Meetings and Events

Back to School: Nonprofit Fundamentals Webinars

Join Maritime Washington virtually from August 5 through September 2 for a free webinar series designed to strengthen the foundations of nonprofit management. Built with leading experts and peer practitioners from and for Maritime Washington—as well as our friends from the Washington Main Street Program—this series will cover management best practices so you can better celebrate, maintain, and share our state’s maritime heritage.

Sessions will be held on Wednesdays from 12:00 – 1:15 pm via Zoom. Each webinar includes a 45-minute presentation (recorded for later viewing), followed by a 30-minute live discussion with the presenter and fellow participants.

The series is open to staff, board members, and volunteers from all Maritime Washington partner organizations, as well as Washington Main Street Communities and Affiliates. While the content is tailored primarily to nonprofits, governmental and for-profit Maritime Washington partners are also welcome to join, and may find particularly valuable takeaways from the Work Planning and Volunteer Engagement sessions.

Sessions include:

August 5, 12:00 – 1:15 pm: Sharing Leadership

Discuss the roles of board and staff as complementary leaders of nonprofit organizations, including tips on working together effectively. Presented by Jonelle McCoy, Main Street Specialist for Washington State Main Street Program, who coaches and cheers on local nonprofits across the state’s Main Street network.

August 12, 12:00 – 1:15 pm: Financial Management

Learn high level strategies and best practices for sound money management, including examples of tools and budgets that organizational leaders need to understand for good decision-making. Presented by David Sadowsky, Director of Finance + Operations for Downtown Bellingham Partnership, who brings a wealth of real-world experience managing finances for nonprofit organizations.

August 19, 12:00 – 1:15 pm: Nonprofit Governance

Nonprofit boards play a critical role in steering their organizations toward a sustainable future, and it’s important that both board members and staff fully understand a board’s legal, fiduciary, financial, and risk management responsibilities. Learn the basics and connect to resources you can bring back to your nonprofit. Presented by Julia Hunter, Learning Manager at Nonprofit Association of Washington, who will guide attendees through sound, ethical, and legal governance practices.

August 26, 12:00 – 1:15 pm: Work Planning

Explore practical strategies to break down your mission-driven goals into actionable, right-sized workplans aligned with your organization’s resources and staff capacity. Presented by Maria Kolby-Wolfe, President and CEO of Washington Women’s Foundation, who has brought her expertise to University of Washington courses and now brings them to this series.

September 2, 12:00 – 1:15 pm: Volunteer Engagement

No mission moves forward without people, and creating a culture that effectively engages volunteers can make a nonprofit’s work more sustainable, scalable, and impactful. Presented by Norma Ramirez de Miess, President of Community Revitalization Strategies, a community builder with over 30 years of nonprofit leadership.

Register