Edgewood College to Host Nonprofit Draft Day

Contact: Ed Taylor, Director of Strategic Communications 608-663-2333

Madison, Wis. (Monday, December 11, 2017) – Dane County has more nonprofits than any other county in the state. Many of these local nonprofits have board seats that remain unfilled, despite the fact that Madison has one of the most educated talent pools in the state. On January 20, 2018, Nonprofit Draft Day seeks to fill these open seats through a one-day event linking nonprofit boards to prospective board talent. Dozens of nonprofits have already signed up. Professionals in the Madison-area are invited to register in advance to serve on these boards. Registration is at www.nonprofitdraftday.org.

Kevin Dwyer ’16, MBA ‘17, CEO of HealthConnect.Link, developed the “draft” concept to draw attention to the need. Says Dwyer, “Madison has hundreds of nonprofit agencies, which means thousands of board seats that can often go unfilled. What would happen if these nonprofits could tap into Madison talent, filling their boards the way football teams draft star athletes? Here’s a chance for Madison professionals—people at every level—to gain new skills in team-building, negotiating, problem-solving, and financial management, all while making an impact in our community.”

Nonprofit scouts from American Diabetes Association, Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin, Chrysalis, Family Services Madison, More Smiles, and others, are seeking board members. Positions range in size and scope. Madison-area professionals can explore the board seat descriptions in advance and then meet the nonprofit representatives at Nonprofit Draft Day. The event will follow a “draft” format complete with walk-up songs and draft picks announced on stage.

“A vibrant not-for-profit sector is one of the features that makes greater Madison such a special place, and effective, inclusive governing boards play an important role,” says Scott Flanagan, President of Edgewood College. “We are proud to host this event to connect talented individuals with organizations working to address some of our community’s most pressing needs.”

“A shared interest in advancing the nonprofit’s mission is critical for a successful Board match,” said Melanie Schmidt, president of Timpano Group. “Board members who then share leadership in fulfilling their roles and responsibilities elevate the Board from a legal requirement to a strategic asset.” Schmidt is delighted to lend her decades of experience in building capacity among nonprofit boards to lead a session for the free agents during Draft Day to lay out the playbook for what makes an effective Board member.

“It’s a wonderful way for professionals and others looking to grow their expertise to find organizations looking for new board members. Serving on a board can be a great experience, especially if you can match your skills and expertise to your passion for an issue or organization,” says Alnisa Allgood, Collaboration for Good, Inc. “This is an exciting new approach to addressing what’s long been an issue for many nonprofit organizations.”

Nonprofit Draft Day takes place on Saturday, January 20, 2018 from 9 a.m. to noon, at Edgewood College. The event is free and open to the public. Parking is also free. Professionals or “free agents,” are encouraged to register in advance up to the day of the event; deadline for nonprofit scout registration is Wednesday, January 17, 2018.

Sponsors include Edgewood College, Collaboration for Good, Scott Savage Consulting, Boris Frank Associates, and Wisconsin Mujer. For more information, please visit www.nonprofitdraftday.org or email npdd@healthconnect.link.

About HealthConnect.Link
HealthConnect.Link, creator of Nonprofit Draft Day, is a nonprofit dedicated to creating an online community of free and subsidized health and social services. We help low-income uninsured and underinsured patients access the help they need, from primary care, mental health and dentistry, to emergency housing, food pantries, childcare, transportation and more.

About Edgewood College
Located in Madison, Wis., Edgewood College is a liberal arts Catholic college in the Dominican tradition. We serve approximately 3,000 undergraduate and graduate students at our Monroe Street and Deming Way campuses, and online. The College offers more than 40 academic and professional programs, including master’s degrees in business, education, and nursing, and doctoral degrees in educational leadership and nursing practice. For more information about Edgewood College, please visit www.edgewood.edu, or call Ed Taylor in Marketing & Strategic Communications at 608-663-2333.

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Ed Taylor
Director of Strategic Communications
Edgewood College
1000 Edgewood College Drive
Madison, WI 53711
608-663-2333 (direct)