Building Board Diversitystrives to raise awareness within our nonprofit sector of the positive impact individuals on their boards with different perspectives, different lifestyles, and different experiences bring to the table. It makes a board more productive and enhances creative thinking, innovation, and decision making.
The purpose of Building Board Diversity (BBD) is a three-part initiative.
The first is a focus on the nonprofit community. Gaining a commitment from nonprofit groups to be intentional in their diversity efforts through education, evaluation, and a willingness to restructure the boardroom as needed.
The second is a commitment from local businesses. To be intentional and transparent with community volunteer time and encouragement of board participation. Allowing some of their best talent to step away from the workplace to be engaged with community efforts.
Finally, the community. Creating one space for the community to find and seek out non-profit board opportunities that are connected to their passion. Helping to close the gap on the small list of potential board members that currently exist today.
Building Board Diversity was created by a volunteer task force in the Sangamon County community, which included Raychel McBride, founder of Corporate KIN Diversity Consulting, Forefront, United Way of Central Illinois, and Horace Mann Insurance. As the work of the task force gained commitment additional partners came on board including The Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln, Innovate Springfield, Greater Springfield Chamber of Commerce, and Springfield Black Chamber of Commerce. Through 100% volunteer effort, BBD has created a task force, executed diversity training, and created board survey tools.
October is Women's Small Business Month and there are so many opportunities for female founders to connect, learn, and grow. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity is hosting a series of webinars geared towards women-owned business owners to learn how to utilize national resources through government and the private /public business sector in order to succeed amidst a pandemic.
All in for Women: BIG Webinar - Join Ibie Hart, the women's business development manager, to learn about the Business Interruption Grant Program (BIG). In this webinar, women-owned businesses will learn about eligibility, program details, and the application process. Technical assistance support will also be provided for the last 30 minutes of every session.
The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs are highly competitive programs that encourage domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research and Research and Development (R/R&D) with the potential for commercialization. The MWIN MIDWEST I-CORPS Node is offering free webinars to help individuals become more familiar with SBIR funding and get help navigating the process to encourage and support SBIR submissions.
On October 27, join builders and developers from around the world for keynotes, live sessions, and labs that’ll help you make app development faster and easier.
At CreatorCon 2020 you'll:
Gain valuable insights from ServiceNow leaders and experts.
Learn about new innovations in the Now Platform Paris release.
Connect with all types of builders and developers.
Our STAR members and expert network supporters are so committed to enhancing the entrepreneurial community that they're giving their secrets away in our iSPI Hacks video series. Because Zoom fatigue is REAL, but we all still want to grow together. With iSPI hacks, you can get your learn on when and where you feel like it. #NoJudgements
Stay tuned for email marketing hacks, digital marketing hacks, SEO hacks, and MORE! In the meantime, catch up on all the previous hacks.
The Innovate Springfield Advisory Growth Panel program is available for Innovate Springfield members and qualified entrepreneurs, businesses, and business startups in the Springfield area.
Applications are evaluated on a competitive basis, with a team of expert volunteer advisors providing free strategy and guidance for applications that are accepted. If you're a small business starter in need of strategic guidance, complete our strategy request intake form.
What strategy recipients are saying about the experience: "The growth panel is a powerful tool to get an outside perspective of the current challenges in your business. We received feedback on strategies to grow and immediately took action to create a game plan to move forward."
"This was so much fun and very enlightening. We are excited to put some of the talking points into action. The experts offered great advice."
Innovate Springfield seeks a diverse group of experts, spanning industries and areas of expertise to provide holistic support to those seeking strategy. If you're an expert/leader in your industry and have an interest in volunteering your time to participate in the advisory growth panel, complete our advisor intake form.
What advisors are saying about the experience: "The team of panelists were a powerhouse of information. I think many more businesses could use this kind of information-sharing program."
"We had good interaction between the panelists, and built on each other's remarks, once again proving the positive benefit of a team thinking about the same issues."
In times of economic hardship, small business starters need even more support. We've added to our roster of expert advisors and entrepreneurial champions.
Now is the time to donate new and gently-used coats to help individuals in our community who would otherwise go without a coat in the coming winter months.
Collection sites:
Green Family Stores locations
News Channel 20
Abundant Faith Christian Center (Taylor Ave)
Extreme Blendz Barbershop (White Oaks Mall)
Coat giveaway:
Saturday, November 7 from 10:00 AM-2:00 PM, Community Resource Center, 700 South Livingston, Springfield, IL
The Next 10 (TN10) is a collaborative community engagement effort for the Greater Springfield Area to help define how we take bold steps together for the region’s future. Sponsored by the Community Foundation for the Land of Lincoln, The Next 10 will gather ideas big and small from local citizens (that’s YOU!) over the course of six weeks through a variety of virtual engagement tools and conversations.
The goal is to inspire, challenge, and add context to the desires of the Greater Springfield community as we lay the groundwork for the future, together.
When: EVERY Wednesday from 9:00 AM-10:00 AM
Where: Hybrid in-person @iSPI + in cyberspace
We can't wait to connect and check-in with you on your year-end goals.
MEET THE MEMBERS WHO CALL iSPI HOME
Our community has grown so much this year, and we're so proud of every single starter we have the privilege of serving. Take a quick time-out to cruise cyberspace with us and meet the members who call iSPI home.
As the giving season creeps around the corner, consider giving the gift of a locally sourced item, and supporting the small businesses who make the Springfield community so special.
In Springfield & Sangamon County you’ll find 877 square miles of possibility. From the local businesses rooted here, solid education systems, diverse career opportunities, state-of-the-art healthcare to our rich history and culture, and more -- Thrive in SPI is here to remind you of everything that makes this home.
QUICK READS >> Assistant Professor Sudeep Sharma named the University Scholar at UIS // "Sudeep Sharma, Ph.D., assistant professor of management, marketing and operations at the University of Illinois Springfield, has been named University Scholar for 2020. The award, considered the university system’s highest faculty honor, recognizes outstanding teaching and scholarship." More from UIS
Crain's Chicago's most innovative companies 2020 // “Entire industries have been upended by the coronavirus, while others have received a turbo boost. This year's edition of Crain's Most Innovative Companies is full of examples of businesses that have reinvented themselves—often more than once—to adapt to changes and emerge stronger than ever.” Full list of companies from Crain’s
First-time college-enrollment enrollment drops nationally// “First-time beginning students looking to pursue post-secondary education tumbled this fall, showing a 16.1 percent decrease nationally when compared with last year’s figures, according to recently released data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.” Insight from SSTI
Microsoft’s Global Diversity & Inclusion Report 2020 // Microsoft’s 2020 D&I Report includes its 7th workforce demographics update, new disability representation data, and a section on ways diversity and inclusion informs the company’s pandemic response, work to address racial injustice, and investment in allyship. Read the full report
Here's who won at the 2020 Chicago Innovation Awards// “Chicago Innovation held its 19th annual awards ceremony on Monday night in a virtual broadcast that revealed 23 winners across several categories. CMC Material, Quest, Threekit, Novartis Gene Therapeutics, Horizon Therapeutics and FLEx Lighting each won Chicago Innovation Awards in the main category.” Read the full recap from Chicago Inno
