Photo: The work of St. Benedict Health and Healing Ministry relies on a collaboration of volunteers (Carol Green, RN, left); grantors and clinic host sites (Chris Braudaway-Bauman, Sr. Minister, First Congregational Church); board members (Rev. Michael Houlik); and staff (Bill Goodwin, Director, right).
For Bill Goodwin, Executive Director of St. Benedict Health and Healing Ministry – which provides community outreach and healthcare to un- and underinsured people in Boulder County, emphasizing prevention – SVP’s Invested Leaders program was an ideal fit.
“Realizing I’d have a steep learning curve, I chose nonprofit management as an encore career,” says Goodwin. “My situation is unique in that – besides myself and a contracted grant writer – there are no other paid staff. That requires me to have basic knowledge of just about every aspect of nonprofit management, with all our frontline work done by volunteers.
“In other words, I wear many hats, and Invested Leaders really helped me gain perspective.”
Indeed, the long-running program of SVP Boulder County – designed for nonprofit executives – provides a confidential, safe environment to ask questions, share useful strategies, explore lessons learned, and brainstorm solutions relying on participants’ collective wisdom.
“The topics covered in the program are as wide-ranging as the experiences of everyone around the table,” Goodwin continues. “A variety of organizational sizes, missions, and histories are represented, and I was able to glean a lot of knowledge from my peers – most of whom are more experienced in the nonprofit sector than I am.
“There were many similarities among us, too, including a shared commitment to become more effective through professional development. Perhaps most interesting and beneficial to me were our discussions about how to remain accountable to our missions.”
Goodwin points out that – for the first time – he had a board to manage, and that Invested Leaders helped him harness board members’ specialized skill-sets in support of the mission of St. Benedict Health and Healing Ministry.
“In the past year, we revisited our mission statement, solidified our values, and got rid of excess verbiage,” he explains. “We all felt good about taking the time to be accountable to our mission, and to better understand how each of us could contribute to fulfilling it.”
Goodwin also found value in the resources provided to Invested Leaders participants. “The pre-session readings are really excellent and thought-provoking, and we were encouraged to consider them with a critical eye,” he says, further noting Invested Leaders’ facilitated discussions as highly beneficial.
He concludes, “Invested Leaders makes clear what’s important, not merely urgent. It’s made me more aware, focused, and intentional.”
To learn more about participating in SVP’s Invested Leaders program, visit https://www.socialventurepartners.org/boulder-county/programs-resources/invested-leaders/ or contact Spencer Downing, Program and Volunteer Officer.
