APPLETON (NBC 26) — Community leaders say area non-profits need your help now more than ever. Currently, across the Fox Valley, there are more than 70 nonprofit board openings.
According to the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, nonprofits depend on help not just financially, but with volunteers to step into board and committee roles and share talents to help them make a difference.
These openings provide an opportunity for people in the community to continue making that difference.
The Nonprofit Leadership Initiativeis a partnership of Fox Valley-area nonprofits, funders, educational institutions, and businesses dedicated to providing resources needed by effective nonprofit boards and executive leaders. They are a program within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region.
Opportunities available for those boards can be viewed on the Nonprofit Leadership Initiative’s Board Connect Site. Click here to be redirected to the site. The organization describes the site as easy to browse for openings.
You can search by cause to find organizations making an impact in areas you are passionate about. You can also filter by your strengths; there are over 16 skills and interest areas listed. Anything from event planning to opportunities to serve on committees planning golf outings, galas, and run/walks.
"You can search by causes that you're interested from animals, to health care, housing. You can filter the openings by the cause you're interested in and you can also filter by your skills. So if you're a good fundraiser, or good at finance or have a knack for event planning you can also filter that way as well," saiid Annette Look, Nonprofit Leadership Initiative Program Manager.
You can browse the site for free and express interest in an opening, create an account and send a message to the nonprofit. That starts an exploratory conversation to see if there is a good fit. New opportunities are posted regularly, so officials encourage you to check back often to find the best fit for you.
One of those nonprofits that needs help is Soar Fox Cities, Inc. which is dedicated in providing services and programs for those living with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
"Ultimately we're looking for someone to be an advocate in the community for the disability community and that's not walking ahead and leading them but walking right next to them and helping hem also have their own voices," said Erin Schultz-Wege, the executive director for Soar Fox Cities, Inc.
She said it is a collective effort from all those who are passionate in making a difference.
"We work with six local school districts to provide in-school programming but also after school programming and programming throughout the summer," said Shultz-Wege.
