Volume One Number Seven

Earlybird registration deadline: March 10

Agility: Leading Nimble Nonprofits

Jan Masaoka of CompassPoint will keynote the 10th Annual Nonprofit Leadership Conference on April 1, 2004, at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue.  Nonprofit experts and leaders from our area will lead discussions and present sessions during the day. The complete schedule and other information is online at http://depts.washington.edu/nonprof.

Discount earlybird registration is available until March 10.  Members of The Evergreen State Society are offered a further discount, plus registering online at http://www.acteva.com/go/nonprofit saves another $5.

Help us publicize the conference--

Please email the announcement to colleagues who will be interested. The conference brochure as a .pdf fille is available to print out as well. There's also letter-sized announcement in .pdf format online you can post to spread the word.  Thanks!

Professional Query

Can by-laws override the Revised Code of Washington

If a non-profit's bylaws give fiscal responsibilities to a committee that does not include board members, do those bylaws supersede the RCW (Revised Code of Washington)? If the committee makes fiscal decisions that are not in the best interests of the organization, does the board have the legal right to overturn those decisions and set sound fiscal policies?

–A Washington State Non-Profit

In this case, state law would definitely trump the organization's bylaws, says Judy Andrews, an attorney with Gottlieb, Fisher & Andrews in Seattle. There are certain powers of the board that cannot be delegated, including those that involve fiscal authority.…

[[[Read more of this response by Judy Andrews...click here]]]

News about Nonprofits and Their Work

An informal gathering called Nonprofits After Hours is scheduled in Tacoma for the 4th of March and the first Thursday of each month from then on. Registration is invited online at http://www.npcenter.org, but it's not required; by February 29, 70 people had already signed up.

The Nonprofit Center will also offer the Grantsmanship Center's highly regarded training in Tacoma, March 22-26.

SB 6188 -- permitting nonprofits to do some corporate business online (see December Observing Nonprofits for details)  -- passed the Senate unanimously.  The House must take it up by March 5th for it to become law in this legislative session.

The Municipal League of King County is seeking nominations for the 2004 Civic Awards up until March 12.  Details are on the website -- http://www.munileague.org.

Clark College and the Volunteer Center have scheduled a career fair for Friday, March 19, at the college in Vancouver

Larry Hanson has been appointed interim president of the United Way of Snohomish County, replacing Brent Stewart who left to become president of the  Portland, OR, United Way. Hanson is retired after 45 years with the Herald, where he was president and publisher for 18 years. 

Rose Lincoln of Safeco's community relations department will become Executive Director of The Greater Tacoma Community Foundation. She replaces Margy McGroarty who was at the foundation for 21 years.  

President and CEO Wendy Ceccherelli of the Seattle consulting outfit Non-Profit Resources is leaving Seattle to accept a new position in Tampa, Florida. Before starting her consulting practice, she headed the staff of the Seattle Arts Commission.