Newsletter - March 2007

Membership information will be available soon!!

The steps to launch the Wisconsin Nonprofits Association are underway.
The Founding Board of Directors met for the first time in early February for board orientation, to get to know each other and the work before them. The Board worked on completing the business plan begun by the Executive Committee which includes further research on the nonprofit sector and other state associations, organizational infrastructure plans, products and services, staffing, budget projections and resource development plans. In the spring of 2007, a charter membership package will be offered to nonprofits statewide. Here’s a taste of the accomplishments achieved by the Executive Committee over the past year:

• An Executive Committee was established to work on developing the business plan and transfer this information and products to the Founding Board of Directors.
• A Technical Assistance grant was awarded to the Executive Committee by the National Council of Nonprofit Associations – the Technical Assistance two-day meeting was held in April 2006.
• A diverse Board of Directors was established and met for the first time February 6-7, 2007
• Board Committees were established and initial members beyond the board have been recruited.
• Updates of the planning process have been mailed to interested nonprofit leaders and funders statewide.
• Ever-expanding listing of interested parties who have requested that their name is added to a list of contacts – up to 300 as of today.
• A Budget plan including a funding plan
• Based on the Feasibility Study, Member products and services were designed. A plan including an implementation process was prepared.
• Some initial partnerships with affinity organizations and businesses have been cultivated.
• A staffing plan was organized and a consultant was hired as project director until such time as the board is in a position to hire permanent staff.
• An initial office location was decided upon.
• A logo chosen.
• An opening website was developed – www.wisconsinnonprofits.org
• Drafts of legal documents have been prepared and are in the process of being completed for appropriate filing.
• Information for the Wisconsin Nonprofits Sector Economic Impact Report was collected and prepared for publication in 2007
• Membership was defined.
• Membership in the National Council of Nonprofit Associations.
• Attendance at the National Council of Nonprofit Associations’ annual conference and the Nonprofit Congress in October 2006.
• Wisconsin Nonprofits Association has been incorporated.

A Huge Thanks... goes out to the members of the Executive Committee who have worked this past year laying the foundation and preparing the infrastructure for the association. We owe a great deal to these women and men who devoted many, many volunteer hours to make this happen!

Heidi L. Fisher
Executive Director, Literacy Volunteers Chippewa Valley, Eau Claire

Elaine Friedman Glowacki
Sole Proprietor
“A Person to Person Business”, Madison

Sheryl Homan
Program Manager
UW Superior, Center for Continuing Education/Extension University of Wisconsin-Superior

Anne Katz
Executive Director
Arts Wisconsin, Madison

Andrew Lewis
Community Development Specialist
Center for Community Economic Development, University of Wisconsin Extension, Madison

Carol N. Maria
President, Wisconsin Business Development Service Corporation, Waukesha

John Palmer Smith, Co-Chair
Executive Director
Helen Bader Institute of Nonprofit Management, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

JoAnn Stormer, Project Co-Leader
Executive Director
Wisconsin Rural Leadership Program, Madison

Jose Vasquez, Co-Chair
Director, BoardStar, Milwaukee

The Founding Board Members gathered for their first board meeting February 6 & 7 in Black River Falls. During this meeting they spent time finalizing plans so that the association can be formally established.

Crystel Anders, Secretary
Executive Director
Community Shares of Wisconsin, Madison

Kris Becker, Vice President
Executive Director
United Way of Greater Eau Claire, Eau Claire

Deborah Blanks, President
Chief Executive Officer
Social Development Commission, Milwaukee

Jeff Brown
Pro Bono Coordinator
State Bar of Wisconsin, Madison

Patricia Draxler
Executive Director
Family Resource Center, St. Croix Valley, Inc., Baldwin

Scott Haumersen
Managing Partner
Wegner LLP, CPAs & Consultants, Madison & Milwaukee

Sheryl Homan
Program Manager
University of Wisconsin-Superior, Superior

Joi Jackson, Treasurer
Director of Administration
Family House Inc., Milwaukee

Tracy Jenks
Executive Director
Big Brother, Big Sisters of Fox Valley Region, Appleton

Anne Katz
Executive Director
Arts Wisconsin, Madison

Ron Kuramoto
Owner/Principal Consultant
Time for Change Consulting, Whitefish Bay

Oscar Mireles
Executive Director
Omega School, Madison

Amy Schultz, Officer At Large
Assistant Executive Director
Girl Scouts of Woodland Council, WI Rapids

John Palmer Smith, Past Chair
Executive Director
Helen Bader Nonprofit Management Institute, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee

Elizabeth Wilcox
Executive Director
Volunteer Center of Washington County, West Bend

Standing L-R:
Jeff Brown, Sheryl Homan, Ron Kuramoto, John Palmer Smith, Tracey Jenks, Scott Haumersen, Amy Schultz, Patricia Draxler, Deborah Blanks, JoAnn Stormer

Sitting L-R:
Joi Jackson, Crystel Anders, Kris Becker, Elizabeth Wilcox, Anne Katz.

Not Pictured: Oscar Mireles

WNA is looking for board committee members

• Board Governance
• Public Policy and Advocacy
• Membership
• Programs and Services

To find out more about being on a WNA committee – contact Elaine Glowacki, elaine@glowacki.org or JoAnn Stormer, joann@wisconsinnonprofits.org .


Did you know? As of the latest research—

• There were a total of 31,000 nonprofits in the Wisconsin, 17,500 of these are registered charitable nonprofits excluding foundations and religious congregations.
• The total assets of reporting charitable nonprofits, excluding Foundations in Wisconsin were $34.9 million.
• Wisconsin is 15th in the nation for the number of nonprofits, yet we are one of a handful of states without a state association of nonprofits.
• Wisconsin is 15th in the nation for the number of people employed by the nonprofit sector.

This report will be released later this year by the Wisconsin Nonprofits Association.