Governance and Organizational Details

Bylaws and Policies & Procedures

• LWVWA Bylaws (Updated June 2025)
• LWVWA Education Fund Bylaws (Updated April 2025)
• LWVWA/LWVWAEF Policies & Procedures  (updated May 2025)
• Watch Workshop on local League Bylaws and Policies & Procedures (includes chat file in the description) 
• LWVUS DEI Policy Webinar  + templates and more
• LWVUS Sample Bylaws Template

Additional Useful Documents

• Strategic Plan (approved 2023) 
• League of Women Voters Glossary (aka "League Lingo")
• Introduction to the League of Women Voters of Washington 
• Research Study Reports Assessing LWVWA Effectiveness

Board Training and Operations

Serving on the Board of Directors for the state and local Leagues can feel a little overwhelming. Here are some resources to help!

LWVUS Training Series: Building an Effective Board of Directors

These three pre-recorded, on-demand trainings are intended for both newly elected and experienced board members of state and local Leagues. The trainings cover how Boards can most effectively conduct their work and better understand their roles. To access the on-demand training, click on the title of the session and register as you would for a live webinar. Once you register, you will be able to watch a recording of the training session.

LWVWA Nonprofit Board Course

The success of your League depends on many things, one of which is the effectiveness of your board. LWVWA has worked with local League presidents to design the Nonprofit Board Certificate Course specifically for us. It engages board members in short lessons and actionable exercises designed to make them feel more confident about how to serve. The program is on-demand so it can be worked through at one’s convenience and then everyone can meet together to discuss the materials in the workbook.

Here’s what two local presidents say about it:

"The work done by Nancy Bacon is very comprehensive, and it's set up so you can easily see your evolution as a leader over time. I highly recommend working through this excellent manual more than once, both as a League member and a member of any other group."—Cheryl Williams, Co-President, LWV of Mason County

"The board training prepared by Nancy Bacon https://nancybacon.com/ for the League of Women Voters is excellent. While it does include specific resources for the League, this training will prepare you to sit on any nonprofit board. This will help you understand your role as a board member, improve your communication and collaboration skills, and benefit your League in many ways. Highly recommend!"—Nancy Halvorson, President, LWV of Clark County

How to use the program:

1. Create your own account.
2. Go through the workbook and related 4 videos (suggest viewing at 2x speed) and enjoy the additional animated LWV video, which can be used for your own stand-alone orientation to League session with members and guests.
3. Download training materials: workbook and handouts.

Additional Resources

• For the New and Not So New Board Members
• Finding Leadership
• Quick Guide to Parliamentary Procedure
• Tips for the President
• Guidelines for Work on Issues

Looking for more training?

LWVWA is a member of the Nonprofit Association of Washington (formerly Washington Nonprofits), which means that all Local League members are eligible to make use of the resources this organization provides. Contact apeloff@lwvwa.org for more information on how to access this resources.