Excellence & Expertise Task Force

April 5, 2017

 

Commissioners Present: Elizabeth Hite, Nicole Pellenz, Barbara Wentworth, Joe Young

Other members:

Absent: Janice Daku, Meaghan Arzberger, Lisa Laflin, Robert Liscord

Staff: Michael Ashmore

Guests:

 

Minutes:

New Commissioners & Request from the Executive Director

  • BW noted that due to a flurry of activity in the Governor’s Office there have been a number of new appointments. There have been six new appointments and five more in line for a total of 11 new Commissioners that will or could be ready to be sworn in by the April Board meeting.  The Commission ED has asked that E & E prepare a brief presentation at the meeting.  BW asked for a volunteer to work with her on the task and suggested a brief as format to include
    1. Service Enterprise Cards
    2. The 1-page brief on SE in Maine
    3. An explanation of how SE grew out of the strategic planning process
    4. A description by RL of the relationship between the E & E and PIE Task Forces

NP agreed to help BW with this task and BW will reach out to RL to confirm.  MA will print required documents.

Information from LaDawn Stoddard, Exec. Dir. of UServeUtah regarding VGF and Service enterprise model

  • MA shared information he gather during a phone conversation with LeDawn earlier in the week. Among the items of note were Utah’s three-tiered approach:
    1. Basic instruction in Volunteer Management (similar to Maine’s curriculum) but delivered face to face
    2. Training specifically aimed at organizational leadership in nonprofits using volunteers to better incorporate the essential skills of volunteer management
    3. Full Service Enterprise training

A key element in Utah’s model is their partnership with their State Association of Nonprofits who has delegated volunteer management training to the Commission while also providing certification of training success through a credential process that is used by the Association and which is used by funders in determining the quality of nonprofit management.

  • Group noted the value of the intermediate step given the experience trainers were having with SE implementation and the leadership challenges that have arisen.
  • BW noted that there is new leadership at MANP and that this might be a good opportunity to engage them in a discussion of the need for volunteer management training. MA noted the very limited trainings now offered by MANP in this area.  NP said she like the idea of reaching out to assess the receptivity they might have.  BW asked who might be best positioned to arrange a meeting.
  • MA noted that Commission ED had described plans to discuss the idea of certifications for funders with Maine Philanthropy Center. NP noted that it was a good sign that Utah has a approach similar to Maine’s. BW noted that the partnerships in the Utah model were especially important and LH noted that CNCS appreciates this type of public private partnership.

Purpose of Meeting with SE trainers - cost model and statewide structure - April 21 after Commission meeting

  • MA introduced the intent of the schedule meeting with SE Trainers after the upcoming Commission meeting. E & E will present their work on finalizing the SE delivery structure in Maine and the trainer group will present their work on the business model and costs associated with SE training.  Group discussed the timing of the meeting, assessed who will be able to attend and clarified what content would be discussed.

Promotional materials – next steps

  • Group addressed the draft flyer presented at the previous meeting. Members felt that the content, while detailed, was perhaps placed in the wrong format.  Group discussed the intent of the messaging felt that the message is that a continuum of training is available rather than detailed contents and formats of the trainings themselves.  It was also noted that what is critical to organizations is an explanation of how the up-front investments pays off in the end.  What is the concrete return on investment for the various training levels?
  • BW mentioned that a group like Lift360 might be a good vehicle for a workshop or breakfast on the importance of human capital. In particular a nation speaker might be very attractive.  How to encourage participation from those beyond greater Portland would be an important discussion as well.
  • The group returned to the Utah model and discussed where and how the Training for Leadership would occur. Is MANP a potential partner and who has the actual capacity to offer the training.  Utah used VGF funding specifically to hire trainers that increased their capacity to deliver training

Blaine House Conference and/or PIE liaison updates

  • None offered