Spokes | Resources for Nonprofits

Empowering nonprofits to achieve their missions.

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Membership Benefits

IMPORTANT!
Spokes is not accepting new memberships at this time.

Ready to Join? Go to Membership

Spokes Membership Has Its Benefits. Look at each membership level to see what membership brings.

Nonprofits come in all sizes and have support teams at all levels of experience. Whether you’re just getting started or are a fully established community resource, Spokes has a membership with just the right benefits for you.

    
Spokes Member BenefitsOrganizationIndividualFirst Gear
Workshop Discounts
Consulting with Nonprofit Industry Experts
Complimentary Workshop Coupons
Foundation Directory Online
Foundation Directory Online Remote Pass
Conference Room
Best Practices in Nonprofit Management video series
Roundtables
MyBoardPacket
Online Resource Library
On-site Resource Library
Standards for Excellence Tool
Medal of Merit Awards
Templates, Resources & Support
OrganizationIndividualFirst Gear
Membership DurationAnnualAnnualSix months
with renewal option
Membership CoverageBoard, Staff, & VolunteersOne personBoard & Volunteers
Membership Cost$300$1251st 6 mos: $100, Renewal: $150

Workshops
Spokes workshops and roundtables provide opportunities for participants to advance their professional and leadership skills. Taught by industry experts, workshop topics include board development and governance, grant-writing, fundraising, volunteer management, financial management, IRS compliance, and more. Workshops are available to everyone, but Spokes members receive discounted rates. Click here for the event calendar.

Roundtables
Spokes’ roundtables are facilitated peer problem-solving and networking opportunities free to Spokes members. Learn more.

Consultations
Members are eligible for specialized consulting services to assist with problem-solving, map a productive plan for the future, and navigate successfully through unexpected challenges – both internally and externally. These low-cost, high-value consultations are available to members’ board of directors, staff, and volunteers. For a full list of consulting topics, click here.

Free Workshop Coupons (a $60+ value)
Organizational members receive two complimentary workshop coupons. Any board member, staff member, or volunteer associated with your organization can use them.

Foundation Directory Online (a $1,245 value)
Foundation Directory is the premier database for grant seekers. It’s available by appointment on the Spokes’ Resource Library computers. Organizational members can request a remote pass for access from work or home. The annual pass is good for one week.

Spokes Conference Room
Schedule your organization’s meetings, retreats, or interviews in our private conference room, available to you at no charge. The room is furnished with a conference table that seats fourteen, and a flat-screen TV with HDMI hook-ups. You can schedule the room Monday through Sunday, during the day and/or evening. Reserve the room on Spokes’ website.

Best Practice in Nonprofit Management video series (a $150 value)
Whether you’ve been a board member for two months or two years, this video series will bring you up to date on the latest nonprofit best practices. The nineteen videos average two minutes in length and cover topics like legal and ethical requirements, risk management, IRS requirements, public trust, joint ventures, and donor relations. You can access the series by logging into your account on the Spokes website. Learn more.

MyBoardPacket
This online board document management system is integral for organizing and distributing board documents. It’s also an excellent tool for conducting fair and legal electronic voting. Available only to Organizational Members. Learn more.

Online Resource Library
Access essential operating documents, such as Conflict of Interest Policies, Contractor Agreements, IRS regulations for raffles, and hundreds more – from your office or home on the Spokes website, anytime. Login name and password required.

Spokes Resource Library
Visit our print library where you can check out books on informative topics as fund development, board development, financial management, collaboration, marketing and public relations, personnel management, volunteer management and more.

Bylaw Templates
Receive template bylaws that you can adapt to meet your organization’s needs, then submit as part of your incorporation process.

Standards for Excellence Tool
The Standards for Excellence Organizational Assessment and Implementation Planning Tool© ensures your organization is meeting all compliance, ethics and accountability standards. This tool is an easy “roadmap” and checklist your Board of Directors can use to focus their governance efforts. See more details.

Medal of Merit Award Program
Complete a Standards for Excellence (SFX) Assessment, adopt two resolutions to improve your organization, and you are well on your way to qualifying for Spokes’ annual Medal of Merit Award. These grants are presented at our annual Spokes Salutes Event.

What Do We Do?

  • How Do We Help Nonprofits?
  • Training & Events
  • Membership Benefits
  • Spokes Conference Facility
  • Consulting Services
  • Discounted Vendor Services
  • Resources & Useful Websites

Member Testimonial

“Thanks to the help of Spokes trainings we are gaining the extra staffing and support needed to carry out our mission. Our organization is at the point of making a big leap forward and the knowledge we have gained has helped us tremendously.”

Debra Balke, MD
Co-founder & President
Central Coast Autism Spectrum Center
San Luis Obispo, CA

What Else Are Members Saying?

Become A Member

From big picture planning to the smallest question, Spokes is here to help.

Take a class. Speak with a consultant. Network with your peers. Access fundraising information, online learning opportunities, and other nonprofit resources.

Learn About Membership Benefits

How Can We Make A Difference Together?

Spokes welcomes local professionals who would like to share their expertise in support of the nonprofit sector.

Get Started Contributing

Recent Articles

  • Low-Cost Professional Development Opportunities for Nonprofits
  • Conflicts of Interest
  • Nonprofit Accounting Best Practices

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Photography by Nicole Boughton.