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Brown Bag Lunch & Learn: Global Perspectives
We see reminders every day in our professional and personal lives why it is important to have a global perspective. Two amazing leaders who represent West Michigan-based international NGOs will share their challenges, successes and why having a global perspective is critically important to their work. We will discuss issues around cultural competency, communication, and involvement of local people in addressing complex social problems.
Find out more »Strengthening Your Talent Pipeline Through Volunteer Management
One of the biggest challenges nonprofits face is finding qualified staff and making time to recruit them. However, nonprofits have long neglected one of their greatest tools for finding and testing new talent: volunteers. Join us as we discuss and explore how quality volunteer management can assist in solving your organization’s HR woes.
Find out more »Financial Analysis in Grantmaking (Detroit)
This course does not attempt to transform program officers into financial professionals. Instead, our intent is to provide grantmakers with the necessary knowledge and skills to conduct a comprehensive and effective analysis of organizational and programmatic financial information to improve funding decisions.
Find out more »Mastering the Art of Donor Stewardship
Research has shown that while it may be difficult to garner new donors, it is even more challenging to retain them. Join us for an interactive conversation about what motivates loyal donors and how your organization can implement practices to encourage your supporters to become lifetime donors.
Find out more »Philanthropy 101 (Lansing)
From the big picture view to ground level perspectives, this interactive course provides an overview of philanthropy, foundation governance, grantmaking and emerging practices; offers lively discussion about the current big issues in philanthropy, and explores the various roles within philanthropy. Leave equipped with all the knowledge you need to hit the ground running in your new role.
Find out more »Nonprofit Board Certification
The Nonprofit Board Certification Program offers guidance for those serving or planning to serve on nonprofit boards. This engaging training, led by Matthew Downey, provides opportunities for learning, discussion, and practice. Regardless of experience, you'll gain valuable knowledge on how to become a more strategic organizational leader.
Find out more »Developing a Strategic Culture
While nonprofits have noble missions, we tend to spend the majority of our time and resources on programmatic triage, and we tend to neglect developing thorough strategies to help move the needle. Built around the Foraker Sustainability Model, this workshop covers four key aspects to keep your organization future focused.
Find out more »Writing Skills for Grantmakers (Detroit)
Whether preparing a grant recommendation for the board, drafting a strategy document to share with stakeholders, or doing blog posts, writing skills are an essential component of a program officer’s job. This interactive workshop will focus on sharpening the analytical skills that are the basis for good writing, writing for different audiences, and creating different types of written products.
Find out more »Funder Collaboratives: The Potholes, Potentials, and Possibilities (webinar)
Is collaborative funding right for you? Funder collaboratives can leverage skills and networks and can amplify the impact of your grantmaking but they can also face many bumps in the road. Join this webinar to learn about the ingredients of a successful funder collaborative, explore examples of collaborative successes and challenges, and get practical advice as you consider joining, developing or managing a funding collaborative.
Find out more »Ethics in Grantmaking: Dimensions, Dilemmas, and Decision-Making (webinar)
Most foundations have codes of ethics and most grantmakers strive to behave ethically — but what exactly does that mean? In this webinar, we will examine ethical dilemmas and how to navigate them as we explore tools and techniques for ethical reasoning and decision-making in grantmaking.
Find out more »Beyond the Basics: Simplified Grant Applications (webinar)
Grant applications provide a powerful source of information for making optimal funding decisions and driving organizational learning. But grant application requirements and processes can be unnecessarily cumbersome and impose burdens on grantseekers that stymie intended impact. Join us for this webinar to learn principles and techniques for simplifying your application process and explore examples that adhere to best practices.
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