Just in time for a new school year, UWNEMN is kicking of a new series of no-cost trainings for local volunteers and non-profits with a Board/Booster Boot Camp.
The training, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. August 11 at Minnesota Discovery Center, is open to any volunteer serving on a board of directors, booster, club, or parent-teacher organization serving the Iron Range, Koochiching County, or Lake of the Woods County.
“We know firsthand that volunteers are the heartbeat of our communities,” said UWNEMN Executive Director Erin Shay. “It’s important to us that the volunteers who make so much local programming possible are well-equipped and have all the tools they need to do so.”
The Board/Booster Boot Camp will cover topics including: basic accounting principals, filing 990s, and raffle permitting, among others. Presentations will be given by a representative from the Minnesota Gambling Control Board and Matthew C. Uhan, CPA, Broadway Business Services LLC. Uhan said his goal is to help local volunteers make their respective organizations “well purposed and well managed.”
“Booster clubs and other not for profits have become an increasingly popular way to fund qualified tax-exempt activities that help our local schools and communities,” he added. “While the exempt purpose is important, it's equally as important to know the rules of establishing these entities, governing the day-to-day operations, and also the annual reporting required at the Federal and State levels.”
UWNEMN Volunteer and Engagement Coordinator Emily Unhjem said these rules and regulations are often intimidating for volunteer board and booster club members.
“Most people serving this way don’t have a financial background – but they do have a desire to make our community a better place,” Unhjem said. “With Lead Local they’ll be able to move forward with both the heart and the know-how.”
Registration closes for the upcoming Board/Booster Boot Camp July 30th.