Low-cost informative workshops address topics, including grant writing and special events, and informative sessions on issues that affect Connecticut nonprofits, such as changes to the Connecticut state budget.

Nonprofit Education: Powering Through Covid-19

In 2020, NCCF in conjunction with Community Foundation LEAP instructors, Danosky & Associates, presented Powering Through COVID-19, a series of workshop webinars created specifically to address the challenges facing nonprofits in Northwest Connecticut during the pandemic. As part of a comprehensive response to COVID-19, the Community Foundation is providing these workshop webinars free of charge.

Friday, May 8, 2020

Develop assumptions and evaluate the implications of each assumption, including financial ramifications. Learn to run different financial models to help plan now and in the future.

Friday, May 1, 2020

Communication with all your constituents is vital. How frequently should you communicate and how? What tone of voice is most effective, and how can you communicate most authentically?

Friday, April 24, 2020

Every board and every board member should be stepping up to help the nonprofits they serve weather the storm and stay on course. Learn what board members can take on right now.

Friday, April 10, 2020

Your Business Continuity Plan (BCP): Is it in place? There is still time to look at it.
Preparing a BCP will help you evaluate scenarios now, raise funds, and plan for a successful re-emergence later. Know what resources are available and how to plan when you don't know what lies ahead.

Friday, April 17, 2020

Should you be fundraising now, or cultivating your donors? What is the best fundraising approach? How can you best engage with your donors and what should you be doing, so you can raise funds later?

Leadership Enrichment for Advancing Professionals

Held every few years and based on nonprofit interest, the Leadership Enrichment for Advancing Professionals (LEAP), LEAP 1.0 is presented by Danosky & Associates, LLC (D&A) and consist of 7 sessions designed to build a foundation of skills and awareness.

D&A facilitators share their experience, expertise, and insights, while engaging the proficiencies of all participants. This happens in presentations, group discussions, research and case study analysis, simulations, home assignments, and action-planning activities. The immediacy of the learning experience encourages thoughtful application and experimentation with ideas and best practices.

Previous Nonprofit Educational Events

October 13, 2018

The region's first and only daylong training and networking opportunity exclusively for nonprofit board members and executive directors, featured three learning tracks on nonprofit governance, fundraising and managing organizational change, and nine workshops by leading experts on the latest trends in the field.

May 17, 2018

Nonprofit board expert Chuck Loring led a fast-paced workshop covering several topics critical to achieving exceptional board leadership. Sustainable fundraising is the goal for every nonprofit organization and it is possible with an engaged and educated board of directors.

December 13, 2017

BoardSource Certified trainer Sharon Danosky, Danosky & Associates, led a conversation on how to best utilize evaluation and assessment to strengthen your board. Evaluation and assessment enables a board to hold itself, its members, and its processes accountable, to identify gaps between current performance and expected or hoped-for performance, and chart a course of improvement, refinement, and further progress.

September 7, 2017

Debra Hertz is Managing Director of The Strategy Group, a firm that works to help strengthen the impact of nonprofits and private foundations. The Group works with organizations on issues related to planning, leadership training, merger negotiations and integration, and organizational effectiveness. Debra brings extensive experience serving on and chairing nonprofit boards. She presented on how to cultivate, recruit, orient, and engage board members to get maximum impact for your organization.

Resources:
McKinsey Board Assessment Tool (pdf)
Board Assessment (pdf)
Board Member Self Assessment (pdf)

June 16, 2017

Robert Evans, Philanthropic columnist, Board member of the Giving Institute, and President of The Evans Consulting Group, has been working with nonprofits to harness the power of philanthropy for more than 20 years. He spoke about trends in giving and best practices in leveraging your nonprofit's access to resources in a changing philanthropic climate.

November 29, 2016

What does a recent national survey of nonprofit board chairs tell us about the future of nonprofit boards? Anne revealed the results of the survey and led a discussion on what it may mean for your organization.

October 4, 2016

Sustainability planning is a critical component of nonprofit health, mission effectiveness, and transition readiness. Sustainability planning prepares an organization to weather the departure of key organizational leaders, builds organizational capacity, and strengthens leadership. In this workshop, participants increased their understanding of how sustainability planning builds organizational capacity and clarity on the steps needed to integrate sustainability practices into their organization over the long term.

Resources:
​Organizational Sustainability Checklist (pdf)
Emergency Succession Planning Template (doc)

Reports:
​Creative Disruption
The Long Goodbye
The Leadership in Leaving

July 13, 2016

For too long we have been recruiting board members with the expectation of “Get and Give.” In many ways this is discouraging to the new board member and does not represent the best utilization of their time and talent. With the average non-profit losing nearly 57% of their donors annually, Sharon discussed that it’s time to stop asking Board members to raise funds and teach them to build relationships with people by being the stewards of a vision.

March 10, 2016

NCCF, Connecticut Community Foundation and Third Sector New England (TSNE) partnered to survey executives and board members to discover the challenges and opportunities facing our leaders and organizations. In this report, TSNE compiled the findings from more than 1,200 leaders around New England. Hez explored the challenges that many nonprofits in the Northwest Corner will face in the coming decade and discussed strategies that will contribute to a thriving nonprofit sector.

October 20, 2015

10 steps to earning the biggest gifts your nonprofit will ever receive

As a consultant, Rick has worked with community foundations from Abilene, Texas, to Oxford, England; with 'alternative' foundations such as the Haymarket People's Fund and RESIST; and with the Council on Foundations, regional associations of grantmakers, and other affinity groups of funders.

June 24, 2015, 2015

In this "truth stampede," attendees learned the best information and insights Tom Ahern has gathered in 15 years of high performance, award-winning direct mail, case writing, and audits for charities.

Resources:
Communicating Profitably With Your Donors (pdf)

June 24, 2015, 2015

How do you "loverize" your website or newsletter? Attendees learned the nuts and bolts in this heavily illustrated workshop from copywriting master, Tom Ahern.

Resources:
Creating Websites & Newsletters Donors Will Love (pdf)

April 30, 2015

Anne Yurasek; explores the role improved communication strategies and efforts play in establishing successful governance. Attendees worked with board chairs techniques adapted to fit their strategies.