Audience: WellSpring

So You Want To Be A Treasurer- September

Explore the treasurer's role in effective financial planning, resource stewardship, and organizational oversight.

Learn how to support board decision-making, ensure financial policies are documented and followed, and navigate the complexities of budgeting, audits, and reporting.

We'll also cover the benefits of finance committees, succession planning, and the importance of aligning fundraising efforts with organizational goals.

Whether you're a prospective treasurer or a board member seeking clarity on this role, this session offers actionable insights, best practices, and resources to ensure your nonprofit’s financial health and sustainability.

Creating and Executing Communication Strategies

We're all communicators. No matter your role in your organization, you need to communicate with others. This is true for organizations as well. Big or Small, to effectively carry out your mission, you need to be able to tell your story in the right way, at the right time, to the right audiences. It's what we call strategic communications.

2025 Southwest Executive Leaders Circle APPLICATION

Executive Leaders Circles are small 6-8 member groups made up of nonprofit executive directors who meet every month. In partnership with CNE and the Wellspring Foundation of Southwest Virginia, and facilitated by Jess Harmon, the circle provides a confidential setting in which peers can discuss and troubleshoot real-time issues with real-world experience.

What are the benefits?

  • Discuss staff, board and organizational challenges in a confidential environment.
  • A network of trusted peers who understand the unique nature of nonprofits and the unique role of an executive director.
  • Access to the latest nonprofit management information and resources.
  • Enhance self-directed learning and discovery to grow professionally.
  • Renewed motivation, increased productivity, and a personal support system.

Who is eligible? To be considered, applicants must:

  • Work for a nonprofit serving Southwest Virginia in the counties of Grayson, Russell, Smyth and Washington.
  • Be a paid (part-time or full-time) Executive Director.
  • Have executive leadership experience (two years preferred).
  • Agree to sign a confidentiality agreement as part of the program.
  • Commit to participate through the remainder of 2025 with in-person meetings beginning on the third Wednesday of every month starting June 18th, 2025 from 9:00-11:00 a.m.

Apply here by Friday, May 30th. 

Please contact Jess Harmon with questions or for more information.

Building Blocks of a Modern Development Plan- June

Fundraising is a dynamic, ever evolving enterprise to provide financial support to an organization. This session will share current trends emerging in the field, adaptable tools for engaging current or prospective donors, and an overview in getting your organization fundraising-ready in our current times.

Driving Change: Goal Setting for Nonprofit Growth

Join us for an interactive workshop designed to help nonprofits explore effective goal-setting strategies. In this session, we’ll examine three key frameworks: Theory of Change, SMARTIE Goals, and Logic Models, to help you identify which approach best suits your organization's needs. We’ll also explore the important distinction between outputs and outcomes—understanding how both contribute to meaningful impact and long-term success.

By the end of the workshop, you'll have a clearer understanding of how to develop actionable, measurable goals that align with your mission and drive your program's effectiveness. Whether refining your current strategy or starting fresh, this session will provide valuable tools for enhancing your nonprofit's planning process.

Southwest Virginia Nonprofit Focus Group

EO, in partnership with a consulting team, invites you to a focus group discussion on enhancing nonprofit efficiency and effectiveness in Southwest Virginia.

Discussion Highlights:

  • Key survey insights on operational needs
  • Your feedback on opportunities for improvement
  • Strategies to strengthen nonprofit support services

We value your time and expertise! As a thank-you, participants will receive a $150 stipend for their contributions.

Trauma-Informed Approaches for De-escalation

This workshop, Trauma-Informed Approaches for De-escalation, equips participants with practical skills to navigate challenging situations using trauma-informed techniques. The session focuses on fostering calm communication and positive interactions through safety, regulation, connection, and story-sharing. Attendees will learn how to create a prepared environment, develop clear plans for intervention, and utilize effective verbal and non-verbal strategies to de-escalate tension. Emphasizing the importance of returning to safety during difficult moments, this workshop provides tools to manage conflict in a compassionate and supportive manner.

Participants will also explore key de-escalation techniques, such as self-regulation through breathing and grounding exercises, and learn how to connect with others by listening, validating, and relating to their experiences. The session encourages curiosity, challenges assumptions, and promotes a broader understanding through the "third chair" perspective. By the end of the workshop, attendees will have gained the skills to remain calm and compassionate in tense situations, fostering more positive, trauma-informed environments in their professional and personal interactions.

Nonprofit Focus Group at Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator

EO, in partnership with a consulting team, invites you to a focus group discussion on enhancing nonprofit efficiency and effectiveness in Southwest Virginia.

Discussion Highlights:

  • Key survey insights on operational needs
  • Your feedback on opportunities for improvement
  • Strategies to strengthen nonprofit support services

We value your time and expertise! As a thank-you, participants will receive a $150 stipend for their contributions.

Stop by to enjoy refreshments and share your insights!

Nonprofit Focus Group at Smyth County Chamber of Commerce

EO, in partnership with a consulting team, invites you to a focus group discussion on enhancing nonprofit efficiency and effectiveness in Southwest Virginia.

Discussion Highlights:

  • Key survey insights on operational needs
  • Your feedback on opportunities for improvement
  • Strategies to strengthen nonprofit support services

We value your time and expertise! As a thank-you, participants will receive a $150 stipend for their contributions.

Stop by to enjoy refreshments and share your insights!

Sharing Leadership

What makes exceptional organizations exceptional? One of the key ingredients is a constructive partnership between the board chair and the executive director. But, just like any relationship, building and maintaining the board chair–executive director partnership calls for hard work by both parties. Understanding the basic tenets of the relationship can make a big difference in enabling a strong board chair–executive director partnership.

This workshop will cover:

  • Key elements of shared leadership
  • How to establish and maintain effective communication
  • Facing and navigating challenges
  • Understanding the difference between Governance and Operations