Workshops and Trainings
Below is a list of workshops, resources, and networks for nonprofit staff and board members on Orcas Island.
Upcoming OICF Workshops
Fundraising for Boards and Volunteers: Bring Your Fundraising into Focus
Registration: This free workshop is open to nonprofit board members and other volunteers focused on fundraising, nonprofit development staff, and executive directors. Lunch will be provided. Space is limited – advance registration required.
Board- and volunteer-driven fundraising remains one of the most persistent challenges for nonprofits, especially in small, interconnected communities where the same donors and volunteers are asked to show up again and again. This workshop brings board members, volunteers, and staff together to clarify what effective fundraising looks like today and how to align expectations with how people actually want to engage.
We will explore the evolving role of boards and volunteers in fundraising, focusing on practical, realistic approaches that reduce burnout and avoid duplicating efforts. Participants will examine how to engage board members and volunteers in ways that match their skills, networks, and capacity. We will also look at how to sustain our community’s culture of giving and cultivate the next generation and newcomers to be join up as volunteers and donors.
Grounded in examples from rural and island communities, this session will help you assess your current fundraising approach, identify where efforts may be out of focus, and define clear, actionable next steps. Whether you are refining board and volunteer roles or strengthening your overall fundraising strategy, you will leave with tools to bring greater clarity, alignment, and effectiveness to your work.
Presenter:
Julie Bianchi, CFRE (she/her)
Campaign Practice Director, Cloudbreak Collective
Julie Bianchi believes the sweet spot between big-picture thinking and the details is where successful fundraising strategy is born. Her experience in fundraising, programs, finance, and board leadership over the past decade is the underpinning for her practical consulting style. She is a writer by trade and specializes in helping organizations build their case for support. Julie leans on generative questions with her clients and students to help reveal new paths forward to long-term fundraising success. Julie has worked with more than 40 organizations across the country and has significant campaign experience, with goals ranging from $1 million to $300 million. She is a founding-Board member for the Advancement Northwest Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP). Julie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with a minor in Business Administration from Santa Clara University and a Master of Arts in Nonprofit Leadership from Seattle University. She is a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE), earned a Certificate in Fundraising Management from the University of Washington, and currently teaches as adjunct faculty in the nonprofit programs at Seattle University and University of Washington.
SAVE THE DATE:
Beyond the Echo Chamber: Strengthening Civic Culture on Orcas
National Nonprofit Day Program, Featuring Eric Liu
Monday, August 17, 3:00 – 5:00 pm
Emmanuel Church Parish Hall
Eric Liu is the co-founder and CEO of Citizen University. He is the author of numerous acclaimed books, including most recently Become America: Civic Sermons on Love, Responsibility, and Democracy — a New York Times New & Notable Book — and Live Like a Citizen: 8 Ways to Change Your Mindset and Our Country, to be published in October 2026. Liu served as a White House speechwriter for President Bill Clinton and as the President’s deputy domestic policy adviser. He was later appointed by President Barack Obama to the board of the Corporation for National and Community Service. A graduate of Yale College and Harvard Law School, Liu was elected in 2020 to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and co-chairs its Our Common Purpose commission. He lives in Seattle, where he has served on the boards of the Seattle Public Library and the Washington State Board of Education.
More details and RSVP form coming soon!
Introduction to Board Service: Typically held annually each fall. This free workshop covers basic board responsibilities, effective practices, and how to find the right board for you to serve on. Stay tuned for more details!
Regional Networks and Training Resources
- AFP Advancement Northwest
- Nonprofit Association of Washington
- Philanthropy Northwest
- Puget Sound Grantwriters Association
- Washington Planned Giving Council
- Nonprofit Ready