NORTHWEST MINNESOTA FOUNDATION OFFERS CUTTING EDGE STRATEGIES WORKSHOP

BEMIDJI, MN—September 16, 2014 -- The Northwest Minnesota Foundation (NMF) is delivering Cutting Edge Strategies for Engaging Volunteers to Meet Mission, a workshop by the Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration (MAVA). Participants will explore strategies developed by MAVA - which address how nonprofits can utilize their volunteer base to meet the high demand for service most agencies are experiencing.

The workshop is designed to help nonprofits chart a new direction to maximize the impact of volunteers, streamline the volunteer program, assess the organization’s readiness to fully engage volunteers and help to align volunteer roles with the organization’s strategic plan and mission.

The session will be offered October 7 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Northwest Minnesota Foundation in Bemidji. There is a $45 fee for the workshop— to register, please visit http://www.nwmf.org, where a link will be available under upcoming events. The deadline to register is October 3.

MAVA’s Mary Quirk and Heather Thormodson will lead the session. Executive Director Mary Quirk has Master’s degrees from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs and University of Minnesota School of Public Health. She manages statewide initiatives to transform volunteer engagement to meet the changing expectations of today’s volunteer workforce. Thormodson serves as a volunteer resources trainer for MAVA, covering topics such as recruitment, retention, supervision, and recognition. She has her M.S. in Experiential Education from Minnesota State University-Mankato and more than 17 years of experience in the volunteer management field.

The workshop is limited to 40 participants. Scholarships are available; please contact Dawn Ganje, dawng@nwmf.org to inquire.

The Northwest Minnesota Foundation invests resources, facilitates collaboration, and promotes philanthropy to make the region a better place to live and work.