Why I Chose to Participate in the Gulf Coast Board Institute

Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to participate in—and graduate from—the Gulf Coast Board Institute through the Gulf Coast Community Foundation. I didn’t enroll for a résumé line. I enrolled because I wanted to be better equipped to serve.

As a business owner, a community advocate, and someone who deeply believes in long-term impact over short-term wins, I’ve learned that good intentions alone are not enough. If you want to truly help, you need structure, governance, accountability, and a clear understanding of how nonprofit organizations are built to last.

That is exactly what the Gulf Coast Board Institute provides.

The program is designed to prepare individuals for responsible board service—teaching not only how nonprofits operate, but how leadership decisions affect funding, community trust, compliance, strategic direction, and ultimately the people being served. It is real-world governance training for people who genuinely want to show up and contribute in a meaningful way.

For me, this was about being ready.

Ready to support local nonprofits at a higher level.
Ready to contribute more than just time or donations.
Ready to serve with clarity, discipline, and responsibility if and when I’m asked to step into a board role.

At Crystal Clean Green Cleaning, we talk often about values—Help Out, Be Real, Create Value, and Have Fun. Those words don’t stop at our office door. They extend into how we treat our community, how we show up during food drives, how we volunteer, and how we prepare ourselves to lead responsibly when the opportunity comes.

The Gulf Coast Board Institute helped sharpen that preparation.

It reinforced the importance of fiduciary duty, ethical leadership, transparency, strategic planning, and the deep responsibility that comes with being entrusted with a nonprofit’s mission and resources. It also connected me with other professionals across Sarasota and Manatee Counties who share the same mindset: Serve well. Govern wisely. Leave things better than you found them.

This experience didn’t change who I am—it strengthened the direction I was already headed.

We are here to make a positive difference.
Not just inside homes.
Not just inside our company.
But inside the systems and organizations that hold our community together.

I’m grateful for the opportunity to participate, to learn, and to be better prepared to serve when called.

— Steven Pajevic

Strong nonprofits need strong boards.
Strong boards need trained, accountable leaders.

If you feel called to serve at that level, I highly encourage you to explore the Gulf Coast Board Institute through the Gulf Coast Community Foundation. Our community is only as strong as the people willing to lead it responsibly.