonprofit in the Lake Chelan Valley and would like to join the group’s monthly meetings, please email Aimee Sheridan at aimee@historicchelan.org to be added to the meeting. If you are current board member who was not at this event, or are interested in learning what it means to be on a nonprofit board, please email aimee@historicchelan.org to get connected to resources to help you get involved.
 Nonprofits attending were:
Chelan Basin Conservancy
Lake Chelan Food Bank
Chelan School Board
Chelan Senior Center
Chelan Valley Community Nurses
Chelan Valley Community Services Council
Chelan Valley Hope
Chelan Valley Housing Trust
Community Center of Lake Chelan
Guild B
Lake Chelan Valley Habitat for Humanity
Heritage Heights
Historic Downtown Chelan Assn.
Lake Chelan Jazzfest
Lake Chelan Arts Council
Lake Chelan Chamber of Commerce
Lake Chelan Health
Lake Chelan Health and Wellness Foundation
Lake Chelan Research Institute
Lake Chelan Trails Alliance
Lake Chelan Wine Alliance
Only 7 Seconds
Rotary Fund
Seven Acres Foundation
Thrive Chelan Valley