Members of nonprofit boards of directors play important and valuable roles for area organizations such as Anchor House, Child Care Network, Community Provisions of Jackson County and, of course, the Community Foundation of Jackson County.

This month, four area residents joined the foundation board of directors as two veteran members completed their final terms.

Joining the foundation board are Monica Hartung, Vicki Johnson-Poynter, Gary F. Myers and Marvin Veatch. Leaving the board after serving it for 10 years are Jim Johnson and Jim Plump.

The foundation administers more than 140 funds that provide earnings that finance grants and scholarships to programs and high school graduates throughout Jackson County. Members of the board of directors help the foundation in many ways, from sharing our story with the community to participating in the grants and scholarship review processes.

They also help with fundraising, a vital part of every nonprofit organization.

The foundation is partnering this year with the Jackson County United Way and the Greater Seymour Chamber of Commerce to present a four-part seminar aimed at helping local nonprofits, their staffs, their boards and prospective board members better serve our community.

The program is called Board Governance Series: Leading the Change.

The first seminar, which took place in February at the Foundation Conference Center, focused on the role of an effective board. The second, scheduled April 11 at the foundation, tackles fundraising and a board’s role in that process.

Others are set for Aug. 11, What You Should Know Before Joining a Board, and Oct. 6, We’ve Got to Stop Meeting Like This.

June Miller of the Indiana Nonproft Resource Network said participants in the April workshop will gain an understanding of fundraising and will leave understanding that “fundraising is not begging, it is a values exchange.”

Miller is presenting the sessions.

The cost is $15 and includes materials and lunch.

You may register for the sessions online through the Community Calendar at the chamber’s website, seymourchamber.com.

The United Way and the foundation worked the series into our annual budgets this year because of the importance of engaged board members to their agencies and the community. The topics were selected in part because of the number of new executive directors leading area nonprofits, United Way executive director Tonja Couch said.

We encourage our community partners in the nonprofit sector to take advantage of this opportunity. Nearly 30 people — including nonprofit executive directors, staff and board members — attended the opening session in February and we received good feedback from those participants. They found it worthwhile.

And Chamber President Tricia Bechman stresses that the series is aimed at more than nonprofit directors and their staff.

“It’s a great opportunity for business people to learn more about their volunteer opportunities in our community by participating on the boards of area nonprofits, including what their responsibilities might be and what kind of questions they might want to ask,” she said.

Meanwhile, the foundation looks forward to welcoming our new board members — Hartung, Johnson-Pointer, Myers and Veatch. Each will bring their own personalities, expectations and experiences to the Board of Directors along with a shared interest in serving our community.

“I am very invested in this community and I think that being involved with the foundation is a great way to affect positive change in Jackson County,” Hartung said.

This will be the second time on our board for Myers, who was part of the foundation’s original group of directors when the foundation was formed nearly 25 years ago.

His experience with the foundation and continued support of our work offers a good perspective and history to our Board as we look ahead to the next 25 years and beyond.

The foundation and our community partners at the Jackson County United Way and Greater Seymour Chamber of Commerce encourage you to join folks like Hartung, Johnson-Poynter, Myers and Veatch by examining your talents and interests and seeing where you might step in as a board member and volunteer.

Dan Davis is president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Jackson County, 107 Community Drive, Seymour, IN 47274. For information about donating to the foundation, call 812-523-4483 or send an email to [email protected]. The foundation is a nonprofit public charity established in 1992 to serve donors, award grants, and provide leadership to improve Jackson County forever. The foundation may also be found on Facebook at facebook.com/CFJacksonCounty.