1. Starting a Nonprofit: Essential Insights for Aspiring Founders.

Description: Join us for an enlightening exploration of the nonprofit landscape in our 90-minute workshop developed specifically for aspiring nonprofit founders. During the workshop, we’ll demystify the complexities of establishing a nonprofit organization and guide you through critical considerations for your success. Whether you’re contemplating the launch of a 501(c)(3) public charity or simply curious about the differences between various entity types, this workshop offers invaluable knowledge.

What You’ll Learn:

1. The core differences between nonprofit public charities and other for-profit business models.
2. The unique roles and responsibilities of private foundations versus public charities.
3. Operational and strategic differences between international, national, and local public charities.
4. Gain insight into the key state and federal regulations that govern nonprofit public charities, along with the pros and cons of starting one.
5. Receive practical advice on your next steps towards establishing a successful nonprofit public charity.

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2. Starting a Nonprofit: A Step-by-Step Guide.

Description: Ready to turn your vision into reality? Join us for a practical workshop that offers step-by-step guidance on establishing a nonprofit public charity. Ideal for those who have already decided to form a nonprofit, this session covers the essential stages from conception to achieving tax-exempt status and beyond.

What You’ll Learn:

1. Board Recruitment: Strategies for assembling a dedicated and effective Board of Directors.
2. Formation Steps: The seven critical steps to forming a nonprofit public charity.
3. Compliance Obligations: Key state and federal compliance requirements for public charities.
4. Sustainable Funding: How to fund and sustain your nonprofit from day one.

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3. Nonprofit Board Roles and Responsibilities

Description: A strong and effective board of directors is crucial for the success and sustainability of any nonprofit organization. This workshop provides essential guidance on developing a committed and supportive board. Learn how to induct new board members successfully, define clear roles, and understand both collective and individual fiduciary responsibilities. We will also cover key questions potential board members should ask before joining and the time commitments involved.

What You’ll Learn:

1. Inducting New Members: Best practices for successfully inducting and onboarding new board members.
2. Defining Roles: How to define and assign roles and responsibilities within the board.
3. Fiduciary Responsibilities: Understanding the collective and individual fiduciary duties of board members.
4. Board Member Commitment: Key questions to ask before joining a board and understanding the time commitment required.

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4. Nonprofit Essentials 101: Your First Year Roadmap

Description:  Starting a 501(c)(3) nonprofit requires careful planning and execution. This workshop helps new founders and board members understand the essential steps for a successful first year. Learn how to organize your corporate binder, conduct effective board meetings, choose the right insurance policies, and utilize key planning documents. Gain insights into funding strategies and compliance requirements to ensure your nonprofit is set up for success.

What You’ll Learn:

1. How to prepare and organize your corporate binder.
2. Best practices for initial board meetings.
3. Key insurance policies needed for your nonprofit.
4. Essential planning documents for the first year.

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5. Finding and Retaining Volunteers

Description:  Volunteers are a fundamental part of our American fabric, and they play an important role in our community. Volunteer activities can include anything from caring for children, feeding the homeless, and rescuing animals to protecting our natural resources and environment. This training explores not only the many roles that volunteers can take on within your charitable program, but also how to plan for your volunteers, how to locate volunteers, how to mitigate legal issues surrounding volunteers, and finally how to value and retain volunteers.

What you’ll learn: 

1. Why people volunteer.
2. Various volunteer types and roles.
3. How to plan an effective volunteer recruitment strategy.
4. About voluntarism laws.
5. Policies of practice that protect the volunteer and the organization.
6. How to develop volunteer management and retention practices.
7. Where to find additional resources for working with volunteers.

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6. Developing an Awesome Mission Statement

Description: A strong mission statement is crucial for guiding your nonprofit’s efforts and communicating its purpose. This workshop helps you craft a concise and impactful mission statement that reflects your organization’s values and goals. Understand the differences between mission and vision statements and how to create a statement that inspires and directs your team.

What You’ll Learn:

1. Key elements of a powerful mission statement.
2. Differences between mission and vision statements.
3. Steps to draft a concise and compelling mission statement.
4. How to use your mission statement to guide your nonprofit’s activities.

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7. Developing a Nonprofit Budget

Description:  ALL businesses, including nonprofit organizations, need a comprehensive budget. As a best practice, nonprofits monitor their budgets all year, but give strict attention to their budgets prior to their year-end – – which makes October/November an opportune time to complete this vital task. This class is appropriate for new nonprofit founders, board members, Executive Directors, and administrators.

What you’ll learn:

1. How to create a winning program budget
2. How to forecast of income and expenditures
3. How to adjust budgets when applying for funding
4. Key budgets commonly used by nonprofit organizations.
5. The three major financial statements and their purpose.
6. The difference between direct and indirect costs.
7. How the budget is organized and proper use of the budget.

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8. Establishing Nonprofit Internal Controls

Description:  The risk of fraud is a serious concern for all nonprofits, but fraud can be particularly damaging to a smaller nonprofit organization, for which money lost can financially cripple or even cause the nonprofit to close its doors. In addition, depending on the nature of the fraud, it can also damage the reputation of the nonprofit, leaving devastating long-term consequences. Regardless of your mission or size, all nonprofit organizations should establish policies and procedures that mitigate your risk for theft and misuse of funds.

What you’ll learn:

1. The cost associated with fraud
2. Why nonprofits, especially small nonprofits are vulnerable to fraud
3. The most common fraud schemes
4. Which internal control policies can and should be established immediately
5. What to look for when monitoring for fraud
6. Which resources are available right now to expand your knowledge on internal controls.

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9. Fundraising: Planning for Success!

Description:  Nonprofit fundraising is the lifeblood of charitable organizations, and it helps to further your mission. Fundraising is also typically the primary means of income for nonprofits, regardless of the age or size of the organization. However, for many nonprofit leaders, raising money can be a burdensome, never-ending effort, and can even seem scary and overwhelming at times.  This workshop was developed to help nonprofit leaders develop a fundraising plan that is simple and painless to plan and implement.

What you’ll learn:

1. To describe the Pareto Principle (80/20 Rule) and how it applies to fundraising.
2. To describe the 15/15/30 Principle and use it to generate fundraising ideas.
3. To define commonly used fundraising methods.
4. To develop a simple fundraising plan for the program year.

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10. How Nonprofit Founders Get Paid: Navigating Compensation in the Nonprofit Sector

Description: Understanding how nonprofit founders can receive compensation is essential for those leading and establishing charitable organizations. This workshop provides a comprehensive overview of the various methods and considerations for compensating founders. We will explore the nuances of nonprofit compensation, from board and executive roles to transitioning into paid positions. Learn about financial planning and diversifying funding sources to ensure sustainable and ethical compensation practices.

What You’ll Learn:

1. Board vs. Staff Compensation: Key differences and considerations between board member and staff executive compensation.
2. Financial Planning: Strategies for financial planning to support founder compensation.
3. Diversifying Funding: Techniques for diversifying funding to create sustainable compensation models.
4. Transitioning Roles: The process and best practices for transitioning from a board member to a paid position within your organization.
5. Legal and Ethical Considerations: Understanding the legal and ethical implications of compensating nonprofit founders.
6. Real-World Examples: Case studies of nonprofit leader earnings

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11. Creating Nonprofit Partnerships That Work!

Description: Join us for a powerful workshop that will show you how to unlock the power of collaboration in your community. This workshop is designed for small nonprofits seeking to expand their reach through strategic alliances. Learn how to identify potential partners, the nuances between informal and formal partnerships, and the dynamics of working with Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) versus contracts.

What You’ll Learn:

1. Role of Community Partners: The critical role of community partners in furthering your nonprofit’s mission.
2. Types of Partnerships: Differences between informal collaborations and formal partnerships.
3. Identifying Partners: Techniques for identifying and approaching potential partners.
4. MOUs vs. Contracts: Understanding when to use Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) versus formal contracts.
5. Building Relationships: Strategies for building and maintaining successful partnerships.

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12. “21 Ways to Fund A Nonprofit”

Description: Nonprofits need every possible dollar to advance their missions, yet finding these funds can be challenging. This workshop introduces 21 proven funding models that can help you achieve your financial goals.

What You’ll Learn:

1. Funding Methods: Explore 21 diverse methods for funding a nonprofit.
2. Selection Considerations: Key factors to consider when choosing a funding method.
3. Corporate Giving: Multiple ways corporations contribute to charitable programs.
4. Crowdfunding: Differences between equity, debt, and donation-based crowdfunding.
5. State Funding: Identify lesser-known state funding opportunities.
6. Federal Matches: Understand how federal matches and cost reimbursements work.
7. Membership Fees: Differentiate between membership and mandatory fees.
8. Fiscal Sponsors: How fiscal sponsors can assist nonprofits, small businesses, and individuals in achieving their missions.

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13. Accessing Nonprofit Grants, Sponsorships & Resources!!

Description: This workshop provides a high-level overview of the online spaces available for major sources of funding and nonprofit resources. Divided into three sections, the discussion addresses the following objectives: (1) the best grant databases and websites, (2) where to locate corporate sponsors, and (3) nonprofit resources that will help you further your mission.

After participating in this LIVE workshop, you should be able to:

1. Identify key websites and databases to guide the procurement of grant funds for Religious, Arts, Human Services, Social Justice, Animal Rescue, and Educational charities.
2. Determine program eligibility for grants based on funder guidelines.
3. Quickly locate potential corporate sponsors.
4. Identify the different types of grant procurement documents, and when to use each type.
5. Navigate the broad field of nonprofit resources.

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14. Becoming Grant-Ready!

Description: This workshop guides you through the steps needed to position your nonprofit for successful grant applications. Learn practical actions you can take within 90 days to enhance your organization’s readiness for funding. Understand what grant funders are looking for and how to meet their criteria effectively. By the end of this session, you’ll have the confidence and knowledge to pursue grant opportunities.

What You’ll Learn:

1. How to document and complete 12 key actions to position your nonprofit.
2. Criteria that grant funders use to evaluate applications.
3. Steps to enhance your nonprofit’s branding and visibility.
4. Strategies for increasing your chances of securing funding.

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15. How to Identify Mission-Aligned Funding Opportunities

Description: This workshop empowers nonprofit leaders to locate and secure funding that resonates with their organization’s core mission. Learn practical strategies to identify funding sources that align with your goals and understand how to evaluate potential grants effectively. Enhance your networking skills to uncover new opportunities and communicate your mission to funders clearly.

What You’ll Learn:

1. Techniques for aligning your nonprofit’s mission with funding sources.
2. Effective research methods for finding potential grants.
3. Criteria for evaluating and selecting funding opportunities.
4. Networking strategies to expand your funding prospects.

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16. The Art of Grant-Writing

Description:  Grants are vital for nonprofit funding, serving as the bridge between your mission and financial support. This workshop provides a comprehensive guide to developing a standard grant proposal that can be adapted for various funding opportunities. Perfect for nonprofits of all sizes, this session will help you craft compelling proposals that get noticed.

What You’ll Learn:

1. Purpose of Proposals: Understand the true purpose and importance of grant proposals.
2. Proposal Sections: Breakdown of the key sections in a standard grant proposal.
3. Quick Proposals: How to develop a 2-page proposal for fast funding applications.
4. Dealing with Rejections: Insights on why proposals are denied and how to improve.
5. Finding Grants: Where to locate the best sources for grant opportunities.

Intended Audience:

Designed for pre-startup, newly formed, and small to mid-sized nonprofits aiming to secure grant funding. Suitable for all experience levels.

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17. The Art of Grant-Writing with AI: Leveraging ChatGPT

Description:  Enhance your grant-writing skills with AI technology. This workshop introduces AI tools such as ChatGPT that can streamline your research, writing, and editing processes. Learn how to align your proposals with grant-makers’ priorities and maintain a personal touch in AI-assisted proposals. See a live demonstration of creating a grant proposal using AI and understand the ethical considerations involved.

What You’ll Learn:

1. How to use ChatGPT and other AI tools for research and writing grant proposals.
2. Techniques to align proposals with grant-makers’ priorities.
3. Strategies for maintaining authenticity in AI-assisted proposals.
4. Plagiarism and other ethical considerations of using AI in grant writing.
5. Real-World Application: View a live demonstration of your steps to developing a grant proposal using AI.

This is an entry level workshop suitable for nonprofit professionals and grant writers who want to develop or enhance nonprofit grant proposals using AI.

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18. How to Write a 2-Page Grant Proposal

Description: Don’t change your story. Change your approach!

Grant proposals are a great tool for generating interest in your program and for funding your charitable work.  But, without proper guidance, there’s a lot of opportunity for mistakes.  This workshop was developed to help non-grant-writers create a mini proposal quickly and easily! Join us to discover the most common mistakes made when seeking funding and learn how to avoid them!  During our short time together, you’ll learn:

What You’ll Learn:

1. The Purpose of a 2-Page Proposal and what to include in this package.
2. How to format your document, including the number of (micro) paragraphs you’ll need.
3. How to ensure your proposal is worth reading. 
4. How to accurately apply for 10 grants in one hour.

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19. Measuring What Matters

Description: Learn how to set SMART goals and effectively measure your nonprofit’s impact. This workshop covers the importance of goal-setting in grant applications and provides practical tools for tracking and evaluating your programs. Understand how to respond to grant questions about measurement and showcase your organization’s success.

What You’ll Learn:

1. How to set SMART goals for your nonprofit.
2. Techniques for measuring program inputs, outputs, and outcomes.
3. Strategies for responding to grant questions about evaluation.
4. Tools for tracking and demonstrating your nonprofit’s impact.

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20. The Secrets to Nonprofit Success

Description: This workshop helps new nonprofit leaders expand their peripheral of possibilities for achieving nonprofit success.  During our time together we will take a deep dive into four (4) very specific quadrants that need the early attention of the new nonprofit leader.  This workshop can also serve as a useful guide for an internal exploration of a nonprofit’s purpose, planning, pilot, and productivity journey.

After participating in this LIVE workshop, you should be able to:

1. Articulate with insight how great business and charitable ideas are born and sustained.
2. Understand the primary non-negotiable planning documents utilized by nonprofit leaders.
3. Understand how to launch your initial charitable program on a shoe-string budget.
4. Understand where to invest your time and energy to ensure lasting results