Master Gardener Foundation of Washington State
Board Meeting
March 19, 2025

Held on Zoom

ATTENDANCE

Officers present included President Tana Hasart, VP Cathi Lamoreux, Secretary John Strong, Treasurer Gilbert Plascencia, and State Program Leader Jennifer Marquis.

At the meeting opening, there were 17 chapters represented by 31 members in attendance. (Several more members joined the meeting late.) A quorum was met!

President Tana opened the meeting at 4:00 pm.

MGFWS HISTORY, MISSION, VISION AND STRUCTURE

With assistance from Erin Hoover and Kitty Lunden-Ness, Tana shared content from the opening sections of our new Orientation Handbook. Their discussion included a description of what the Master Gardener Foundation of Washington State (MGFWS) is, and its purpose: to support the WSU Extension Master Gardener Program. Our mission and vision, read by Erin, and a brief overview of our history from Kitty rounded out the introduction.

Tana discussed how we are organized, showing the new Organizational Chart to help explain the relationships between state and local foundations, and between program and foundation.

Speaking to all existing and potential representatives to this board, Tana gave examples of How We Can Help, including attendance and participation in meetings, reporting back to local chapters, taking on leadership roles with committees and officer positions, supporting our fund-raising activities and more.

She urged us to examine how being a member of this board benefits us, and what talents and skills we have to offer.

Discussion following this presentation included testimonials from some members, and comments about how they perceive their roles and the benefits they have realized.

STATE PROGRAM REPORT & CAMPAIGN UPDATE

Jennifer reviewed the goals she shared in our January meeting, and the progress made on them. The relationship between Program / Foundation continues to strengthen. The 2024 Annual Report is nearly complete and will be available by the end of April. Some details from that 2024 report include:

  • 3,079 certified master gardeners
  • 570 new interns trained
  • 318,000 volunteer hours reported (equivalent to 160 full time positions)
  • At the national average value of a volunteer hour ($40.28) our volunteers contributed $12.8 Million!

Green School is set to launch in October. Program Coordinators from around the state have been working many months to prepare for this new training program. Application period opens for master gardener trainees in July, and for the public in August.

This program has been designed to emulate a successful training effort at Colorado State University. They have realized significantly higher retention rates among certified volunteers, and those volunteers display more confidence and capability in their roles as master gardeners.

Green School includes two tracks: one for those wishing to become Extension Master Gardeners, and one for the public who wish to gain certified horticultural training (“Washington Gardener” certificate.)

Jennifer then discussed the recent updates to the Endowment campaign. She thanks us all for our patience and engagement through the past several months as these changes have come about.

A letter to all volunteers and donors will be be sent by the end of the month. It will describe the changes made to the Gift Use Agreement. The term “Endowed Chair” is removed, and the title is now “Master Gardener Program Endowment.” The $1.5 Million cap has been removed as has the 5 year limit. This releases the spendable amount to be used by the Program. It also allows development efforts to work more successfully with corporate and foundation donors, since the focus now is on the program activities, and not on supporting a “person.”

The realities of current budgets were discussed. At all levels, the University is realizing cuts. Tuition declines and state government deficits as well as anticipated federal research cuts have resulted in the need to trim all WSU units by 1 to 10%. Federal Capacity funds (a critical part of our EMG support) have been cut by 20%.

Dean Wendy Powers, however, believes that, across the nation, extension master gardener programs will be more important than ever. Telling our story becomes more critical to engender support and appreciation from stake holders.

As part of our Land Grant University charge, we must “serve all.” Given that, it’s been decided that there will be no change in our efforts toward Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Further, for now, there will be no change in that terminology.

FINANCIAL REPORT

As is his normal style, Gilbert made a clear, excellent presentation of our financial status. There was not significant activity in our accounts in February. And we are in good stead going into the remainder of the year toward the Advanced Education Conference.

NORTHWEST FLOWER AND GARDEN FESTIVAL

Jennifer reported there were 16 local foundations who provided support for this year’s festival booth. Fifty five volunteers from ten programs around the state participated. We saw 1,300 guests at the booth, and most questions pertained to Green School and plant biodiversity.

Dean Wendy Powers attended and participated, taking her positive experience there on her visit to Washington, DC.

Most volunteers are eager to work again next year. They learned from each other, sharing experiences from their local counties. The collaboration boosted confidence for all.

The King County volunteer boxes were a hit. A significant comment was that we should have more flowers and greenery in the booth.

Tana heard many positive comments from volunteers:

  • “It’s fun to share what we do!”
  • “The public wanted to know more about our priorities.”
  • “This puts us in front of a widely attended event.”
  • “We loved getting CE hours for many of the seminars at the festival.”

Thanks go to King County, who have shared the booth with us, combining what they once did on their own with the State Foundation and Program. This event is a chance to share our confidence and competence!

The show organizers asked us to return again next year. Our cost this year was the same as in 2024. Booth fees will, however, go up about $1,100 for next year. Consensus from the group today was that, yes, we should do this again. (Don commented, “How could we explain NOT being there!”)

UFW UPDATE

John made a quick report on the progress so far this year in the Unifying Foundation Websites project. Three new chapters are either online or soon will be: Clallam went live in January; Jefferson this month; and Snohomish will be completing their work to go live some time this summer. These additions bring the UFW family of websites to twelve: nine local chapters, the MGFWS site, the AEC site, and the Evergreen Thumb site.

AEC UPDATE

Cathi explained that we have far fewer speakers lined up than we did at the same time last year. We have only ten, so far. She made a plea for more suggestions from all present.

There will be six Shared Learning Experiences across the state.

NOMINATING COMMITTEE

Let Cathi know if you want to serve, or have a nomination. Offices open for election include Vice President and President. We also need Development Director, Awards Committee Co-Chairs, AEC Chair, Coordinator of volunteers for NWFGF.

Cathi asked for about three volunteers to serve on the Nomination Committee.

ADJOURNMENT

Tana recommended that members, particularly new ones, read the minutes of meetings posted on the website. They make excellent notes for reporting back to your local chapters about what the MGFWS is doing.

She adjourned the meeting at 5:40 pm.