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Nonprofit Management Certificate Program – Seven Sessions

The Nonprofit Management Certificate Program is a cohort of seven full-day sessions that provide in-depth instruction on the key components of the operations of a nonprofit. As a cohort, students learn what it takes to operate a nonprofit organization in a rapidly changing environment. A mix of theory and practice, the certificate program covers board […]

Content Marketing

By now, you’re well-aware that building your brand and promoting your organization requires posting on social media, sending emails, writing blog posts, and updating your website. But who has the time? Where do you start? What do you say? What you really need is a plan. This seminar covers the who, what, when, where, and […]

The Art of Conversation

 In today’s world we have so many ways to connect with donors. But, are you truly connecting? It’s the simple art of communication that helps you stand apart in our message filled world. Gain insight, new skills, and techniques to make an impression that lasts. Learning Objectives: Learn the key elements of building a professional connection Utilize the 3 R's […]

FAQs on Nonprofit Tax and Financial Management

No matter what your tax and finance experience is, the nonprofit world is unique. In this course, we will discuss FAQs which address the following topics: In-kind donations Restricted and conditional contributions Allocation of expenses for reporting purposes and for grants Form 990 Agency transactions Tax acknowledgements and disclosures for donations Third-party events Accountable versus […]

Nonprofit Financials – Understanding Reality and Ensuring a Future

Often, the quietest part of a staff or board meeting is the financial portion of the agenda. Financials can be overwhelming and confusing if you don’t understand what you are looking at or aren’t comfortable asking questions. However, it is important for nonprofit professionals and board members alike to be able to understand financial statements […]

Survey Says: Master the Art of Effective Survey Design

A well-designed survey can serve as a powerful tool to capture client feedback and measure program outcomes. Although some aspects of survey design may seem like common sense, there are research-based practices that are effective in addressing issues related to low response rates, bias, survey fatigue and data quality. In this workshop, we will share […]

Nonprofit Budgeting

Budgeting has its challenges but the result is a valuable tool for your not-for-profit. This course will provide you with an understanding of what a budget is, how a budget is prepared, the methods available to be utilized to compile a budget, and the roles individuals within your organization will play in the budget process. […]

How to Motivate and Engage Your Board in Fundraising

Engaging and motivating your board is important work that's worth your thought and time. However, working with board members can be intimidating or overwhelming, leaving you unsure of how to relate or where to start. This session will help you understand the board's responsibility for fundraising and discover new ways to engage them in the […]

A Donor-Centered Approach to Fundraising

Take your knowledge and practice of donor-centered fundraising to a new level. This session provides the backdrop to understand the critical elements of fundraising, cultivation and stewardship and how they work together to create a serious change in mindset for you, your donors, and your organization. Learning Objectives: Learn and understand the critical fundraising factors […]

Policies and Procedures and Why They Matter

Policies are the operational guidelines for your organization, and their purpose is to protect and guide your staff and board as they fulfill the mission. They are a reference tool for appropriate action, ethical decision making and for dealing with potential or actual conflicts. Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) are like the rules to a board […]

You’ve Got The Data, Now What?

Data management and data analysis are two important contributors to program success. This workshop will introduce you to easy and manageable approaches to data management and data analysis. In this workshop, we will share information that will help you to determine when to include data management and analysis in your work, as well as, tools […]

Strategic Leadership

Beyond managing a donor-centered fundraising program is the leader’s ability to be strategic.  A strategic leader can express a strategic vision for their organization, project or specific area of influence and motivate others to acquire that vision. Developing a culture of philanthropy for an organization requires strategic thinking that will further fundraising outcomes through cross functional teamwork - a necessary component for transformational organizational growth. In this course we’ll explore the attributes of strategic […]

Message Creation

Message creation is all about finding the perfect words cultivating a distinctive tone that feels like you, your brand, or your organization. It’s about staying true to yourself and your story while ensuring that your voice is heard by the people who need to hear it. This seminar discusses harnessing your unique voice, understanding your […]

15 Tools for Motivating Your Board

Why are so many volunteers and staff members reluctant to participate in approaching prospects and donors?  How can board chairs, development committee members, nonprofit CEOs and professional fundraising staff lead their board and volunteer teams to own - and even enjoy - the essential and ultimately rewarding work of major gifts fundraising? This workshop provides […]

Public Speaking

Sales pitches, department updates, board meetings, keynote addresses, toasts, or interviews—every public speaking platform is a place to create connections and activate new opportunities. There are many ways to become a great public speaker; this course will provide tools that help you identify your speaking strengths and polish the areas that need improvement. The seminar […]

Planning and Implementing a Major Campaign

Understanding when and how to enter into a major campaign requires careful planning, leadership, and resources. In this session, we will look at all of the variables for planning and implementing a successful campaign. After attending this course you will be able to: Describe the steps in a campaign feasibility study Objectively stratify your organization's […]

Effective Fundraising Leadership

Leadership is the number one success factor in any fundraising endeavor.  In this session, you will explore: Board and staff leadership in fundraising Ethical practice in fundraising How diversity and inclusion impact fundraising The issues of “overhead” and “full costs” Measuring fundraising effectiveness Discussions will draw on pre-reads, your experience in fundraising to clarify roles, […]

Grant Readiness: A Basic Guide to Grant Preparation

Are you a new grant writer and don’t know where to start? When is your nonprofit organization ready to start writing grants? Are you having limited success with grants and need strategies to improve your proposals for funders? Where do you find potential grant funders and what do funders look for in effective proposals? You […]

Communicating and Applying Evaluation Results

An important step in program evaluation is the effective communication of results to stakeholders. Results can be communicated to a wide variety of audiences ranging from program staff to foundations, corporations, or other funders – and for a variety of reasons (e.g., program improvement, fundraising, and marketing). Once an evaluation is complete and findings have […]

How to Raise Up Your Board for Fundraising Success

Is your board actively engaged in the fundraising process? Do they fully understand their role as a board member and the impact they can have in sharing your story with the community? This session will address the important role of our volunteer leadership, and how we as staff can help advance their participation, especially in the area of fundraising. In this course you will: Understand the foundational and […]

Content Marketing

By now, you’re well-aware that building your brand and promoting your organization requires posting on social media, sending emails, writing blog posts, and updating your website. But who has the time? Where do you start? What do you say? What you really need is a plan. This seminar covers the who, what, when, where, and […]

Take Your Fundraising to the Top

You are needed daily. Every moment you spend balancing the demands of fundraising employs your unique gifts, skills and knowledge. This session considers the success factors concerning leadership self-awareness, management style that influence you. Bringing your own self to the art of fundraising is a measure of your success. In this course you will learn how to:  Lead with strength and by […]

First Things First: Positioning Your Organization for Fundraising Success

Energy Square One 4925 Greenville Avenue, Ste 106, Dallas, TX, United States

Is your organization positioned for fundraising success?  Even an effective fundraising program will be limited in what it can achieve if it is operating in isolation.  A truly successful fundraising program with unlimited potential requires that other organizational systems operate successfully and synergistically with fundraising.  This session explores nine organizational elements successful fundraising depends on […]

Beyond Grant Readiness: Next Level Grant Strategies

Beyond grant basics, this workshop will prepare you with more advanced grant writing strategies and will help you expand your skills as you grow in your grant career. This course is intended for staff and board members of nonprofits that engage in charitable fundraising activities. This course will include: Types of grant funding Project/program budgets […]

Introduction to Program Evaluation

Energy Square One 4925 Greenville Avenue, Ste 106, Dallas, TX, United States

Program evaluation is a systematic, data-driven review of a program within an organization designed to: Answer questions about program effectiveness and efficiency Ensure program activities are connected to the organization’s strategic goals Provide information that helps increase an organization’s ability to fulfill its mission. Program evaluation allows program staff, and other stakeholders, to make evidence-based […]

Successful Small Shop Fundraising

When you’re part of a small organization and hold responsibility for everything in development from annual giving to planned giving, it can be a challenge to keep all the plates spinning at once. Things inevitably get put on the back burner from time to time. This session will help you discover ways to manage the […]

Leading Through Change

Energy Square One 4925 Greenville Avenue, Ste 106, Dallas, TX, United States

Change isn’t new, and we have all certainly experienced a lot of change this last year. In our professional lives many of us have been part of “transitions”, “restructures”, “pilots”, “refreshes” and “realignments”. Change can be scary which is why people like to call it something else. Change doesn’t always have to painful or scary. […]

FAQs on Nonprofit Tax and Financial Management

No matter what your tax and finance experience is, the nonprofit world is unique. In this course, we will discuss FAQs that address the following topics: In-kind donations Restricted and conditional contributions Allocation of expenses for reporting purposes and for grants Form 990 Agency transactions Tax acknowledgments and disclosures for donations Third-party events Accountable versus […]

What’s the Secret Sauce to Donor Retention?

Nationally donor retention rates are in the tank and the development office is at its highest turnover in nonprofit history. Let’s explore the varied elements that impact your retention story and discuss who is responsible for it anyway. Learning Objectives:  Understand your numbers and how to track and report them for benchmarking Learn how to build a unique matrix […]

Planned Giving: Raise More Money Now

Would you like to raise more money for your nonprofit…now?  For many of us, starting a planned giving program is something we will do “someday.”  Well, together, let’s make “someday” today! This interactive course introduces the concept of planned giving, as well as an overview of strategies and technical requirements needed to create a successful […]

Message Creation

Message creation is all about finding the perfect words cultivating a distinctive tone that feels like you, your brand, or your organization. It’s about staying true to yourself and your story while ensuring that your voice is heard by the people who need to hear it. This seminar discusses harnessing your unique voice, understanding your […]

Major Gifts: Anatomy of a Prospect Call

What is your pipeline to cultivating and requesting major gifts for your organization? How do you begin to secure a plan and move a donor forward to making a major gift? Learning Objectives:  Fill your pipeline with the right people Identify and develop your cultivation plan and keep it on track Establish a purpose and goals […]

Data Collection Planning for Program Evaluation

There are wide varieties of data collection tools available for use in program evaluation, each with their own benefits and drawbacks. Determining which type of data collection tool to use will be based on the specific goals, needs, and resources of your program. In this seminar, you will learn the different types of available data […]

PR & Strategic Communications 101

Join CNM for this class to learn the difference between Public Relations and Strategic Communication, and how to effectively utilize these tools to effectively promote your organization and its mission. This course will help you understand the different functions of public relations and communications and will discuss the various types of media, provide examples of […]

Nonprofit Budgeting

Budgeting has its challenges but the result is a valuable tool for your not-for-profit. This course will provide you with an understanding of what a budget is, how a budget is prepared, the methods available to be utilized to compile a budget, and the roles individuals within your organization will play in the budget process. […]

15 Tools for Motivating Your Board

Why are so many volunteers and staff members reluctant to participate in approaching prospects and donors?  How can board chairs, development committee members, nonprofit CEOs and professional fundraising staff lead their board and volunteer teams to own - and even enjoy - the essential and ultimately rewarding work of major gifts fundraising? This workshop provides […]

Donor Life Cycle: From Acquisition to Planned Giving

Learn to understand the donor life cycle from acquisition to gift planning.  In this session we’ll take a look at the art and science of how donors connect to an organization initially and why they stay.   Learning Objectives: Name the activities with each of the donor phases Describe one to two current best practices in fundraising for […]

Survey Says: Master the Art of Effective Survey Design

A well-designed survey can serve as a powerful tool to capture client feedback and measure program outcomes. Although some aspects of survey design may seem like common sense, there are research-based practices that are effective in addressing issues related to low response rates, bias, survey fatigue and data quality. In this workshop, we will share […]

Nonprofit Financials – Understanding Reality and Ensuring a Future

Often, the quietest part of a staff or board meeting is the financial portion of the agenda. Financials can be overwhelming and confusing if you don’t understand what you are looking at or aren’t comfortable asking questions. However, it is important for nonprofit professionals and board members alike to be able to understand financial statements […]

Strategic Leadership

Beyond managing a donor-centered fundraising program is the leader’s ability to be strategic.  A strategic leader can express a strategic vision for their organization, project or specific area of influence and motivate others to acquire that vision. Developing a culture of philanthropy for an organization requires strategic thinking that will further fundraising outcomes through cross functional teamwork - a necessary component for transformational organizational growth. In this course we’ll explore the attributes of strategic […]

Managing the Development Office

Have you wondered how to build an effective development program and juggle all the infrastructure responsibilities at the same time? There are many roles and competing demands that development staff must be attentive to in the course of raising funds. Staying focused on fundraising goals, while cultivating and stewarding donors and planning, forecasting, and reporting […]

Building a Culture of Philanthropy in Your Organization

A culture of philanthropy is an organizational culture where everyone in an organization understands the importance of philanthropy and has a role in encouraging it. From the receptionist to direct service providers (insert teachers, docents or another appropriate word within the context of your nonprofit) to the executive leader and board members, everyone has a […]

You’ve Got The Data, Now What?

Data management and data analysis are two important contributors to program success. This workshop will introduce you to easy and manageable approaches to data management and data analysis. In this workshop, we will share information that will help you to determine when to include data management and analysis in your work, as well as, tools […]

Creating Compelling Messages that Engage Donors and Raise Money

Successful fundraising depends on compelling messages.  Vision, mission, and values statements are essential but are not substantive enough to compel a prospect to give.  Strategic plans are vital, but not compelling to read.  How, then, do we talk compellingly to prospects and donors?  How can we ensure the messages communicated by board and staff members […]

Communicating and Applying Evaluation Results

An important step in program evaluation is the effective communication of results to stakeholders. Results can be communicated to a wide variety of audiences ranging from program staff to foundations, corporations, or other funders – and for a variety of reasons (e.g., program improvement, fundraising, and marketing). Once an evaluation is complete and findings have […]

How to Raise Up Your Board for Fundraising Success

Is your board actively engaged in the fundraising process? Do they fully understand their role as a board member and the impact they can have in sharing your story with the community? This session will address the important role of our volunteer leadership, and how we as staff can help advance their participation, especially in the area of fundraising. In this course you will: Understand the foundational and […]

A Donor Centered Approach to Fundraising

Take your knowledge and practice of donor-centered fundraising to a new level. This session provides the backdrop to understanding the critical elements of fundraising, cultivation and stewardship and how they work together to create a meaningful change in mindset for you, your donors, and your organization. Learning Objectives: Learn and understand the critical fundraising factors […]

Major Gifts: Anatomy of a Prospect Call

What is your pipeline to cultivating and requesting major gifts for your organization? How do you begin to secure a plan and move a donor forward to making a major gift? Learning Objectives:  Fill your pipeline with the right people Identify and develop your cultivation plan and keep it on track Establish a purpose and goals […]

The Art of Conversation

In today’s world, we have so many ways to connect with donors. But, are you truly connecting? It’s the simple art of communication that helps you stand apart in our message-filled world. Gain insight, new skills, and techniques to make an impression that lasts. Learning Objectives: Learn the key elements of building a professional connection Utilize the 3 R's […]

Strategic Leadership

Beyond managing a donor-centered fundraising program is the leader’s ability to be strategic.  A strategic leader can express a strategic vision for their organization, project, or specific area of influence and motivate others to acquire that vision. Developing a culture of philanthropy for an organization requires strategic thinking that will further fundraising outcomes through cross-functional teamwork - a necessary component for […]