COLLABORATION

Leaders of island nonprofits explore ways to collaborate

Executive directors of a dozen island nonprofits convened on Captiva on Sept. 20, 2022 to discuss ways to better collaborate.

Lisa Riordan, CFI Board Secretary and Chair of the Nonprofit Education Committee, was the event’s master organizer, and longtime Sanibel resident and consultant Josef Reum, PhD, served as facilitator.

Prior to the September event, Mr. Reum distributed questions and interviewed 18 leaders, crafting a report of themes that appeared in the responses. The participants representing the island nonprofit organizations received copies of the report prior to the gathering. The result was an open and thoughtful exchange of ideas with many examples of possible collaborations among the organizations.

Their respective board chairs gathered again April 13, 2023 to complete the high-level brainstorming on how the nonprofit sector could work together more strategically. CFI will continue to engage the nonprofits’ leadership teams through the fall with a series of workshops and educational programs.

CFI helps island partners step up to uniform volunteer management program

Island nonprofits and those who seek to volunteer at them may soon find it easier to pair up as organizations implement the POINT Volunteer Platform.

Sanibel and Captiva nonprofit organizations that partner with the Charitable Foundation of the Islands (CFI) may apply for a grant that would allow them to implement this easy-to-use system at a time when the groups badly need volunteers.

A $10,000 grant from the Lake Michigan Credit Union has made the grants possible. Other organizations may be eligible for grants if there is funding remaining.

Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Foundation (SCCF) is using the platform and brought the idea to the other nonprofits. SCCF Coastal Watch Director Kealy McNeal says both staff and volunteers find it easy to use and it enables them to see opportunities in every department.

Leaders of F.I.S.H. of Sanibel-Captiva plan to integrate the POINT platform into their operations so volunteers are able to find opportunities in a timelier manner.

“We are delighted to be a part of the recovery of our islands in this way,” said Matt Cook, Vice President of Community Relations at Lake Michigan Credit Union. “Some of our staff are residents or frequent visitors to Sanibel and Captiva and look forward to their own volunteer opportunities to help get the Islands back to what they once were.”

View the platform at POINT: All-in-one Volunteer Management Platform and App

“CFI is grateful to Lake Michigan Credit Union for this grant, which will benefit the islands’ nonprofits. There are many advantages for the nonprofits to use the same platform, including ease of use for volunteers as well as cross-marketing for one another’svolunteer needs.”

-Dolly Farrell, CFI Executive Director

Look for these organizations on POINT