About this Event
Join Martesha Brown, MBA for a six-week Equity in Board (EIB) Representation certification program focused on advancing belonging and equity on local nonprofit boards.
Dates: Thursdays, February 19, February 26, March 5, March 12, March 19, March 26. Save the Date: Board service fair, public graduation ceremony and networking celebration to be held on Thursday, April 16.
Time: 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm Dinner and networking 5:00 pm, program begins 5:30 pm.
Location: All sessions held at NICNE at NIU Rockford (8500 E State St, Rockford, IL 61108)
Intended Audience: Members of underrepresented communities in board service who are newer to board service or who aspire to build personal leadership capacity to serve on a nonprofit board of directors. This program has an emphasis on members of black and brown communities, but is open to members of all underrepresented communities including BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, people with disabilities, young professionals, and women.
Program Summary: Nonprofit boards are at their strongest when diversity and belonging are prioritized. Full representation allows for authentic engagement and connections with all communities served by the organization. While diversity on boards is at the forefront of many nonprofit organizations, ensuring equity and empowering minority board members is essential to move from inclusion to belonging.
You will assess your skills and passions, hear from community leaders, engage in authentic conversations, and shadow an active nonprofit board of directors to build skills to empower you to serve on high-impact nonprofit boards.
This program is intended to advance and support development of board leadership for those from underrepresented communities, with emphasis on black and brown communities, while bridging connections with nonprofit boards. The EIB program removes barriers and provides opportunities for newer board members or individuals seeking to join a board (now or in the future) by providing a supportive and authentic environment for mentorship and growth.
Each session will be led by Martesha Brown with special guest speakers and industry experts. Program sessions will cover:
- Session 1: Setting Foundations and Finding Your Voice (February 19) Finding your voice begins with understanding your unique value. Identify and refine your skills, talents and passions, and explore ways you can impact the nonprofit sector and the community. This facilitated session will teach you how to seek and select a board that aligns with your talents and passions.
- Session 2: Board Governance, Bylaws and Best Practices (February 26) You will examine research-based best practices for purpose-driven boards and for leading with intent. Learn the basic roles and responsibilities for nonprofit board members, as well as legal duties, bylaws, parliamentary procedure, board culture, and best practices for effective communication.
- Session 3: Evaluating Success and Leadership (March 5) As a board member, you’ll be required to evaluate the success of the organization and the effectiveness of the Executive Director or CEO. You will gain an understanding of the board's role in strategy, goal development, and evaluating the organization and leadership. Additional topics covered will include grant management and reporting, outcomes measurement, and organizational performance.
- Session 4: Fiscal Responsibility (March 12) As stewards of public trust, board members must always act for the good of the organization. The board must be comfortable reading financial statements and audits and understanding the organization’s financial position. You will learn which key questions to ask, what to look for within financial statements, and best practices for fiscal evaluation.
- Session 5: The Board’s Role in Fundraising (March 19) Resource generation is a crucial part of board service. No organization can do its important work without the resources necessary to advance its mission. As a board member, you must understand how to partner with the chief executive and staff to ensure that the organization has the people necessary to do the work, the money to support people, systems and programs, and the connections needed with funders, individuals, electeds, and other organizations to ensure the public trust and impact. The board has the ultimate responsibility to ensure these resources are in place. You will learn about the board's role in fundraising, donor relations, and best practices related to donation solicitation.
- Session 6: Mock Board Meeting and Community Voice in Practice (March 26) Engage in a mock nonprofit board meeting designed to simulate a real boardroom experience. Through assigned roles as board members and community stakeholders, you will work through a case study reflecting real-world organizational challenges. This interactive session allows you to practice using your voice, navigating differing perspectives, and understanding how board decisions impact communities served. The experience will help to reduce intimidation around board service while building confidence, preparedness, and a sense of belonging in board leadership spaces.
Special Program Components and Program Graduation
- Special Components: Board Shadowing Opportunity During the program you will be provided an opportunity to shadow a board to see real boards in action! Martesha will engage you in discussion throughout the program to illustrate how boards operate and how board members participate in governance. Professional Head Shot You will receive a professional headshot photo to use when marketing yourself as a potential board member. Photos will also be used for the graduation ceremony.
- Save the Date: Graduation Ceremony, Board Service Fair, and Networking Celebration (April 16) EIB graduates, the nonprofit community, and community leaders will gather to celebrate your completion of the program! Martesha Brown, Facilitator will share words of inspiration. Pam Clark Reidenbach, President & CEO of NICNE, will help to present you with a certificate of completion. The evening will open with a private board service fair for you to connect with area organizations seeking your professional and personal experiences to add value to their board’s mission. A graduation ceremony follows, and the evening will close with a networking celebration for you to foster professional connections with nonprofit and community to support you as you seek and accept board leadership opportunities. Refreshments will be provided.
Concessions: Meals and refreshments will be provided for all sessions. Please contact us regarding any dietary restrictions.
About Facilitator Martesha Brown, MBA: Martesha is a Rockford native and MBA Graduate of Rockford University with a passion for economic development, strategic planning, marketing, and community engagement. She is the Market President for the Greater Rockford and Belvidere areas for Midland States Bank, with prior leadership roles in economic development, public relations, marketing, and operations for the RACVB, Rockford Park District, and Alpine Bank.
Martesha has volunteered on a variety of boards and committees including Goodwill of Northern Illinois, Think Big, Transform Rockford, Habitat for Humanity, Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, Chairman's Bridge Committee, State of Illinois Governor Pritzker's Capital Development Board, State of Illinois Association of Park Districts, Rebounding Rockford's Covid Recovery committee, RAVE, Leadership Rockford, Coalition of Latino Leaders, and the NAACP. In April of 2021, Martesha was officially elected as the First Black Woman to serve on the Rockford Park District Board of Commissioners in its 112-year history and now sits as the President of the board.
She has been recognized and awarded as one of Rockford's “Forty Under 40”, a Rockford Register Star “people you should know,” is a recipient of the “25 Black Leaders to Watch” by Soul News Network and Inspiring 815, one of Channel 13's 13 Heroes, a Juneteenth Helping Hand Recipient, a YWCA Woman of achievement winner, a 2021 Rockford Chamber of Commerce Community Hero, and was named one of the 2022 Northwest Quarterly's 25 Most Interesting People.
Martesha is a member of NICNE's Professional Services Team, partnering to support nonprofit organizations across the Rockford region. Her business, MB Strategic Solutions, focuses on sharing skills and knowledge developed over her professional career in areas of strategic planning, board development, coaching, leadership development, project management, public relations, engagement planning, goal execution, and operational efficiency.
The Equity in Board (EIB) Representation program is presented by NICNE in partnership with Martesha Brown of MB2 Strategic Solutions.
This program is made possible with funding from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) secured by State Representative Maurice West.
This program is offered following NICNE’s:
- Building Racial Equity and Belonging into Your Board Culture program held in May 2022 and September 2022 facilitated by Dr. Adrienne Coleman and Traci Ellis, JD of Candid Conversations Matter, LLC, which was attended by nearly 100 nonprofit leaders and staff from 50 area organizations;
- DEI Training for Nonprofits series held February through May in 2021, facilitated by Dr. Adrienne Coleman and Traci Ellis, JD of Candid Conversations Matter, LLC, which was attended by nearly 500 leaders and staff from area organizations and watched by more than 3,250 people. Find NICNE’s DEI and Cultural Competency for Nonprofits YouTube playlist here;
- Inaugural Equity in Board Representation Certificate Program and Graduation Ceremony and Networking Reception with Martesha Brown, MBA of MB Strategic Solutions, held in Spring 2023, which empowered 30 individuals with board leadership skills, matched them to nonprofit board appointments for causes which they were passionate about, and celebrated their accomplishments while connecting them to area nonprofit organizations. Presented with support from Friends of Mayor McNamara, Think Big! 815, Inner City Reconstruction Group - Juneteenth 1865, Workplace Staffing, RACVB Go Rockford, and the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois.
- 2024 Equity in Board Representation Program, held in Spring 2024, which empowered 40 individuals with board leadership skills, matched them to nonprofit boards of directors, and celebrated their accomplishments while connecting them to area nonprofit organizations. Presented with support from the Community Foundation of Northern Illinois, NAACP Rockford, Rockford Regional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Eight Fifteen Capital, LLC, and Coalition of Latino Leaders, and partnership with 23 board shadow partner organizations.
About NICNE: The Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence (NICNE) works to promote, model and grow innovation, excellence and social impact. NICNE has been providing capacity building, training, technical assistance and resource support to nonprofit organizations within our region since August 2004. NICNE is the region's primary resource for nonprofit management and leadership development, with a primary focus on organizations in Winnebago and Boone Counties. NICNE strengthens nonprofits and encourages collaboration resulting in a strong, vibrant nonprofit sector critical to a healthy community.
NICNE is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and an affiliate of Northern Illinois University, Division of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development. Learn more at our website, www.niu.edu/nicne/. In 2025 NICNE served nearly 100 member organizations and 3,300 leaders and staff representing more than 250 organizations hailing from 21 regional counties and beyond. We are YOUR center for nonprofit excellence!
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
The Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence (NICNE), Northern Illinois University, Rockford, United States
USD 0.00
