Calling All Leadership Volunteers!
Do you serve on a nonprofit Board of Directors, or would you like to?
Do you have questions about what is expected of you?
The City of Bloomington Volunteer Network is pleased to announce the launch of the Nonprofit Board Certificate Program. This certificate will be offered to individuals who complete a ½ day seminar consisting of four one-hour sessions. These sessions cover the regulations, legal responsibilities, financial and fundraising obligations, and ongoing activities involved in serving as a member of the Board of Directors of a nonprofit organization in Indiana. Each of the four sessions includes opportunities for discussion as well as hands-on workshop activities.
Nonprofit Board Certificate Program
Date: Thursday, Oct. 20 from 1-5 p.m.
Cost: $25 per person
Location: Council Chambers of City Hall (8th and Morton St. Bloomington)
To register: Go to www.bloomington.in.gov/volunteer
Mail payment to: City of Bloomington Volunteer Network PO Box 100 Bloomington IN 47402
If you have questions or need an invoice: Contact Bet Savich, Director, City of Bloomington Volunteer Network at 812-349-3472 or volunteer@bloomington.in.gov
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Benefits to businesses of their employees joining nonprofit boards:
- Nonprofit boards provide a learning environment to cultivate leaders, including the ability to think and act more strategically. These skills will transfer back to your work place.
- your business or corporation’s name will be extended out into the community through professional networking
- employee morale, retention and recruitment will be enhanced by the opportunity for board service
- your employees will contribute critical business expertise to a local nonprofit organization which also contributes to both the quality of life and the economy. These skills include finance, mergers, public relations, human resources, law, real estate, accounting, and other core areas.
- In addition to the practical skills which your employees contribute, they will also focus their time and attention on the organization’s mission and vision, and how to achieve it. This will carry over to their thinking about your business.
The Volunteer Network’s Purpose in bringing this training to the community:
- To provide individuals from businesses, from the professions, and from the general community who currently serve or are considering serving as volunteer members of a nonprofit board of directors with a strong grounding in the roles and responsibilities involved with such service.
- To provide interested nonprofit organizations with an excellent resource for potential new volunteer board members – individuals that have demonstrated interest in nonprofit board service as well as the knowledge needed to be an effective board member
- To strengthen and transform the Monroe County nonprofit landscape by elevating the performance of its governance teams.
The program will answer questions such as:
- How do I find out what will be expected of me?
- What should I expect from the organization?
- What are my financial and legal responsibilities?
- What authority do I have – and do others have?
- Will I have to raise money? If so, how do I go about it?
- What questions should I be asking if I’m asked to serve on a nonprofit’s board?
- How can I make a significant and positive impact on the organization – and on our community?
Requirements:
- Completion of the four hour Nonprofit Board Certificate Program
- Completion of an “Areas of Nonprofit Board Interest” questionnaire (given during final session)
Each individual who completes the program may opt to be included on a list available to organizations which are actively seeking board members. After 12 months, individuals who wish to continue to be listed must participate in a free one-hour workshop which provides updated information on nonprofit regulations, the opportunity to share board experiences and the opportunity to update your questionnaire.
This program is supported by the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Bloomington Monroe County Alumni Association, NonProfit Alliance of Monroe County, and United Way of Monroe County.
Elizabeth D. Savich, Director
City of Bloomington Volunteer Network
volunteer@bloomington.in.gov
Help us grow the collective voice of business! The Big Invite!
The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce its new initiative to grow the voice of business in our community — The Big INvite!
Believing that members are the foundation of our organization, The Chamber is looking to strengthen that foundation and increase the collective voice of business with this important membership initiative. The event will be held on Tuesday, June 28th at the Clubhouse at Cedarview Management’s “10th & College” Building.
Volunteers representing a cross-section of Chamber member businesses are expected to participate in The Big INvite, working on the premise that a phone call from a friend or colleague regarding Chamber membership is the best testimonial possible. More than 120 Chamber member volunteers will participate in the day’s activities that will include refreshments and friendly competition among the various teams of volunteers.
“The Chamber is a membership organization and many businesses believe they have to be invited to become a Chamber member. While this isn’t the case, an invitation to join from a friend or professional colleague is a wonderful way to become involved,” said Mary Jo Orlowski, account executive with The Chamber.
An “After Party” is planned for the volunteers and will be held immediately following the event at Grazie! Italian Eatery from 4:30-6:30pm with hors d’oeuvres, wine & beer provided.
Interested in being part of The Big Invite! Want to encourage your peers, business associates, etc. to join the Bloomington Chamber to grow our voice in the community, provide more services for all members and expand our community’s business network? Sign up to volunteer from either 8-11am or 1-4pm to compete for bragging rights and be a part of this important Chamber initiative!
Contact Mary Jo Orlowski at morlowski@chamberbloomington.org or 336-6381 to get INvolved in The Big INvite!
Exciting Times at The Chamber
What a crazy last couple of weeks. Of course I broke my New Year’s resolution to blog every week the second week of 2011… At least I’m jumping back on the horse and trying again this week.
It has been a bit of a whirlwind these past couple of weeks as The Chamber hosted the first Women Excel Bloomington luncheon of 2011 on Tuesday, January 18, there was a snow storm later that week that delayed the hYPe Launch, but we were finally able to have the launch event on Monday, January 24. Last week we also had the first Business After Hours of 2011 at the Monroe County Building Association Home Show the evening of January 27, and an ABC: About Business Connections that focused on credit card processing with Infintech on Friday, January 28. This week, we host our first Healthy Business Bloomington Breakfast of 2011 on Wednesday, February 2, another ABC on February 8, and the first hYPe professional development event on February 9. Then, on February 23, we host the first BizLink event of the New Year focusing on website optimization.
Whew, just typing all of those events made my fingers tired, but we think it is important to offer a variety of different events so that all business, small and large, for-profit and not-for-profit all benefit from their Chamber membership. We also encourage non-members to attend many of our events, get a feel for what we are all about, and explore the many benefits that come with Chamber membership.
Do you have a suggestion for a new event or ideas to make current events better? We want feedback from you so that we are meeting our member’s needs. If there is something we are not doing, or something we could do better please let us know so that we can discuss as a staff your suggestion and possibly make changes to improve our service.
Chamber to Debut New Young Professionals Program
The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce the creation of “hYPe: Helping Young Professionals Excel,” a new program for young professionals between the ages of 21 and 40 in Bloomington, Indiana. Slated as one of The Chamber’s new programs for 2011, hYPe will facilitate professional and personal development while encouraging networking for young professionals who live, learn, work, or play in Bloomington.
“As a community, Bloomington has taken positive steps to define and nurture business growth opportunities, and we see hYPe as a great way to help retain the immense talent that our local universities and organizations produce,” says Christy Gillenwater, President and CEO of The Chamber. “By connecting our young professionals to others and providing paths to continued professional development, The Chamber is actively creating our next generation of leaders.”
The hYPe program officially launches on January 20, 2011 with a special kick-off event at KRC Catering and Banquets from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The event is free and is open to individuals between the ages of 21 and 40 years old.
The event will feature networking activities and a special presentation by Scott Wise, founder and owner of Scotty’s Brewhouse, who will discuss being a young entrepreneur and share business advice with attendees. Steve Bryant, Executive Director of the Gayle and Bill Cook Center for Entrepreneurship at Ivy Tech Community College in Bloomington, will emcee the evening’s activities. Hors d’oeuvers will be served throughout the event and a cash bar will be available.
“The Chamber plans to hold future hYPe events on the second Wednesday of every month,” explains Gillenwater. “Events will alternate focus on professional development and personal development, and all of them will include ample time to network and meet other young professionals in Bloomington.”
The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce extends its thanks to professional development series sponsor Solution Tree, and event sponsor KRC Catering and Banquets for their generous support of this new initiative. More sponsorship opportunities are still available for this year’s calendar of events. Contact DeJohn Rose at drose@chamberbloomington.org or (812) 336-6381 for more information.
To register to attend the first event visit http://tinyurl.com/hYPeLaunch, or sign up to be added to the mailing list by filling out a participant information sheet and returning it to hype@chamberbloomington.org. You can also find more information about hYPe on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/hYPeBTOWN, or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/hYPeBloomington.
The Combine: Bringing Great Minds to Bloomington
When I opened up my Twitter feed one day and had a message from @TheCombineorg suggesting that I blog about them, I wasn’t sure how to react. I had no idea what The Combine was. So I tweeted them back, and asked for some details. They sent back their website, and as soon as I got through the front page I was impressed. According to their website, “The Combine is a display of talent, entrepreneurship and innovation. It’s an event about tech, specifically the people, ideas and environments that drive technology.” Impressive right?
As I dug deeper I saw a talented roster of speakers and entertainment for the event, September 9-12. Some people, such as Sloane Berrent, I had never heard of, while others, such as Michael Ian Black and Michael Showalter, I recognized from one of my favorite movies, Wet Hot American Summer. Read more
Celebrate Better Business, Better Community with The Chamber
The first two quarters of 2010 were busy months for The Chamber. Several important issues and events demanded the attention and energy of The Chamber staff, its Board of Directors and Chamber volunteers. Now, as we slide into the early days of summer, the hectic pace has slowed (just a bit) and allows time to reflect on what’s ahead. One event we look forward to each year is The Chamber’s Annual Meeting.
In addition to commemorating The Chamber’s 95th Anniversary at the Annual Meeting in September, we will celebrate better business and better community through the 13 various awards honoring businesses, organizations and individuals who have demonstrated high levels of involvement, business, and community leadership.
The Chamber asks you to take time and reflect on which organizations, businesses, and individuals should be honored and invites you to submit a nomination for a deserving person or organization. Have you had the privilege of working with a business or individual that provides exceptional service in an ethical and socially responsible manner? Do you know someone that models the way for others or is a community inspiration? With 13 different award categories open for nominations, you have the opportunity to let others know of these wonderful examples of excellence by nominating them for a 2010 Chamber & Community Award. Read more
Chamber Events a Great Way to Get Involved
The summer months are traditionally a time of life slowing down for a while, especially for those whose lives are ruled by the academic calendar. The kids are home and, most likely, suffering from various levels of boredom. The parents, though still occupied with their regular jobs, have a reprieve from shuttling children to and from their many activities. In addition, the hot temperatures and high humidity cause a certain amount of lethargy in most individuals, causing a natural slowdown in scheduling.
Despite the heat, we at The Chamber are not slowing down with our many events. Our Golf Scramble was held on June 16, followed by the June Business After Hours, both held at the Bloomington Country Club. Read more