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 t he most up-to-date information, including plans around event cancellations, postponements or adjustments. 
 

Board Chairs Roundtable
August 26, 2020
8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Join a facilitated conversation with other seated and rising Board Chairs to share experiences and compare challenges.

REGISTER NOW

Pivot, Plan and Reimagine
September 10 - October 29, 2020
8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
Presented by Danosky & Associates
As we continue to power through this unprecedented time of COVID-19, nonprofits are challenged in ways they have never before encountered. This four-part series offers resources on how nonprofits can access, innovate, consider alternative scenarios, adapt strategic objectives and emerge stronger than ever. Regsiter for one or more sessions:
Session 1 - September 10: Mission, Vision, Values (follow-up session: Sept. 17)
Session 2 - September 24: Assessment (follow-up session: Oct. 1)
Session 3 - October 8: Pivoting and Program Innovation (follow-up session: Oct. 15)
Session 4 - October 22: Financial Implications of a Strategic Plan and Implementation (follow-up session: Oct. 29)

REGISTER NOW

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WORKSHOP CATALOG

Executive Directors Roundtable
An opportunity to join colleagues to share experiences and compare challenges in an online facilitated conversation, directed by participants' questions and concerns.

Please GRANT Our Wish! How to Search for Grants in these Crazy Times
Facilitated by Francine Caplan of Communicadas on July 17, 2020
Ready to look for grants? We’ll do a brief overview of grant-readiness then dive into various avenues for learning about grant opportunities that are right for you, including Foundation Center Online (now Candid) and Grants.gov.

WATCH RECORDING

Creating Your Emergency Succession Plans
Facilitated by Joelle A. Murchison and Michael Negrón on July 8, 2020
Get all the tools you need to independently craft emergency succession plans necessary if a staff member or senior Board member cannot perform his or her duties. Participating organizations may schedule an additional hour of one-on-one work with the consultants during the weeks following the workshop.

WATCH RECORDING

Make Community Nonprofits a Priority in the COVID-19 Pandemic:
A Virtual Regional Town Hall Hosted by The Connecticut Community Nonprofit Alliance
Nonprofit Voices Needed! As part of its response to the COVID-19 crisis on behalf of community nonprofits, The Connecticut Community Nonprofit Alliance is hosting a series of virtual regional town hall meetings. With fellow nonprofit leaders, The Alliance invites legislators to listen, learn and comment. Legislators need to understand the current challenges the COVID-19 pandemic still poses to community nonprofits and the people they serve. All community nonprofits are invited to attend! Health and human service providers, arts and cultural organizations, foundations, advocates, Board members alike, our advocacy is strongest with all of your voices.

LEARN MORE

Online Tools and Tips for Successful Virtual Events and Productive Meetings
Facilitated by Giulia Gouge of SheSoSocial on July 10, 2020
As we continued to navigate business in the virtual world, explore virtual meeting and event platforms and best practices. Decide what’s right for you and your team, and feel confident leading a meeting or participating in a virtual event.

WATCH RECORDING

Executive Legal Considerations for Re-Opening Nonprofits to Employees and the Public
Presented by Matthew T. Miklave, Robinson & Cole LLP on July 1, 2020
Discuss the legal considerations that nonprofits may face when re-opening from the COVID-19 pandemic, and review six important questions that many nonprofits should be asking when it comes to implementing a return-to-work plan, ranging from having a re-opening plan, safety precautions, workplace protections and planning for a possible resurgence.
Presented in association with the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving and the Pro Bono Partnership. 

WATCH RECORDING

Special Financial Planning Opportunities With a Focus on Charitable Planning (RECORDED)
Facilitated by Russell James, J.D., Ph.D., CFP® on June 25, 2020
Review strategies to help take advantage of special one-time opportunities, including conversation strategies that are most effective in communicating with donors at times like this.

WATCH RECORDING

Virtually Hug Your Donors and Keep Them Close
Presented by Danosky & Associates on June 18, 2020
Take a deep dive on the principles of donor stewardship – from how to engage with a first-time donor to building a major donor, to encouraging legacy gifts. We will discuss proven strategies, along with new opportunities that have developed as a result of COVID-19. There is a silver lining in almost every situation; making a stronger connection with our donors is our silver lining at this time!

Watch webinar

A New Age for Raising Money 
Presented by Danosky & Associates on June 12, 2020
With event fundraising off the table for the foreseeable future, learn about essential elements to help you raise money now and going forward, as well as insights into how future development offices can operate to raise money more effectively — while making donors feel more satisfied.

WATCH WEBINAR VIEW SLIDESHOW

Stressed to the Max? 15 Minutes, Just for YOU! 
Join Life Coach Millie Grenough, author of Oasis in the Overwhelm,™ for easy-to-do tips on how to re-tune YOURSELF even when you have 20 things you “must” do right this minute. Join your working-from-home colleagues to relax, refresh, re-charge.

 VIEW RECORDING

Guided Meditation
Learn how to bring stillness and peace into your day in these 15 minute beginner-friendly sessions that incorporate guided visualization, progressive relaxation, and sound healing to give you concrete, practical strategies to support your mental wellness.

VIEW RECORDING

Powering Through COVID-19 - WEBINAR 

Presented by Danosky & Associates
As we enter an unprecedented phase due to the circumstances of COVID-19, nonprofits are being stretched and challenged in ways they have never encountered. Most nonprofits, their executive directors and boards have never encountered anything like this and are just struggling to keep afloat — never mind planning for contingencies, fundraising or thinking about the future. This series offers resources and even a roadmap relative to how to survive and eventually emerge stronger than ever. Register for one or more sessions:

• Your Business Continuity Plan (BCP): Is it in place? 
  There is still time to look at the four components of a BCP and how to evaluate your own planning process.

WATCH WEBINAR VIEW SLIDESHOW

• Fundraising – What to Do Now and What to Do Later
  When is the right time to fundraise or to cultivate only? Learn how to engage with your donors and how to appeal during this crisis — and gear-up once the crisis has subsided. 

WATCH WEBINAR VIEW SLIDESHOW

• The Board’s Role During a Crisis
  Every board and board member should be stepping up to help the nonprofit they serve to weather the storm and stay on course. Learn how.

WATCH WEBINAR VIEW SLIDESHOW

• Communications During the Corona Virus
  Learn how to segment stakeholders, what to communicate, how frequently to communicate and how to use different tones of voice in your communications to most effectively engage your audience. 

WATCH WEBINAR VIEW SLIDESHOW

• Financial Scenario Planning
  What are your assumptions and how do you plan in an evolving situation?
  Learn how to articulate and evaluate the different implications of each assumption; how to assess the financial implications and illustrate setting up excel spreadsheets to run different scenarios.

WATCH WEBINAR VIEW SLIDESHOW

The Great Give: How to Get Donors, Earn Prizes and Have Fun
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
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.

Purposeful Boards, Powerful Fundraising
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
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
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

Using The Great Give® in New Ways for Special Events and Campaigns - WEBINAR
Learn more about using Peer-to-Peer fundraising and how to transform your cancelled event to an online fundraiser in this free webinar.

WATCH WEBINAR (RECORDED on 04.07.20)

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®!

Sexual Harassment Prevention Workshops - Two Sessions:
Sexual Harassment Prevention - FOR EMPLOYEES
Sexual Harassment Prevention - FOR SUPERVISORS
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.

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)