Check back for sign-up details for the next cohort in Fall 2025.
Ready to Take a Seat in the Boardroom?
Of nonprofit board chairs, only 6% identified as Black, 5% identified as Latino and 2% identified as Asian or Pacific Islander, according to a recent study by Board Source. This lack of representation on boards and board leadership poses challenges in the work that nonprofits do and for their influence in the communities they serve. To achieve racial equity in our community, we must change who is at the table. For over 31 years now, United Way has been doing something to change that.
Project LEAD—Leadership Effectiveness and Diversity—is a nonprofit board training program open to skilled, passionate, and equity-centered Black, Indigenous, and other people of color. It empowers them to take the first step toward board leadership.
Our 1,200+ Project LEAD graduates are a testament to our community’s commitment to service and diversity. It’s crucial that we take a stand to make sure our community’s boards are representative of the communities they serve and that all voices have an equal seat at the table. You can be a part of that change.
For more information, email projectlead@uwkc.org
2025 Class Schedule
Date/Time/Location | Topics | Speakers |
---|---|---|
Wednesday, March 5, 2025 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Location: Fourth & Madison | Issues Facing Nonprofit Organizations/ Program Orientation | Stephan Blanford – Children’s Alliance Regina Malveaux and Kayce Richardson – United Way of King County |
Saturday, March 8, 2025 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Location: Fourth & Madison | Board Operations and Protocol (8:30-12) & Collaboration and Conflict Resolution (12:30-4:30) | Latashia Treise & Anh Vo – Collective Leadership |
Wednesday, March 12, 2025 6:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Location: Fourth & Madison | Stand by Your Mission: The Board’s Role in Advocacy | Paola Maranan – ArcBend Consulting |
Saturday, March 15, 2025 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Location: Fourth & Madison | Fiscal Management: What Board Members Must Know (8:30-12) & Strategic Fundraising with a Racial Equity Lens (12:30-4:30) | Kari Moore – Accountability Services & Parisa Zahoori – UWKC |
Wednesday, March 19, 2025 6:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Location: Fourth & Madison | Managing Risk: The Legal Implications of Board Service | Jeffery Liang – Ling and Liang PPLC |
Saturday, March 22, 2025 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Location: Fourth & Madison | Building the Airplane as You Fly it: Creating Bold Strategy in Your Organization (8:30-12) & Equity Leadership ~ How to Get your Board to Do the Right Thing (12:30-4:30) | Sam Hampton – ED of the Social Justice Film Institute & Shomari Jones – Bellevue School District & UWKC Board Member |
Wednesday, March 26, 2025 6:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Location: Fourth & Madison | Making the Connection: Learning from Experience | Damien Sevilla – First Western Properties |
TBD 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Location: TBD | Board Networking Fair | TBD |
TBD 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Location: TBD | Graduation | TBD |
How It Works
During this month-long intensive training, participants show up ready to listen, learn and participate. The program concludes with a graduation ceremony and board networking event, where graduates can meet representatives of nonprofit organizations that are seeking new members for their boards. Training sessions are held on nights and weekends and include topics like:
- Issues facing nonprofit organizations
- Board operations and protocol
- Collaboration and conflict resolution
- Fiscal management
- Strategic fundraising with a racial equity lens
- Creating bold organizational strategies
- Managing legal risk
- Equity leadership
Partner With Us On Project LEAD
By partnering with us, you will be investing in working toward a better, more racially equitable future for our community and signaling to others that your organization is committed to supporting more equal leadership opportunities.
Thanks to Our Sponsors: