NEXT Workshops

We have partnered with highly skilled professionals & educators to provide the NEXT Program – quality continuing education for nonprofit staff, Board members & volunteers. Workshops are designed to help nonprofits take the NEXT step in growing their organization, increasing productivity and effectiveness, and maximizing their impact in the community. Since 2008, more than 175 workshops and webinars have reached 1,100+ nonprofit staff, board members, and volunteers serving nonprofits on the Virginia Peninsula.

UPCOMING WEBINARS/WORKSHOPS

Renew and Reset: A Nonprofit Mini-Series

Nonprofit leaders, board members, and volunteers are invited to join NetworkPeninsula and Rob Levit* for a late summer mini-series to energize and inspire the nonprofit community.

August 26 – 11:30 am – 1:30 pm (moved to online) – Book Club: Good to Great in the Social Sectors – Jim Collin’s now classic 50-page book, Good to Great in the Social Sectors, offers innovative ideas on how nonprofit organizations can create “superior performance, distinct impact and lasting endurance.” Through stimulating discussion, case studies and exercises to apply to the nonprofit organization, attendees will leave with a set of fresh insights for strategic planning, programs and fundraising. Reading the book, Good to Great in the Social Sectors, is recommended but not a requirement to attend. (Note: Please be sure to purchase the 50-page book, “Good to Great in the Social Sectors,” not the original “Good to Great” book.)

September 9 – 11:30 am – 1:30 pm – Fuel for the Journey: Self-Leadership and Self-Care for Nonprofit Leaders – Overwhelm, fatigue, burnout and even a sense of hopelessness can silently creep up on nonprofit leaders lost in the intensity of the daily push to meet mission, fundraise, design and deliver programs, respond to the board of directors, and much more. More than ever, it is critical for nonprofit leaders to create time and space for self-care. In this inspiring and timely session designed for nonprofit leaders at every level, attendees will learn the five dimensions of self-leadership, the power of boundaries, several mindfulness and reflective practices, and structures of support and routines to generate “fuel for the journey” to increase our ability to not just “bounce back” but to “bounce forward!”

Sessions will be a hybrid offering with participants in person and the facilitator online who will be leading the class and group discussion. Lunch will be served.  To Register, click here. (Location: William & Mary Peninsula Center, 41 Old Oyster Point Road, Ste F, Newport News)

*Rob is one of our newest Nonprofit Management Institute Instructors and received top reviews following the two online classes he taught in January and February. He is a Licensed Consultant from the Standards for Excellence® Institute and an acclaimed nonprofit leader. He is a recipient of the Martin Luther Kind Peace Maker Award and Innovator of the Year Award for his work with hospice patients, adults in recovery, adults with mental illness, the homeless and hundreds of children and families throughout Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

Previous 2021 Webinars:

Combating Cyber Risk: Best Practices and Practical Guidelines – Antonina McAvoy, Manager, Cyber & Control Risk Services, PBMares, LLP – Nonprofits are tasked with serving our communities while operating successfully in an environment of continuous business interruption, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and continuous cyber breach attempts. As more third parties, outsourced IT providers, and cloud solutions are leveraged, the most complex risks are increasingly arising from human error due to internal employees and external third parties. If there are no contractual obligations, pre-existing arrangements with third parties, or proper due-diligence performed by your nonprofit based on risk, any minor incident may turn into a full-blow crisis with a significant financial impact. Hear from cyber and control risk experts who will detail best practices and practical guidelines on what to do starting today to help your nonprofit minimize cyber risk and achieve business resilience, including strategies to reduce the risk of a successful social engineering attack, how to review your insurance policies for exclusions and limits related to cybersecurity, how to mitigate risk and reduce your downtime if your third-party vendor is impacted by cyber issues, and when to ask for a SOC report and what to look for in the report.  

Featured Series: Centering Equity: A Collective Learning Journey – Following a valuable session on equity and unconscious bias in November, NetworkPeninsula  & The Bernardine Franciscan Sisters Foundation invite you to continue this journey with us in 2021. We will take a deep dive into understanding diversity, equity, and inclusion, and how they impact our work in the nonprofit sector.  This series will be again be led online by Matthew Freeman and multiple team members from Dialectix Consulting.

Putting the Success in Succession Planning – Janet V. Green, CEO – Habitat for Humanity Peninsula & Greater Williamsburg – CEO succession planning is a “best practice” that many nonprofit Boards and CEOs put off until they are forced to face a transition. Boards may hope their CEO will never leave – or at least not while they’re on the Board. Some CEOs don’t think about succession planning as they are busy with other priorities. The best Boards know they will be stronger if a plan is in place, and the best CEOs are always preparing for what comes next.  This webinar is geared to CEOs/EDs/Board members, and discussion will include planned and unplanned transitions, including steps to take to mitigate risk. Resources will include a checklist of steps for the Board and CEO to consider and a sample succession plan.

Virtual Event Success: The Most Important Part – Patrick Belcher, Principal Strategist, PB&J marComm – Virtual events have expanded our geographic footprint.  They also have increased our engagement resources.  This workshop is about making sure you set up your event to engage the most people and to have a clear post engagement plan for event attendees – one that continues to invite people to be a part of your organization.  As we move forward many events will be hybrid. Invest time and resources to maximize your return.

Don’t Get Derailed by the Pandemic: Continuing Your Nonprofit’s Program Evaluation Strategy When the Unexpected Happens – Trina Willard, Principal, Knowledge Advisory Group – As the COVID-19 crisis reverberates, you may be concerned that your organization’s evaluation strategy just hit a brick wall. Join us to discuss why this is a critical time for prioritizing evaluation to ensure sustainability. We’ll also share practical tips on how you can keep moving forward in the midst of these unexpected conditions.

Clear Stories Raise Money (two-part Series) – Ryan Holloway, MBA, Executive Director, Care Net Peninsula – A crystal clear story engages followers and brings dollars to your mission. Unfortunately, many nonprofits struggle with clearly and concisely talking about their work. With so much noise out there right now, clunky marketing can cost money when you need it the most. This two-part webinar series will give you a framework to tell a clear story for your mission. You will learn: 1) the secret framework storytellers have used for centuries to tell timeless stories that captivate their audience; 2) review good (and bad) examples of how other nonprofits tell stories with their marketing; and 3) apply the storyteller framework to your mission so you can tell crystal clear stories that raise money.

Securing Corporate Sponsorships – Amy Nisenson, Principal, Amy Nisenson Consulting; and former Corporate Funder at Wachovia Bank – This webinar will cover best practices around securing corporate sponsors and how to be successful when approaching a funder. Particular attention will be paid to securing sponsorships as we continue to do business during COVID, knowing that typical sponsorships have become even harder to secure. You will learn: 1) the difference between foundation money and sponsorship money; 2) how to find appropriate sponsors; 3) how to know how much to ask for; and 4) what corporate funders are looking for when doing a sponsorship.

Effective Grant Research – Stephanie Cory, Principal, Stephanie Cory Consulting – Grant research can be time consuming and grant writing can be very competitive, but neither step needs to be difficult. Nonprofits are competing over limited funds, so it’s critical you’re putting forth the strongest applications on behalf of your organization. Learn how to identify specific funders, what funders are looking for, and how to tell your nonprofit’s story effectively.

2020 Webinars:

Equity & Unconscious Bias – Presented in partnership with the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters Foundation – for nonprofit leaders and staff to come together to learn more about racial equity and unconscious bias, assumptions that can get in the way of our good intentions and keep us from building authentic relationships with people different from ourselves. By better understanding the impact of these biases, we can work to enhance inclusive and equitable work environments. This session will be presented by Matthew Freeman, Principal and Founder of Dialectix, and Author of Overcoming Bias; and Dr. David Campt, a national expert in the areas of inclusion and equity, cultural competence, intergroup dialogue, and civic engagement. Session will include stories, exercises, and activities to help us reflect on our experiences and understand how hidden biases are formed. It will be an opportunity for education, discussion, sharing insights, and growing forward together.

Preparing Your Staff for Re-Opening  – The Center for Child & Family Services reopened last week following much planning and preparation with staff. Join the conversation with Mike Edmonds, Executive Director; Ellen Williams, Director of Behavioral Health; and Dahlia Hendricks, Director of Finance & Human Resources to learn how they prepared and continue to support the emotional wellbeing of their staff and clients during this unique time.

Child Care Support for Your Employees Coming Back to Work – Employees returning to work may have trouble finding child care. Smart Beginnings Virginia Peninsula has firsthand knowledge through its quality early childhood programming about what care is available, how to find it, and what to expect. Join the conversation with Executive Director, Diane Umstead and Child Care Resource and Referral Specialist, Nancy Null to learn how to support your working families.

Donor Stewardship Even in Times of Crisis – Average donor retention rates for nonprofit organizations are less than 50 percent. Donors cite poor communication and lack of appropriate recognition as reasons to stop support. The cost of acquiring a new donor is typically five times the cost of renewing an existing donor. Improving how you thank and steward your donors can lead to better donor retention. Learn actionable steps nonprofit organizations of all sizes can take to improve communications with donors and encourage their ongoing support. Through examples from a mid-sized nonprofit, learn what works in the real world. Join Stephanie Cory, nonprofit consultant, trainer, and speaker for this important webinar to learn why donors stop supporting organizations and why they continue their support for others; develop a donor stewardship plan; and implement strategies to keep donors engaged during challenging times.

Managing your Workforce Now! Return to Work Strategies – Your organization has quickly reacted to adapt to a virtual workforce, navigate the terrain of new regulations, and so much more! Now the focus is shifting to how to bring your workforce back safely. Join HR professionals Beth Williams and Kevin Grey, from Warren Whitney, a management consulting firm specializing in working with nonprofit organizations, as they guide us as we look toward opening our doors again. This seminar will address the best strategies for your organization for a smooth transition back to the workplace. Join us as we look toward opening our doors again.

Creative Thinking to Keep You Moving Forward – Trina Willard, Knowledge Advisory Group – The COVID-19 pandemic has raised many questions in the nonprofit sector about how to continue vital services in times of uncertainty. How do we serve clients when we must be physically distanced? How do we best utilize our staff’s talents when public health concerns require them to work from home? How does the crisis we are in today affect our funding picture tomorrow? Join us for a call with Trina Willard, Principal Consultant of Knowledge Advisory Group, to discuss ways of thinking that help us maintain a focus on the future in the midst of crisis.

Quickbooks Reporting During COVID + Q&A – Florence Santoro, ABS – Accounting & Bookkeeping Solutions – Join us to learn more about reporting in-kind contributions, tracking info for SBA/COVID loans, providing reports to Board members, and more, including questions and answers on anything Quickbooks!

Fiduciary Oversight During COVID-19 – The Bright Solutions – Join us for a discussion on internal and external factors to be considering in the midst of COVID, recommendations for managers and boards to consider as you continue to operate, and Q&A with attendees to help you move forward.

Leadership Challenges During the COVID Crisis – Belinda Willis, Consultant to nonprofits for 30+ years. – Join us for a discussion on the leadership challenges that you are currently facing in the midst of the COVID pandemic. Hear from your colleagues, and get new perspective and guidance from each other, as well as from our experienced facilitator.

Hosting Effective & Engaging Board Meetings Online –  Jeanne Allen Consulting – Now that you have moved your board meetings online, what’s next? Join Jeanne Allen to learn how you can host effective and engaging board meetings in the “new normal” of online. This short webinar will cover tips for facilitating, organizing and structuring an effective, and engaging meeting. We will touch on the tech side, but most of our time will be on the people side and keeping your Board engaged through this crisis.

Messaging with Your Community During COVID-19 –  The Spark Mill – Join for a chat with The Spark Mill CEO + Founder Sarah Milston and Associate Consultant Chelsea Higgs Wise to hear guidance on communicating with your stakeholders during COVID-19. The team will cover client, donor, and community messaging tips and trends for 30 minutes and then open the webinar to your live questions.