Capacity Building Workshops

As part of an ongoing commitment to help strengthen the capacity of nonprofits, the Valley Community Foundation, through its partner in philanthropy, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, offers a series of training sessions to nonprofits serving Greater New Haven and the Lower Naugatuck Valley. Topics and dates vary.

Questions? Please email Stephanie Chung or call her at 203-777-7077.

Upcoming Workshops:

NOTICE: To keep our community safe, healthy and informed, The Foundation is developing plans in response to COVID-19 (Coronavirus). Please visit www.valleyfoundation.org/covid-19 for the most up-to-date information, including plans around event cancellations, postponements or adjustments.

Sexual Harassment Prevention Workshops
March 10, 2020 Sexual Harassment Prevention - FOR EMPLOYEES
March 12, 2020 Sexual Harassment Prevention - FOR SUPERVISORS
9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. (check-in begins at 9:00 a.m.)
Borough 496, 496 Newhall St., Hamden
With Attorney Caroline B. Park, Wiggin & Dana
On June 18, 2019, Connecticut enacted a new state law, the Time’s Up Act, expanding sexual harassment training requirements for employers with employees working in Connecticut. Employers must now provide two hours of sexual harassment training to all employees in Connecticut, not just supervisors. Fee: $10 per participant for organizations with an operating budget under $2 million. Fee (capped at $150 regardless of the number of participants). An organization can register no more than 15 people. Additional interested individuals will be placed on a waitlist.

The Great Give: How to Get Donors, Earn Prizes and Have Fun - TWO DATES
March 13, 2020
9:00 a.m.- 11:00 a.m (check-in begins at 8:30 a.m.)
Whitneyville Cultural Commons, 1253 Whitney Ave., Hamden
March 18, 2020
8:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. (check-in begins at 8:00 a.m.)
Valley United Way, 54 Grove St., Shelton
Hear from organizations, large and small, who were successful in The Great Give® 2019! Learn tips and tricks and share practical information with your peers.

Joining a Nonprofit Board
March 20, 2020
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (check-in begins at 8:30 a.m.)
The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, 70 Audubon Street, New Haven
Presented by Maryann Ott, Managing Director at NewAlliance Foundation, and Jackie Downing, Director of Grantmaking and Nonprofit Effectiveness at The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven

A comprehensive training for anyone who has recently joined or would like to join a nonprofit board.

Board Chair Roundtable
March 24, 2020
8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. (check-in begins at 7:30 a.m.)
The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, 70 Audubon Street, New Haven

Facilitator, Priya Morganstern, Pro Bono Partnership

Share experiences and compare challenges with other seated and rising Board Chairs at this facilitated conversation directed by participants' questions and concerns. Possible topics: Board recruitment and orientation; Board’s role in fundraising; ED evaluation; income diversification.

Purposeful Boards, Powerful Fundraising
March 27, 2020
8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (check-in begins at 8:00 a.m.)
JCC of Greater New Haven, 360 Amity Road, Woodbridge
Presented by Chuck Loring, Senior Governance Associate for BoardSource and Senior Partner of Loring, Sternberg & Associates

It is of the utmost importance that boards and staff work together effectively to solicit financial support for your organization. Designed for board-staff teams, this practical session addresses the complementary roles Board members play in their organization's governance and resource development.

Board Practices and Best Practices
April 4, 2020
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. (check-in begins at 8:30 a.m.)
The Greek Olive, 402 Sargent Drive, New Haven

Presenter - Jackie Downing

The most effective organizations have boards and staff that work together effectively. The session begins with a close look at board recruitment, structure, operations and culture, and explores the responsibility to provide financial sustainability. Designed for board-staff teams, this practical session addresses the complementary roles board members play in their organization's governance and resource development.

Intro to Grant Writing
May 12, 2020
9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. (check-in begins at 8:30 a.m.)
The Greek Olive, 402 Sargent Drive, New Haven
With Jackie Downing, Director of Grantmaking and Nonprofit Effectiveness
For professional and volunteer grant writers with little to moderate experience. Examine the standard elements included in many grant applications and review the terminology used in planning and evaluation. Discover tips and techniques on writing narrative through a practical planning and writing exercise. Fee: $15

PAST WORKSHOPS

The Great Give: The Power of P2P Fundraising (RECORDED)

Peer-to-Peer Fundraising (P2P) is a great way to expand your reach in The Great Give® by utilizing your most passionate supporters to share their stories and fundraise on behalf of your organization.

WATCH WEBINAR (Recorded on 02.11.20)

The Great Give: Boot Camp
This is the time to make sure your Great Give campaign is ready. This hands-on workshop will cover tips to successfully engage with your supporters, including best practices for creating a compelling profile and marketing strategy, identifying audiences and setting up essential messaging. Bring your laptop and spend the day perfecting your profile for maximum success!

The Great Give: Office Hours with GiveGab
Sign up for a 30-minute, one-on-one session with a member of the GiveGab team! Come in to talk about your page and perfect your strategy for The Great Give®!

Development Director Roundtable
Sit down with other Development Directors to share experiences and compare challenges in this facilitated conversation directed by participants' questions and concerns. Possible topics: new trends; data management; tax law implications; Board/ED involvement; planned giving.

Program Staff Roundtable
Sit down with other Program staff to share experiences and compare challenges in this facilitated conversation directed by participants' questions and concerns. Possible topics: supervising staff; working with supervisors; client/staff boundaries; understanding budgets.

COUNT ME in 2020 – How Community Nonprofits Can Support Census 2020
Presented by CT Nonprofit Alliance

Connecticut’s community nonprofits have a special role to play in the 2020 Census – the people you serve and work with trust you in a way that they may not trust government officials who come to their doors. Learn more about how to support a fair and accurate count.

The Great Give: How to Use Matches and Challenges - WEBINAR
Organizations with matching funds and challenges raise 4.5 times more on average than organizations without a match! Learn more about this exciting way to motivate your donors to make a greater impact in The Great Give® and beyond. In this live webinar with GiveGab staff, we’ll cover best practices for finding sponsors and how to utilize your matching dollars for maximum engagement.

WATCH WEBINAR (Recorded 02.06.20)

Developing Outcome Measures
Grant applications require you to name clear outcomes, and develop the ways you will measure your progress toward them. This workshop will help you articulate your outcomes and measures.

Planned Giving for Nonprofits

Learn how to work with donors to direct gifts where they will have maximum impact for the donor and for the organization – annual, capital or endowment.

Grantwriting 201

An in-depth look at the planning and evaluation terminology used in grant writing and reporting. Explore sample questions found on applications, then write and review effective answers.
With Jackie Downing, The Community Foundation's Director of Grantmaking and Nonprofit Effectiveness
Cost: $10

Major Gifts for Nonprofits

Learn about The Major Gift Process — how to identify, cultivate, solicit, close, and steward major gift donors.
With Sarah Shrewsbury, Principal of Vineyard Consulting

Grant Reporting 2019 - WEBINAR (RECORDED)

Learn how to create your best data-filled report and mission-driven story, and more of what The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven is looking for in a grant report. With Kara Straun and Matt Higbee of The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven

WATCH WEBINAR (RECORDED ON 10.02.19)

Nuts & Bolts of TCF and VCF Grant Applications (RECORDED)
Learn about the different grant opportunities offered by The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and the Valley Community Foundation.

WATCH WEBINAR (RECORDED ON 01.15.20)

Creating a Fundraising Plan

What blend of individual, major, corporate and foundation gifts are right for you? Explore strategies for creating a realistic but aspirational fund development plan. With Karen Jenkins of Development4Good, LLC. Presented in cooperation with the Guilford Foundation and the Branford Community Foundation

Grantwriting 101

For professional and volunteer grant writers with little to moderate experience. Examine the standard elements included in many grant applications. Learn tips and techniques for writing compelling narratives and presenting necessary financial information. With Jackie Downing, Director of Grantmaking and Nonprofit Effectiveness

Strategic Alliances

Challenging times require nonprofit leaders serving as staff and board members to deepen their understanding of the current financial health of their organizations and the risk to their ability to continue to enact their missions. This four-part program enables nonprofits to explore their financial and operational vulnerabilities and options, and develop long-term strategies to sustain programs and services.

Which Fundraising Tools Are Right for You?

Examine fundraising tools that can take your efforts to the next level by considering how to create and expand your donor base, maximize your annual appeal, seek corporate and foundation funding, and carefully use special events. With Karen Jenkins of Development4Good, LLC
Presented in cooperation with the Guilford Foundation and the Branford Community Foundation

The Great Give: Sharing Strategies, Successes and Challenges

Hear from organizations, large and small, who were successful in past years of The Great Give®! Learn tips and tricks and share practical information with your peers.

Propel Your Nonprofit to New Heights in 2020!

What do you want to learn in 2020 to do your job better and improve your organization? We're planning the 2020 Capacity Building Workshop series. Workshops are open to nonprofits providing services in the 20-town region of The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and the five towns served by its partner in philanthropy, the Valley Community Foundation. Let us know what skills you'd like to develop this year.

LET US KNOW

The Great Give: Office Hours with GiveGab

Sign up for a 30-minute, one-on-one session with a member of the GiveGab team! Come talk about your page and perfect your strategy for The Great Give®.

Grantseeker Webinar 2019 (RECORDED)

This webinar will review responsive grant opportunities offered by The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and the Valley Community Foundation. Join us in person or attend right from your desk! Topics include:
• all of The Community Foundation's grant processes
• how to apply for the Responsive Grant process
• the timeline from start to finish
• responsive application types
• upcoming technical assistance opportunities to support your application preparation
Please note that webinar participation is strongly encouraged, even for experienced responsive grant applicants. However, it is not required.
The first stage of the grant process begins with a submission of an application, due on March 28, 2019. Decisions to encourage or deny your application to move to the second stage of the process will be made in May. All funding decisions are made in September and October 2019.

WATCH WEBINAR (RECORDED ON 02.07.19)

Grant Writing 101

For professional and volunteer grant writers with little to moderate experience. Examine the standard elements included in many grant applications. Learn tips and techniques for writing compelling narratives and presenting necessary financial information. With Jackie Downing, The Community Foundation's Director of Grantmaking and Nonprofit Effectiveness

Telling Your Story to Funders, Part II: Videos and Infographics

With presenters Rev. Kevin Ewing of Baobab Tree Studios and staff from The Community Foundation, this workshop is the second in a two-part series on the basics of visual storytelling. Explore how to select and use videos and infographics to tell compelling stories that illustrate your mission and impact.

Nonprofit Finances 101
Learn the basic of how to read, understand and use budgets, profits and loss statements, and the fundamentals of cash flow.

*Workshops are produced by The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven for nonprofits providing services its 20-town region, including the five towns served by the Valley Community Foundation.