This informative webinar will guide you through a basic understanding of nonprofit organizations, boards of directors, and nonprofit policies, and will give you insights and suggestions for improving your own structure to meet the needs and challenges of farmers markets and related organizations.  We’ll discuss the joint and separate roles and responsibilities of the board and chief executive and how to move from management to governance.  We will also cover best practices to improve your meetings and move your mission forward with your own group of dedicated volunteers.  Come with questions, invite your board members, and prepare to learn from your presenter and your peers. 

Rosanne Stead

Governance Program Director, Tides Center

Rosanne is currently responsible for training and consultation in governance and board development for the Tides Center, a 501(c)(3) organization providing fiscal sponsorship for over 230 national and international organizations promoting social justice, broadly shared economic opportunity, a robust democratic process and a sustainable environment.  (FoodRoutes and the Women, Food & Agriculture Network are among the Tides Center projects).  During her 20 years of board experience, Rosanne served on nonprofit and for-profit boards, was a city planning commissioner, a capitol city chamber of commerce board member, president of a homeless shelter board, and, as executive director of several nonprofits, managed and developed local and national boards.  In spite of her years of board experience, when Rosanne developed the governance program for Tides Center in 2005, she realized how much she didn’t know!  Using her own experiences, she has offered given seminars, talks, seminars and webinars about lessons learned and best practices to help organizations form strong, well-functioning and effective boards.