Mission Monday ~ Reigning Hope

Growing up with her brother Chuckie, Kesti Suggs knows first hand the challenges families with special needs children face. That experience has shaped her values system and given her a sensitivity and compassion to reach out to other families dealing with tough issues. Together with her husband Randy, they believe the Lord has given them this time and place to provide services to the special needs community.

That passion, calling, and understanding has been channeled into creating Reigning Hope Therapy Services. There are a wide variety of programs provided at the farm located south of Falcon. Therapeutic services include occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, and mental health services. In addition to traditional treatments and tools, Reigning Hope’s Therapists use a variety of unique modalities unique to the farm. Physical Therapist Amanda Huckstep shared that the best thing about serving children at Reigning Hope is that the holistic, natural environment makes it fun. Using animals and the land makes it feel less clinical and sterile. She believes that they get better results because kids don’t realize they are doing work.

It’s important to note that Reigning Hope is not just about therapy. It’s so much more! With a commitment to supporting the whole family, programs include siblings groups, summer day camps, family mixers, family weekends (coined Chuckie’s Place Weekend), recreational therapy, and special events. With a goal of helping families feel supported, encouraged, connected, and providing opportunities to create lifelong memories, Kesti and Randy feel privileged to provide programs that enhance the lives of this unique community.

As if all of that isn’t enough, horsemanship, adaptive riding, and volunteerism are also available opportunities at the farm. These programs give participants the chance to connect individually with their horses, gain unique skills, and to form a special bond with these amazing animals. Learn more about all the services and programs offered through Reigning Hope by checking out their website.

Like most nonprofit organizations, Reigning Hope relies on the generosity of donors to ensure they are able to provide high quality, impactful programming. Insurance covers many of the therapeutic services offered, but the recreational programming is offered free or at a very low cost to families. If you would like to support a family, program, or camp, donate here or reach out to Kesti to discuss how your gift can have the most impact. Additionally, Reigning Hope is currently seeking passionate volunteers to serve on their Board of Directors. Find out what that entails by reaching out to Kesti. By getting involved you can play a role in enhancing the lives of children and families dealing with special needs.

The Real Value of Nonprofits 

Most people have a general idea that nonprofit organizations “do good things”. And they are correct! 501(c)3 designated nonprofit organizations exist to address a critical social need. They have identified a problem and created a unique way to solve it. The work they do helps to make our world a better place. But I think there’s more to it than that.

We are living in some crazy times right now. Between social, racial, and political unrest, an uncertain economy, and a major war going on, we are a nation divided. Stress, anxiety, social isolation, and depression are at an all time high. As adults, many find it difficult to make friends. And people struggle to have civilized conversations with those on “the other side” of their beliefs. All of this is why I believe that nonprofits are more important than ever. 

In addition to working on solving a specific problem, the real magic of nonprofit organizations is how they bring people together. First, they give people something to care about. Rallying people around a problem and engaging them in the solution brings them together. The more people who care about their community and their neighbors, the better. 

Second, when people come together and work side-by-side with others who care about the same thing, they form relationships. Different backgrounds, points-of-view, and beliefs come together to work towards a common goal. This means exposure to individuals that one might never experience. Which builds understanding and compassion for people who are different from us. 

Finally, helping others helps us. According to the Mayo Clinic, volunteering reduces stress and increases positive, relaxed feelings by releasing dopamine. By spending time in service to others, volunteers report feeling a sense of meaning and appreciation, both given and received, which can have a stress-reducing effect. In addition, it connects people to being part of a solution, which can reduce anxiety. And it improves feelings of connectedness, growing their social network and improving relationships. 

Nonprofit organizations are in a unique position to connect people to important issues in their community. Agencies that do not see their role in bringing people together are missing their opportunity to really save the world. Many nonprofit leaders struggle with asking people to volunteer or donate to their cause, feeling like they are creating a burden. I believe that we need to flip that script and view it as providing opportunities for everyone to make a difference in their community and their world. 

Imagine if everyone chose a cause that they cared about and gave even just a little bit of their time and/or money to help solve the issue. Think of the impact it would have on our world and our mental health! Currently, 25% of adults in the US volunteer in some way in their community. Most people do not donate or volunteer because they have not been asked. 

None of this is to imply that managing volunteers is easy for organizations. To effectively utilize volunteers the agency must develop meaningful and engaging opportunities. Similar to leading staff, these roles require leadership and connection to the cause. Engaging volunteers is not meant to just be “free labor”. It takes dedication, thoughtfulness and intentionality. And it’s definitely worth the effort, both for the organization and for our world!

This is why I believe nonprofits are more important than ever. The work they do bringing people together and giving them something to care about can help save our world. Does your organization need help developing your volunteer engagement? If so, I would love to help! Email me at Kim@Athena-CoCo.com or set up a Discovery Call to learn more. Let’s connect!

Kim is a mom, lover of being active and the outdoors,
and helper of nonprofits and small businesses.
kim@athena-coco.com 

Mission Monday ~ Sarah’s Home

Over 300,000 children are trafficked in the United States every year. This isn’t a “somewhere else” problem, it’s right here in our communities. 85% of children rescued were born in the US and the average age of children when they are trafficked is 11 or 12. This is a huge and devastating problem that requires multiple approaches to combat it. Here in Colorado, Sarah’s Home is fighting the problem by serving rescued girls and helping them in their recovery.

Sarah’s Home provides sanctuary for girls ages 12 to 18 to help them realign with the life they were meant to have. In addition to being a residential facility, services include an accredited school catered and individualized for each girl, mental health support, medical, vision, and dental care. A mentoring component teaches girls how to have healthy and trusting relationships with adults. Girls are taught life and relationship skills. In addition, for kids who have had their childhoods stolen from them, they are given the opportunity to have fun and be kids again.

Currently this organization is in the process of developing and opening Daniel Academy. Approximately 35% of children rescued from trafficking are boys. Community Engagement Coordinator, Jillian Winters, tells me that they believe theirs will be the only facility in the country serving boys recovering from trafficking. In order to meet this tremendous need they have received a donation of land and are currently in a season of growth and evolution as they figure out this next challenge.

I asked Jillian what they wished more people knew about Sarah’s Home. Her reply was focused on the problem. She would like to see more awareness of sex trafficking. The more people know, the smaller the world becomes for sex traffickers. Education is not the primary focus of Sarah’s Home; however, they work to empower people to be part of the solution through education. Ideally they would love to be forced to close their doors because there is no longer a need.

There are many ways that you can get involved. Check here for upcoming trainings to learn more about the problem and what to look for. You can also host a Fireside Chat to educate you and your friends or family. And if you would like to financially support the work of Sarah’s Home or Daniel Academy you’ll find a variety of opportunities here.

Board Expectations

A few weeks ago I wrote about the challenge of finding volunteers to serve on boards of directors. In that article I mentioned that an important component in finding and recruiting board members is clarifying the expectation your organization has for them. After all, it’s hard to commit to something when you don’t know what it entails. Clarifying your agency’s board expectations is a foundational piece of developing a strong board. 

An organization can set any expectations that are relevant and important to them. They can be as simple or as complex as needed. Personally, I like to outline board expectations into these seven categories:

  • Attendance
  • Executive Director Support
  • Community Conduit
  • Fiduciary Governance
  • Intellectual Contributions 
  • Mission and Outcome Focus
  • Fundraising and Storytelling

Organizations that take the time to clarify each component for their board will have a great tool for recruiting, managing and accountability. Because of the unique nature of nonprofits – where the Executive Director often directs the work of the board, which is also their boss – this tool can be crucial to ensuring that the board can hold itself accountable. Let’s explore each of these categories and what can be included. 

Attendance

In the simplest of terms, attendance means showing up to board meetings. You may want to set a percentage of meetings they are expected to attend. It is a good practice to have set board meetings, held on the same day each month and at the same times. 

Frequency of board meetings should be set based on the needs of the organization and the work of the board. That being said, I generally recommend monthly or every other month. When a group meets less frequently it can be difficult to maintain engagement and connection. However, sometimes geographic constraints or the work of the organization may require fewer meetings. In those cases it might make sense to have longer meetings. 

In addition to attendance at board meetings, an organization may want to set expectations around attending committee meetings, special events, trainings, programming and more. Some agencies require a minimum number of hours from their volunteers each month. 

This category is also where you can define your board terms. Spell out when terms begin and end, how long they are, the ability to serve consecutive terms, and maximum length a board member can serve.

Partner with Executive Director

Running a nonprofit is a big job! Supporting the Executive Director is one of the most helpful things a board can do. When given projects or tasks it should be an expectation that the board member executes them completely and on time. Often if a board member doesn’t follow through, that work falls on the Exec. That puts the Exec in a very awkward position of having to hold one of their bosses accountable or just doing it themselves. 

Secondly in this category, there should be the expectation that the board drives the strategies of the organization. The more that the governance volunteers can focus on this aspect of the organization, the more the Exec can focus on the operations. Looking outward and focusing on strategies to advance the work of the organization is an expectation of the board. 

Lastly, no one knows everything or can have their finger on the pulse of what is going on in the community all the time. Board members should be available to the Exec when they need advice, insight or special expertise. Volunteers must give their input with the best interest of the organization as their top priority.  

Conduit to the Community

Having a board of directors multiplies the number of eyes, ears and voices in the community on behalf of an agency. Board members should be out, seeing what is going on in the community related to the work of the organization, listening to what people are saying about it, and sharing about the outcomes and impact. In addition, they should be bringing information back to the board to discuss and help with decision making and strategizing. 

Some organizations utilize their volunteers to promote their work. This can involve expectations around attending networking groups or service clubs, or even hosting house parties to educate the public on the organization. Other agencies have their board submit names for “friend raising.” This involves bringing more people into their circle of organizational advocates, to nurture them into volunteers, donors, or even future board members. There are organizations that require a board member to secure their successor before their term expires. These are all options to consider when developing expectations.

Fiduciary Governance

This component is a little more tricky to quantify and measure. The board is responsible for the financial and legal integrity of the organization. Generally the Treasurer takes the responsibility of reviewing financial statements and interpreting them for the larger board. The expectation of the board is that they make decisions that are in the best financial and legal interest of the organization. It is expected that they led from a place of selflessness. 

Intellectual contributions

Every board meeting should include some sort of generative discussion. It is best if the discussion is around strategy and organizational advancement; however, sometimes the input of volunteers on operational topics is important. That being said, board members should be prepared for discussion and ready to contribute their thoughts, perspectives and ideas. 

Not everyone is comfortable sharing in large groups. That doesn’t mean that they don’t have valuable input. Some volunteers may submit their thoughts in writing after they have had time to process the discussion. When measuring board effectiveness it can be important to recognize and honor these differences in contribution styles. 

Mission and Outcomes Focused

Every governance volunteer should take the time to understand the critical social issue that the organization is working to address; as well as the unique way they are tackling it. They should be familiar with and support policies. And they should understand the organization’s needs. 

The staff (whether paid or volunteer) are responsible for the operations and program/service delivery. It is the board’s job to make sure that the programs/services are fulfilling the mission. They are the ones who need to be driving the measurement of program impact and connecting it to the purpose of the organization. 

Lastly in this section, the board is responsible for ensuring clarity around the values of the organization. Clarifying values helps with decision making, recruiting staff and volunteers, and communicating who you are and what you do. Board members are expected to be the ones setting the example of how the organizational values look in action. 

Fundraising and Storytelling

Board members should be expected to give a personally meaningful financial donation to the organization. This is important for so many reasons! Why should anyone else give to a nonprofit if the governance board doesn’t feel strongly enough about the cause to give? Why would a grantor award a funds to an organization that doesn’t have a passionate and committed board? It must start with the board. 

In addition to giving, board members should be expected to use their network, connections, and circle of influence to advance the organization. This includes asking them to contribute. I believe that this is one of the most valuable aspects of the nonprofit sector. They are compelled to tell people how they are making the world a better place and asking them to come alongside and help. 

This can be challenging for young nonprofits, or organizations that attract volunteers who have never served on a board. That’s where the phrase “personally meaningful” or “personally significant” can be helpful. An agency may set their initial expectation at $10/month, then ask those with greater means to consider an additional personally significant contribution. Special events can be a good place for volunteers to practice their storytelling skills and work on “friend raising” before they advance to fundraising. 

If the cause is important and the organization is making a difference, every board member needs to be giving. Period. 

You may notice that none of this is about daily operations. That’s because that is not the board’s role. However, with very young or very small nonprofits, there can be some cross over. As you develop your board expectations, I recommend you keep them focused on the governance side of the organization. This keeps it clean, and if/when the organization grows, the board will know what is expected of them in their role. 

Once you and your board have established their expectations, create a tool for tracking. Quantify as much as you can and put it in a spreadsheet. Put each board member’s name down the side and regularly evaluate how everyone is doing. At a minimum the board president/chair should look at it quarterly. You can also include it into your board packets. That way everyone knows where they stand and they can help hold each other accountable. One less awkward job for the Exec to do! 

Does your organization need help establishing expectations. These can be challenging conversations. It can help to have someone from outside facilitate the discussion. If so, I would love to help! Email me at Kim@Athena-CoCo.com to learn more. Let’s connect!

Kim is a mom, lover of being active and the outdoors,
and helper of nonprofits and small businesses.
kim@athena-coco.com

Autism Vision of Colorado

The mission of Autism Vision of Colorado is to educate the community on autism and autism awareness; and to create a safe place for individuals on the spectrum and their families to meet one another, support one another and advocate within the community. Founded in 2019, this all-volunteer organization provides a variety of services and events. 

Support Groups are a significant means for connecting people, and connecting people to resources. Autism Vision of Colorado facilitates groups for Teens, LGBTQIA+, Artist and Crafters, Care Givers, and more. These groups provide a safe place for vulnerability, exploration, support and education. 

Sharon Starkey is the founder and Board President. Her personal connection of supporting family members on the spectrum drove her to want to help others who are struggling. She wishes that more people understood that Autism is not a bad thing. Through education, awareness and exposure, Autism Vision of Colorado is working to create a community where all people feel safe and welcome. 

Like many organizations, raising money is their biggest challenge. The good news is, you can help! If you would like to support this amazing cause with your time, money or connections, go to their website. They even have opportunities to sign up for the Amazon Smile or King Soopers Community Rewards programs. These businesses offer third party support from your regular spending. It’s a great way to help, for those who cannot give additional time or money right now. 

Here are two upcoming events where you can learn more and have fun:

  • Pokemon Go event ~ May 21st, 10:00 am to noon at Cottonwood Creek Park
  • Autism Vision of Colorado Annual Picnic ~ June 11th, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at Nancy Lewis Park

Watch here for more information.

Where to Look for Prospective Board Members

This recent article talked about the purpose of the Board of Directors in a nonprofit organization. Nonprofit Boards are made up of caring citizens who give of their time, talent and treasure to help make our community a better place. These people sound awesome, right? The challenge lies with where to find them. Any organization that hopes to survive and thrive long term, must find individuals willing to serve, bring them together, and form them into an effective governing body. 

Agencies often want to know where they can find these unicorn-like volunteers. While it’s true that it can be challenging to find these people, it’s not impossible. Twenty-five percent of American adults volunteer their time. And I would argue that we can grow that number simply by asking people and connecting them with meaningful opportunities. 

This article will explore three sources for finding volunteers. Before you start recruiting, there are a few things you will want to have in place: 

  • First, you need to be clear on the expectations you will have of your Board members. It’s hard for volunteers to say yes if they don’t know what will be expected of them. 
  • Second, establish a process for recruiting. Bringing on a new Board member should be similar to dating. You would not ask someone to marry you on the first date. Similarly, you don’t want to invite someone to be on your governance Board if you don’t really know them, and they don’t fully understand you and your organization. 
  • Lastly, be prepared to put your volunteers to work. So many agencies have Board members who come to meetings and listen to everything going on in the operations of the organization. This is not a valuable use of their time! It quickly leads to either disengagement or volunteers taking on work that is outside the scope of what the Board should be focusing on. 

Even though you may have work to do in creating your agency expectations, recruiting process, and board focus; now is a great time to start exploring sources for volunteers. Since recruiting should be a process, not an event – you have time to work on those pieces while you identify and build relationships with prospective Board members. 

Board prospects fall into three tiers: 

    1. People who KNOW, LOVE, and TRUST you
    2. Those who care about strengthening the community
    3. Lucky connections

TIER 1: People who KNOW, LOVE, and TRUST you

In order to register for nonprofit status, an agency must list three Board members on the paperwork. The majority of Founders know very little about what it means to have a Board. Because of this, they usually ask three friends or family members to allow them to list their names on the document. Having not been given expectations, properly recruited, or assigned meaningful work this group usually ends up being ineffective. This whole experience leads Founders to be leery of this first category of prospects. 

Despite the tendency to be cautious of Tier 1 prospects, this is the very best place to look for Board volunteers. That doesn’t necessarily mean that your mom will make a great Board member. What it does mean is that people who understand your work, who care about your cause because they care about you, and who benefit from or partner to deliver your services – are great prospects.

Friends and family may be good prospects if they are passionate about the mission; not just because they are friends and family. Constituents can be great Board prospects because they know first hand the value of your programs. Partnering or referral agencies may have staff who want to more deeply engage in helping with the critical social issue your agency is addressing. 

Below is a list of places to look for Tier 1 prospects. Consider each group and see if you can think of one or two people in each category who you think might be interested in learning more about your agency. 

      • Friends and family 
      • Social groups
      • Church groups
      • Colleagues
      • Former clients
      • Friends or family of clients
      • Organizations who you partner with or who refer to your agency
      • Businesses the agency patronizes

Tier 2: Those who care about strengthening the community

Tier 2 prospects are those who know little to nothing about your organization. However, they are people who are engaged in their community and who actively seek opportunities to get involved and give back. These individuals are the ones who – once inspired – take action to address the issues in their community. 

You can find Tier 2 folks pretty easily. These are the people who are already involved and working to make the community a better place to live, work and play. Every community has multiple places where Tier 2 people hang out. Some of those include: 

      • Service Clubs – ie: Rotary, Kiwanis, Lions Clubs, Jaycees, etc. 
      • Women’s Clubs – cities and towns of any size have some sort of group like this
      • Networking Groups – some are more philanthropic minded than others
      • Young Professionals Groups – our younger generations are very interested in giving back; in addition they often see volunteering as a way to make a name for themselves
      • Community Foundations – the staff at these organization tend to know who is interested in connecting with certain causes
      • Professional Associations – look to the major industries in your community, their professionals will often come together and be looking to get involved
      • Businesses that have a vested interest in your mission and your success
      • Other Nonprofit Volunteers – this isn’t about stealing volunteers, it’s about helping people deepen their impact in their community 

The people you will find through these avenues are excellent prospects for several reasons. They clearly like to be involved. They are often at a point in their career where they have a little more flexibility and freedom to give their time in the community. And these prospects tend to have more discretionary income and influential connections; both valuable assets to bring onto your Board. 

Scheduling a meeting with your Chamber Director or your Nonprofit Business Librarian can help you determine which groups exist in your community and which would be the best ones to start with. Google can also help you see what’s available in your area. Once you have some sources, reach out to them. Get yourself invited. See if you can speak to their group. Work on nurturing these groups into friends of your organization. The people who show the most interest in your work should be added to your Board prospect list. 

Tier 3: Lucky connections

The third tier of prospects come from broadcasting your needs and seeing who responds. Very good Board members can come out of this category, but it’s more a matter of luck than of strategy. Here are some options for attracting Tier 3 prospects:

      • Online matching sites – Board Source, www.boardmemberconnect.com, BoardnetUSA, Bridgespan, Idealist.org, Volunteer Match, Tap Root, LinkedIn Board Connect
      • Flyers – coffee shops, grocery stores, in-house, library, local gathering spots, businesses that promote employee volunteerism 
      • Social Media – agency’s pages, groups, ads 

Tier 3 is the easiest way to try and attract Board prospects, but also the least effective. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t explore these options. It simply means that this is where you should spend the least amount of time and resources. 

Recruiting Board members starts with relationship building. It involves doing the hard work of getting out, sharing your passion, and connecting people to your cause. Ensuring that the organization survives and thrives long after the founder has retired requires a strong Board of Directors built on healthy relationships. Use these sources to start building your list of Board prospects. 

If your agency needs help identifying, recruiting and empowering effective Board members, I would love to help! Email me at Kim@Athena-CoCo.com to learn more. Let’s connect!

Kim Stewart

Kim is a mom, lover of being active and the outdoors,
and helper of nonprofits and small businesses.
kim@athena-coco.com

Mission Monday ~ Cool Science

Cool Science is all about making science – actually Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math (STEAM) – cool for kids; just like sports, music and art!  They do this by traveling throughout Colorado, bringing their unique blend of cool demonstration shows and hands-on STEAM activities to elementaries, middle schools, and libraries. 

Driven by a desire for community involvement, this nonprofit organization was started in 2002 by an Intel employee. As leadership and partnerships have changed, Cool Science has evolved. Currently a staff of 1-2 run the operations, engaging many volunteers in program delivery. Programming includes demonstration shows, hands-on labs, and science nights/STEAM nights at over 200 schools and libraries per year. The hallmark event for this agency is the Colorado Springs Cool Science Festival. This 9-day event takes place in the fall attracting over 15,000 participants with more than 70 activities for all ages. 

What differentiates Cool Science from many other groups is that their leaders and key volunteers are actual scientists, engineers, and educators. These professionals give of their time because they know the value of exposing children to STEAM education. Improving creativity, collaboration, problem solving, and confidence are just a few of the benefits. Best of all, Cool Science programming is provided at a very low cost or free. Schools are never turned away because of an inability to pay.

Marc Straub has led Cool Science as the Executive Director since 2015. Even though they have been doing this important work for over 20-years, Marc still doesn’t feel like people really know much about them. As an agency working to develop our future leaders, they would like to expand the awareness of Cool Science. 

Increased visibility would help with their biggest challenge of volunteer recruitment. Cool Science is always seeking “science confident” volunteers who enjoy interacting with kids to assist with program delivery. In addition, they are currently looking to grow their Board. Skills that would help advance their cause include public relations, communications, marketing, and event planning. To learn more or get involved click here or email Marc directly.

What is a Nonprofit Anyway?

In my thirty-years of experience leading nonprofit organizations, I have heard a lot of interesting questions. In my early years of nonprofit work, I had similar questions. A recent conversation with a friend made me realize that these questions might be more common than I had realized. So I thought I would share the answers to these three common questions:

What makes a nonprofit a nonprofit?

Who owns a nonprofit?

What’s the point of a Board?

What makes a nonprofit a nonprofit?

On the surface, the word “nonprofit” seems to tell you exactly what it is. However, the name is a bit misleading. Nonprofit organizations can, and often do, produce a profit through their operations. And that is perfectly fine. 

The difference between a nonprofit and a for-profit is that when a for-profit organization makes money, someone or multiple people make a profit. When a nonprofit organization produces a surplus, those funds go back into the organization. The reinvestment can be in the form of equipment, staff training, investments, and more.

Nonprofit organizations exist for purposes other than generating revenue. Their purpose is to address a critical social need and contribute to the greater good of the community, region, world, etc. To be clear, a nonprofit is a business. As such, they must function like one. Nonprofits must pay their bills, follow employment laws, and manage their finances; just like a for-profit. 

Since nonprofits exist to make the world a better place, the IRS rewards them with a tax exempt status. That is the deal that is made when a nonprofit is formed. The organization works to improve the world and the IRS gives them tax relief.

Who owns a nonprofit? 

This is probably the most confusing part of nonprofits for people to grasp. The short answer is that no one owns a nonprofit. Not the founder, not the Executive Director, and no one on the Board. 

That being said, it’s okay to think of the community, or the constituents served by the organization, as the “owners”. These are the people the organization benefits. Not through profit, rather with programs, services, and products. 

An organization that works to reduce poverty serves the whole community. The community can be considered the “owners” of that agency. A nonprofit that provides hygiene products to girls in third world countries, serves a smaller subset of the community, their constituents are the girls they support. Those girls could be considered the “owners”. 

A for-profit business is led by the owner(s). That is who makes decisions about how the business is run. However, an organization cannot possibly be led by an entire community. Same goes for girls on the other side of the world, it’s not feasible for them to provide organizational oversight. So that’s where the Board comes in!

What’s the point of a Board?

Since an entire community or constituency cannot lead an organization, a Board of Directors exists to represent the community/constituency. The Board is a select group of volunteers – always volunteers. Their role is to lead and make decisions in the best interest of the constituents. 

The Board of Directors is responsible for setting the mission, vision and strategic direction. Simply put, these are the promises the agency makes to their constituents. It’s the Board’s role to ensure that the organization has the human and financial resources needed to fulfill the promises made. Additionally, the Board ensures the organization meets all of their fiscal and legal requirements. 

Founders and Executive Directors can sometimes question the need for Board members. They often minimize the importance or the value of a Board. Sometimes engaging volunteers in the leadership of the organization can seem like just one more thing on a long list of expectations. I’m here to tell you, not only is a Board required, it may be the most important component of a nonprofit organization. 

A Board of Directors engages regular people in the community and activates them to make their world a better place. And really, that’s the point. In addition to engaging Board volunteers, best practices drive the Board to engage even more people with their cause through storytelling, fundraising, events, committees, volunteerism, and sponsorships. A crucial and valuable role of nonprofits is to activate community members in the work of making their community great.

Are you looking to get engaged in your community? I know a LOT of nonprofit organizations and could help you get connected and involved with a cause you are passionate about. Want to explore how to create an effective and impactful Board of Directors? I would love to help! Email me at Kim@Athena-CoCo.com to learn more. Let’s connect!

Kim Stewart

Kim is a mom, lover of being active and the outdoors,
and helper of nonprofits and small businesses.
kim@athena-coco.com 

Mission Monday – Pikes Peak Children’s Museum

I met Nohea March when she spoke at the Colorado Springs 1 Million Cups several weeks ago. Her enthusiasm for helping children to learn through play was contagious! After hearing her speak I knew I wanted to get out to see our Pikes Peak Children’s Museum.

Located on the southeast side of the city, their current space of around 3,000 square feet is packed full of experiential learning opportunities! Having opened in April of 2021, the facility includes rooms for space exploration, coding, farm-to-fork, simple machines, healthy communities, and creative arts. The exhibits change regularly, and there is even room for birthday parties.

This museum represents a huge expansion from the mobile museum they operated in the community for the past 16 years. However, Nohea and her Board see this location as a transitional space. Their vision is to secure a larger facility and create a full museum, while maintaining their presence on the southeast side of Colorado Springs. So while they now have a legitimate location, it doesn’t mean their need for funding or volunteers has gone away. Donations help ensure quality exhibits, support operational costs, and will go towards funding for the new space.
The Children’s Museum is a fully volunteer led and run organization. Currently they have volunteer positions open for grant writers, event coordinators, and class instructors. They are also working to grow their Board of Directors, with interest in bringing on governance volunteers with expertise in law, finance, and technology. To get involved as a volunteer, donor, or if you have a potential space for the Museum, please reach out to Nohea at nohea@pikespeakchildrensmuseum.org. You can also learn more about this community gem by visiting their website.
Get out and play!

Mission Monday – Wholly Kicks

There are many agencies dedicated to helping the economically challenged and housing insecure. The thing that sets Wholly Kicks apart is their dedication to walking with their clients. They see them as equals, because many of the leaders at Wholly Kicks have been in the same place at some point in their lives.

On the surface Wholly Kicks is about getting new shoes to people who cannot afford them. And they have done this very well! Over the past couple of years they have given out over 5,200 pairs of shoes. More importantly than the shoes, they have become an organization dedicated to relationships. By providing love and support, Wholly Kicks has developed a highly diverse leadership team from the people they have helped. These folks are uniquely positioned to meet clients where they are and provide compassion and dignity.

Tyg Taylor is the Founder and Executive Director of Wholly Kicks. He is passionate about walking with and alongside those in challenging situations by providing a few basic items for everyday life. In addition, he is committed to delivering support and compassion to empower others to consider a life that is deserving to be felt whole. Tyg wishes that more people knew about Wholly Kicks, but he also wants people to know that there is a story behind every person who receives shoes. Shoes are A thing, not THE thing.

You can connect with Wholly Kicks through their Facebook page or on Instragram. Tyg is always looking for volunteers and could especially use Spanish speakers at many of their distribution events. You can also get involved by making a monetary donation or a donation of new shoes. Learn how here or reach out to tyg@whollykicks.org.