Having the right data matters. But more than just data collection, program evaluation allows you to set clear goals, track performance towards them, communicate your results, and justify funding for your programs. It gives you an essential piece of what it means to lead and manage effectively. This workshop focuses on building participants’ skills in the following areas:

• How evaluation integrates into all aspects of an organization
• How to engage staff in the cycle of evaluation
• The importance of building a culture of evaluation across your Organization
• The impact considerations of diversity, equity, and inclusion can have on evaluation
• General ethical consideration relevant to evaluation

High-impact boards start with board members who understand their role and how best to bring their skills to the board table. Join CNE staff member Melissa German on Thursday, April 24th at 3:30 pm for the first of a two-part series, Board Essentials. This series is designed to give board members a jump start on effective board service. Drawing from CNE’s Board Academy curriculum and feedback from our members, this workshop will teach the key roles and responsibilities of board members, include interactive exercises for skills development, and provide a unique networking opportunity for community members engaging in board service.

Topics covered will include:

• The unique role of the nonprofit sector
• Characteristics of a high-impact board
• Fiduciary duties of nonprofit boards
• The board/CEO partnership
• and more!

Participants will gain a new understanding of their role as board members and the path to a high-impact board, as well as a toolkit of resource materials to take with them to the boardroom. These two sessions are designed to make practical board training more readily available and to complement your organization’s own board orientation session or board education goals.  New board members of area nonprofits are encouraged to attend, as are more experienced board members who seek a refresher course to sharpen their board knowledge. Nonprofit leaders are also welcome; this is a great opportunity to engage your new board leadership!

Part 2 will be scheduled at the end of Part 1. Please bring your calendars.

Refreshments and a light meal will be provided.  

Learn how and why to create a compelling strategic communications plan to support your fundraising efforts.

This workshop will help you get organized as you think through and plan your fundraising communications to maximize support and efficiency. We'll discuss best practices in fundraising communications, which channels to use and why, and how to create a strategic marketing plan that works for your organization. 

Warren Buford, Executive Director of the University of Virginia Engineering Foundation, will lead us through an engaging and interactive exploration of donor engagement, annual giving and major giving. 

During this 6 hour workshop participants will explore the fundamentals of fundraising and practice proven approaches and techniques of this important component of the non-profit, social impact sector.

Lunch will be served

Coffee, tea and water will be available

CNE’s Emerging Leaders Academy is a facilitated eight-month peer learning program that aims to strengthen a new generation of nonprofit leaders.

The Emerging Leaders Academy consists of facilitated, small group sessions and one-on-one coaching sessions. The program includes:

• Specially designed activities that develop participants sense of themselves as leaders and help them create practical plans for continued professional development.
• Curated readings and videos that create a basis for discussion during group sessions, while the program facilitator ensures that sessions provide generous time for individual sharing and troubleshooting.
• One-on-one sessions with professional coaches that enhance participants’ learning experiences.

Apply here by February 21st at 11:59 P.M.

The budget is a tool not only for financial management and oversight, but also for operationalizing your organization’s priorities. Full-cost budgets name the true costs and complete resources it takes to run an effective organization. Join this session to learn how to build a budget that considers all you need to execute your strategy, develop your fiscal curiosity to ask questions relevant to your fiscal responsibilities, and follow three steps to build a full-cost budget that reflects your organization’s strategy. Attendees will participate in small group interactions to learn how their organization’s strategy should inform their budget process, decision-making, and financial management and how budgets should include operations costs and strategic investments, in addition to program costs, to sustain a healthy organization.

Join David Deaton, Co-founder, MindSalt. David has has more than 20 years of experience transforming organizations of all types, sizes, and industries. He has extensive expertise in strategic planning, operational and financial analysis, market research, and effective execution.

In this two-part course, we’re going to unpack the not-so-secret world of successful grant systems. It’s about seeing the forest, not just the individual trees. We’ll get your entire organization aligned—from the metrics you track to the stories you tell. We’ll show you how to turn data into compelling narratives and budgets into stories about your future success. This isn’t about getting good at writing a grant; it’s about getting great at winning them.

And because we’re all about working smarter, not harder, we’ll integrate some tech magic into your grant strategy. We’re talking about leveraging AI, like ChatGPT, to customize and craft proposals that speak directly to funders’ hearts and minds. By the time we’re done, you’ll have a toolkit that takes the dread out of the process, leaving more room for what you all do best — creating positive change.

Part 1: October 7th 1:00 PM-5:00PM Understanding Grants and their Basics

Part 2: October 8th 9:00 am-1:00 pm Advanced Techniques and AI Integration

You are encouraged to bring a laptop to day 2 along with a current grant proposal.

Matt Leighty, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of GrantFlow. Matt and his team at GrantFlow have successfully raised over $155 million for clients, translating into significant social impact – from healthcare for the homeless to educational resources for students, support for veterans, and more.

Lifecycle of a Nonprofit

Like humans, organizations go through different lifecycles, and specific competencies and performance measures distinguish each stage. During this interactive workshop, you will learn about Nonprofit Lifecycles, the advantages of using this framework, and why the alignment of programs, management, governance, resources, and systems is so important. You will have the opportunity to assess your organization using the Lifecycles “selfie” and begin to develop strategies for alignment that will strengthen your organization.