club connection which vary from state to state. Another good source of information, says Stonier, is the bimonthly e-newsletter Blue Avocado (blueavocado.org), published by American Nonprofits, a membership association for US 501(c)(3) organizations. Look to other nonprofits in your area as potential resources. Perhaps the head of another organization’s board would be willing to speak about his or her leadership experiences at your GMO’s next board meeting.
Likewise, if your board has some wisdom to share, offer to do so. Toaldo reached out to a new GMO in her region to share her expertise and to help the board access USDF resources. If your GMO board has question or a problem, chances are other organizations have grappled with similar issues. That’s why it makes sense to tap into the pool of existing knowledge, says Toaldo. “Don’t waste your time reinventing the wheel, since there are many resources already available,” she says.
Join TDF’s Family as a Sustaining Partner Your monthly gift of $10, $25, or an amount you choose, is an easy way to make a big impact for your dressage community! “I support TDF because it helps the sport I love at ALL levels. It always surprises me at the end of the year to find that my ‘small’ monthly contribution has added up to a nice donation! It’s a terrific and easy way to participate in the development of our sport!” - Anne Sushko
Give easily and often with a monthly donation. Visit www.dressagefoundation.org and click on “Support” to get started, or call TDF at (402) 434-8585. 34 September 2017 • USDF CONNECTION
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A GMO with sufficient financial resources might consider joining its state nonprofit association (like those affiliated with the National Council of Nonprofits). As a member, the club would be eligible to send board members to relevant workshops, or to engage an expert to facilitate a customized training session. The Oregon Dressage Society, for one, is a member of the Nonprofit Association of Oregon and sent its treasurer to a training session, Stonier says.
Serious About Leadership Training
T
he Oregon Dressage Society (ODS) believes in “empowering leaders on the ground,” according to ODS executive director and Region 6 USDF Group Member Organization Committee representative Corinne Tindal Stonier, of Hillsboro, OR. The organization puts its money where its mouth is by hosting an annual retreat. Leaders from ODS’s 13 chapters gather in late January to learn about the organization’s history as well as management and event planning. Stonier, a paid part-timer who’s held her position since 2004, says the ODS launched the retreats sometime in the 1990s to help share information and provide a support structure to train new club leaders, from directors to committee members and event organizers. “Burnout is an issue,” Stonier says. “People don’t step up if they don’t see something is broken.” Those who attend the retreat tend to be the club’s most successful leaders, according to Stonier. “New blood” stepped up into more senior roles after last year’s retreat and have remained involved over the year, she says.