Organizational Excellence:
Strengthen Your Boards & Committees and Streamline Strategic Planning

Presented by Shari Pash, Strategic Solutions for Growth

  • September 24 at the Trailside Event Center, Peoria Heights
  • 8:00 am - 9:00 am, Espresso Your Interest Networking Event
  • 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, Workshop with Espresso Bar, Pastries, and Lunch Buffet Included
  • Attendees can come and go throughout the day as needed - see the agenda below



Organizational Excellence Agenda

8:00 am - 9:00 am
Espresso Your Interest 

Join us for a special networking event for skilled professionals and passionate nonprofits. Skip your usual morning grind and join us for this networking event designed to connect skilled volunteers with meaningful opportunities to serve local causes. Our guest speaker, Shari Pash with Strategic Solutions for Growth, will give a short keynote address on the 'Top 10 Questions Every Volunteer and Nonprofit Should Ask Each Other' when starting a new role.  (Please note, nonprofit participation in the Espresso Your Interest networking hour is open to organizations in the Heart of Illinois United Way service area.) 

9:00 am - 10:30 am
Utilizing Strategic Tools to Strengthen Your Board and Committees for Growth

Learn how to intentionally build board and committee membership that reflects your community and supports your mission. Develop clear, measurable expectations for board and committee members while driving organizational success.  


Break and Networking, 10:00 am - 10:30 am

11:00 am - 12:00 pm
Orientation for Impact: Board/Committee Orientation

Establish a strong foundation for new boards through effective orientation sessions that align members with your organization’s mission. We will focus on orientation sessions that provide an opportunity to align new members with the organization’s mission, clarify their roles and responsibilities, and foster a sense of commitment and collaboration from the start.  


Lunch and Networking, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm  

1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Streamlining Strategic Planning to Energize Your Vision

Strategic planning doesn’t have to be a long, uninspiring process. This session reinvents the way nonprofits – by department or organization - can approach strategic planning by emphasizing efficiency and engagement. Highlights include:

  • Preparing for success: learn how to set the stage for a productive and energized planning session
  • Facilitating with purpose: master techniques for running dynamic sessions that captivate participants and result in actionable goals.    
  • Sustaining momentum: explore strategies to keep the vision alive and ensure plans are implemented effectively throughout the year.
  • Participants will leave equipped to lead strategic planning sessions that inspire their teams and focus volunteer energy on achieving measurable outcomes.    



 About Shari Pash In 2010, Shari Pash founded Strategic Solutions for Growth in Grand Rapids, MI, focusing on sustainable volunteer and member growth, as well as Board of Directors strategy sessions. Her innovative approach to volunteer development redefines the recruitment and retention process. With over 30 years of experience, she combines her expertise with her clients to achieve measurable outcomes. Shari teaches courses on Developing Boards and Committees at the US Chamber Institute for Organizational Management and consults with boards nationwide on strategic planning. She is a noted speaker at conferences across the U.S. and Canada.


For more information, email Gina Edwards, VP Marketing and Community Engagement for the Heart of Illinois United Way, at gina.edwards@local.unitedway.org.