Are you involved in nonprofit development or philanthropy and looking for opportunities to connect, share insights, and learn from others in similar roles?  

This discussion group is designed to support individuals involved in fundraising, grant writing, donor stewardship, and other aspects of nonprofit development and philanthropy. Participants will have the opportunity to share experiences, exchange ideas, and explore practical solutions to the challenges they face in advancing their organizations’ missions.

Program Overview

This program provides a space for peer learning and mutual support. Whether you're looking to gain fresh perspectives on your current challenges or discover new strategies for tackling common issues, this group offers a collaborative and supportive environment to grow and learn.

How It Works

Each session will focus on a specific topic designed to spark meaningful conversation. The latter portion of the session will be reserved for open discussions, allowing participants to address pressing concerns or challenges. Whether you’re seeking feedback on a new initiative, brainstorming solutions to a complex issue, or simply connecting with peers who understand your role, this time is dedicated to supporting your needs.  

Special thanks to Ben Wilkes, Director of Development at United Way of Greater Charlottesville, who generously facilitates these sessions.

The Center for Nonprofit Excellence (CNE) has partnered with the Center for Nonprofit Advancement (CNA) to offer CNE members a special discounted rate of $25 for select CNA webinars. Please review the information below for registering, along with the webinar details.

CNE Members: Select the "CNE Members" for your discounted rate when registering!

Whether it’s introducing AI, transitioning back to in-person work, rolling out new systems, or responding to shifting member needs, the capacity to lead complex change is more critical than ever. Some transformations are proactive and strategic; others are rapid pivots driven by external pressures. What they all share is the need for effective leadership that keeps people aligned, engaged, and resilient.

This session equips nonprofit leaders with a pragmatic, human-centered approach to guiding change – large or small, planned or emergent. Grounded in John Kotter’s Leading Change and Heart of Change frameworks, it focuses on the mechanics of change, the overlooked barriers to change, and the emotional intelligence required to lead people through the process and drive adoption.

Learning outcomes:

Following this presentation, participants will be able to:

1. Understand the tactical and emotional barriers to change
2. Leverage a robust framework to plan and lead change in their organizations
3. Apply 1-2 practical strategies to lead change with clarity, empathy, and influence so that change not only sticks, but succeeds

The Center for Nonprofit Excellence (CNE) has partnered with the Center for Nonprofit Advancement (CNA) to offer CNE members a special discounted rate of $25 for select CNA webinars. Please review the information below for registering, along with the webinar details.

CNE Members: Select the "CNE Members" for your discounted rate when registering!

Reserve and investment decisions are among the most important financial choices nonprofit leaders make, directly influencing stability, flexibility, and long-term sustainability. Peer benchmarking can offer a valuable perspective by showing how similar organizations structure reserves and allocate investments, helping boards better understand what is typical, identify potential gaps, and inform strategic conversations. Meaningful decisions, however, are grounded in a broader view that considers mission priorities, financial risk, access to funds, growth plans, and governance practices.

This session is designed for nonprofit and association executives seeking a practical way to think about reserves and investments without requiring expert-level investment knowledge. In this session, we will explore how to use peer benchmarking to provide additional context, with a focus on insights from Raffa’s Study on Nonprofit Investing (SONI) Dashboard.

Learning Objectives:

1. Explain the different purposes reserves can serve, including day-to-day stability, strategic growth, and long-term “rainy day” protection.
2. Understand how their organization’s revenue patterns and risk exposure affect how much reserve is appropriate.
3. Organize reserves by time horizon and purpose, so funds are managed in ways that match when they may be needed.
4. Recognize the core components of a strong reserve and investment policy, and how boards can provide effective oversight.
5. Use peer data as helpful context, without feeling pressured to copy what other organizations are doing.

The Center for Nonprofit Excellence (CNE) has partnered with the Center for Nonprofit Advancement (CNA) to offer CNE members a special discounted rate of $25 for select CNA webinars. Please review the information below for registering, along with the webinar details.

CNE Members: Select the "CNE Members" for your discounted rate when registering!

Most nonprofits know they should be cultivating major donors, but few have a strategy that is rooted in evidence, aligned to their capacity, and actually works. This workshop closes that gap. Participants leave with a clear understanding of why major donors require their own dedicated approach, practical frameworks for building genuine relationships, and a concrete project management plan they can implement right away. Designed for executive directors, development staff, and board members, this session blends fundraising theory with hands-on strategy, giving organizations both the “why” and the “how” in a single sitting.

What will be covered:

• The case for major donors: Why major donors deserve their own strategy and the outsized role they play in sustainable nonprofit revenue.
• Relationship building & outreach: How to identify, cultivate, and steward major donor relationships with authenticity and intention.
• Practical implementation of project management tools and workflows to turn strategy into a functioning, sustainable program

Participants can expect the following key takeaways from this session:

1. Major donors aren’t just bigger checks. They’re a different kind of relationship that requires its own dedicated strategy and approach, separate from other kinds of fundraising.
2. Authentic relationships are the strategy — and they move at a human speed. Participants will walk away with a clear framework for identifying prospective major donors, making meaningful contact, and building the kind of trust that leads to significant, multi-year commitments without feeling transactional.
3. A strategy is only as good as its execution plan. Participants will leave with a practical project management framework to implement a major donor program that doesn’t fall apart when things get busy.

The Center for Nonprofit Excellence (CNE) has partnered with the Center for Nonprofit Advancement (CNA) to offer CNE members a special discounted rate of $25 for select CNA webinars. Please review the information below for registering, along with the webinar details.

CNE Members: Select the "CNE Members" for your discounted rate when registering!

Securing corporate support has become increasingly challenging for nonprofits navigating reduced government funding, unpredictable revenue streams, and heightened expectations for measurable impact. This interactive session equips participants with actionable strategies to overcome these obstacles. You’ll learn how corporations assess nonprofit partnerships and discover proven approaches to communicate value, foster trust, and build sustainable, mission-driven relationships. By the end of the session, you’ll have practical tools to strengthen outreach, diversify revenue, and position your organization for success in today’s evolving funding landscape.

Learning Objectives

By participating in this session, attendees will:

1. Identify effective strategies to diversify revenue in a competitive funding environment.
2. Understand key steps to increase the likelihood of securing corporate support.
3. Learn how to position your organization to create long-term, mutually beneficial corporate partnerships.

The Center for Nonprofit Excellence (CNE) has partnered with the Center for Nonprofit Advancement (CNA) to offer CNE members a special discounted rate of $25 for select CNA webinars. Please review the information below for registering, along with the webinar details.

CNE Members: Select the "CNE Members" for your discounted rate when registering!

Fundraising is about far more than securing donations; it’s about shaping the future of your organization. As the primary bridge between your mission and the community, fundraisers bring invaluable insights from donors, partners, and supporters. This makes development professionals some of the strongest ambassadors an organization has.

To truly thrive, fundraisers must be empowered to speak to (and influence!) every major function of a nonprofit: finances, governance, communications, and programs. When development has a seat at the table, organizations gain more informed strategies, stronger relationships, and more sustainable impact. Your voice isn’t just helpful. It’s essential.

What You’ll Learn

1. Understand the Power of Your Role
2. Discover why fundraising is central to organizational success, and why your perspective is uniquely important.
3. See How Fundraising Intersects With Every Department
4. Learn how development professionals contribute to financial planning, program design, board development, and communications strategy.
5. Advocate for Your Seat at the Table
6. Gain tools and talking points to confidently articulate the value of your voice in organization‑wide decisions.

This session is perfect for development staff at all levels who want to expand their influence, strengthen cross‑department connections, and elevate the role of fundraising across their organization.