Upcoming Courses
Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the Academy will be delivering some courses via online webinars for the Spring 2022 term. Thank you for your understanding and support, be well!
Affordable and taught by subject matter experts, our one and two day classes are open to nonprofit professionals and volunteers. View and register for our upcoming courses below.
Board Development, Executive Director Development & Governance (BDED)
Instructor: Amy Nisenson – A.N. Consulting
Location: TCC Workforce Development Center, 7000 College Dr., Room 105
Time: 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Cost: $70.00
CEUs: .5 (BDED)
Dates: October 27, 2022
Board members and nonprofit executives often talk about their needs, but seldom do they visualize what the board should look like if all those needs and wants were met. This workshop will help you visualize the board you want and the board that best fits the needs of your organization. The workshop will help you incorporate the practice of board recruitment into your board meetings and keep it current and engaging to the board. The workshop will also cover board engagement and best practices around governance, including board service and structure.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand roles/responsibilities of Boards and Board members
- formalize your board recruitment process
- Better understand the culture of your organization and how to have a board that fits both your culture and needs
- Intentionally examine your board diversity and work to strategically add additional diversity into your board mix
- Increase board engagement
Fund Development and Communication (FDC)
Instructor: Sarah Milston – The Spark Mill
Location: TCC Workforce Development Center, 7000 College Dr., Room 105
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Cost: $70.00
CEUs: .5 (FDC)
Dates: October 3, 2022
The past two years of weathering the pandemic have placed unprecedented stress and strain on nearly every organization. Now more than ever, organizations are seeking ways to engage, connect and empower their staff and to ensure that they can remain both productive and safe. Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a revolutionary approach to strategic change and sustainable growth for organizations that is designed to specifically address those challenges. AI is an approach to positive transformation of an organization’s effectiveness and more specifically is:
- A positive, strength-based approach to change;
- A method of finding the best in people, teams, and organizations;
- A way of co-creating inspiring plans of action;
- An approach to focusing on what we want more of; and
- A strategy of finding and unleashing the positive elements that enable success.
The AI approach includes a process for engaging people in building teams and organizations through a collaborative, inclusive discovery of what gives a system “life” when it is most effective and capable. It weaves that new knowledge into the fabric of the organization’s formal and informal infrastructure.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the core principles of Appreciative Inquiry (AI)
- Explore potential applications of AI as a methodology for positive change for individuals, teams and organizations
- Understand and practice a model for conducting AI workshops with teams and organizations
Financial and Risk Management (FM)
Instructor: Ryan Ripperton – R.R. Consulting
Location: TCC Workforce Development Center, 7000 College Dr., Room 105
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Cost: $70.00
CEUs: .5 (FM)
Dates: September 29, 2022
Sustainability in nonprofit organizations is both a financial issue and a leadership one. Nonprofit leaders often feel they’re chasing sustainability, always just out of reach. And this lack of sustainability leads to tension, mutual frustration, and burnout.
Through practical application of sustainable practices, nonprofit leaders can indeed clear their path. In this course, we will bust some myths pervading our sector, dive deep on financial analysis models, consider the principles of strategic decision-making, and study the delicate recipe of a healthy relationship between the Staff and Board.
Learning Objectives:
- Principles of nonprofit financial analysis and how they lead to fundraising strategy, program budgeting, and organizational priorities.
- The importance of succession planning, institutional knowledge capture, and disaster recovery in organizational sustainability.
- The distinct roles and responsibilities of the Staff and Board.
- Practical communication strategies for building and maintaining trust between Staff and Board.
- Models of leadership evaluation that lead to continuous self- and organizational improvement.
Human Resources, Leadership and Management (HR)
Instructor: Sheri Bender – Pulse HR Solutions
Location: TCC Workforce Development Center, 7000 College Dr., Room 105
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Cost: $70.00
CEUs: .5 (HR)
Dates: September 13, 2022
Culture is a “way of life” for a group of people. Within a business, this way of life is accepted, generally without much thought, and is passed along from person to person through communication and imitation. The word ‘culture’ may be used to describe how it ‘feels’ to work within an organization. Every organization is unique in the way it lives, breathes and executes. Understanding this—and what your culture should be—is critically important for a leader. Managers and supervisors help set the tone for workplace culture.
Trust is foundational for building strong teams, creating a positive work culture, and producing results. How do you build trust with people who are just getting to know you? What else is important when building your team and establishing organizational culture? Attend this training to discover some of today’s best practices. In this session, we will take a look at some of the most successful companies and how they have built their company culture.
Participants will:
- Explore the importance of consistency in the workplace
- Gain an understanding of individual responsibility in building a positive, inclusive workplace culture
- Explore what influences people to trust their company and their leaders
- Learn how culture drives behavior and influences attitudes
- Articulate your culture better to attract the right people to your team
Instructor: Elizabeth Scott
Location: TCC Workforce Development Center, 7000 College Dr.
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Cost: $70.00
CEUs: .5 (HR)
Dates: November 2, 2022
Conflict is the differing of opinions that often occurs in life and in the workplace. In most conflicts, neither party is right or wrong; instead, different perceptions collide to create disagreement. Conflict is natural and can be positive, if dealt with openly. This workshop will walk participants through the types and stages of conflict. It will also provide participants with an understanding of the different types of conflict, the difference between constructive and destructive conflict, and how their personal communication style can impact or mitigate conflict. Participants will have the opportunity to take a conflict management styles assessment and discuss their individual concerns in small teams as part of the interactive nature of this session. In that clear and open communication is the cornerstone of successful conflict resolution participants will walk away with methods by which to improve their communication and resolve conflict using “win-win” methodology.
Learning Objectives:
- Learn the types and stages of conflict
- Understand the difference between constructive and destructive conflict
- Identify how their personal communication style can impact or mitigate conflict
Organizational Planning, Managing and Evaluation (OPME)
Instructor: Trina Willard – Knowlesge Advisory Group
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Cost: $70.00
CEUs: .5 (ST)
Dates: December 13, 2022
Measuring your nonprofit’s results can sometimes be a challenge, but it’s much easier when you have a roadmap to guide the way. Join nonprofit program design and evaluation expert Trina Willard from Knowledge Advisory Group to learn about her favorite tool: KAG’s logic model known as The Outcome De-Coder. Attendees will learn what a logic model is and how it helps to visualize details, highlight the connection between a program’s purpose and results, and support the organization to ensure it is measuring the right things to demonstrate success. Trina will also share practical tips turn your measurement plan into action!
Learning Objectives:
- Clarifying when your logic model needs an update
- Understand what a logic model is and why you need it
- Understand the three primary ways to use a logic model
- Important considerations before your get started
- Hands-on experience building a logic model
- Using your logic model to communicate with funders and other stakeholders
Software & Technology (ST)
Instructor: Erica Howell – Consultant
Time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Cost: $70.00
CEUs: .5 (ST)
Dates: December 1, 2022
Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics design and editing program. This course is aimed at helping beginners learn the basics of Illustrator and its practical applications for nonprofit organizations. Illustrator can be used to create logos, infographics, icons, and other graphics and illustrations for marketing.
Learning Objectives:
• Understand different graphic types and their usage
• Understand Adobe Illustrator and its appropriate usage
• Use the Pen Tool
• Arranging objects
• Work with color
• Use the Trace Tool
• Create or update a logo
• Create stationary (letterhead, envelope, business card template, etc.)
• Create a postcard or flyer
Electives
Instructor: Amanda Lloyd
Location: TCC Workforce Development Center, 7000 College Dr., Room 105
Time: 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Cost: $25.00
CEUs: 0
Date: June 15, 2022
This short 3-hour workshop will provide the resources and information you need to get started.
What’s Covered:
- What to consider before you begin
- What are the required forms
- Fundraising Basics
- Operating and Governance Guidelines
What’s Included:
- Presentation guide to the required paperwork
- Relevant online links & resources
- Networking with others with similar passions and ideas
What’s NOT Covered:
- This is not a complete step-by-step filling out each piece of IRS paperwork, as it may require legal tax advice.
Online Courses
Cost: $79.00
CEUs: .3 (Contact Hours: 3) | CFRE Credits: 3 | HRCI Credits: 3 (Specified – Strategic Business) | SHRM Credits: 3
If you’re involved in a nonprofit organization, you likely know all too well the importance of budgeting. In this course, you will gain an understanding of the uses and functions of budgets and the relationship between strategic budgeting and tactical budgeting. You will also learn about the organization-wide budget and different budget systems. After introducing the basics of budgeting in a nonprofit, the course continues on to slightly more advanced budgeting topics such as capital budgets, cash flow budgets, and opportunity budgets. You will also learn how nonprofit organizations are using different budgeting techniques to handle operating challenges.
Learning Objectives:
- Explain the uses and functions of nonprofit budgeting
- Describe the different types of budgets used by a nonprofit organization
- Recognize the use of the organization-wide operating budget and program operating budgets
- Explain how an operating budget is created
- Analyze a nonprofit operating budget through variance analysis
- Describe how a capital budget is used and created
- Explain the importance of a cash flow budget and describe how it is created
- Recognize how the budget process can be managed for optimal results
Cost: $79.00
CEUs: .3 (Contact Hours: 3) | CFRE Credits: 3 | HRCI Credits: 3 (Specified – Strategic Business) | SHRM Credits: 3
A capital campaign raises money that a nonprofit organization uses for any physical asset, such as purchasing or renovating a building. It’s a critical part of managing in the nonprofit sector. This introductory-level course covers the key terminology and practices surrounding running a successful capital campaign within a nonprofit organization. You will learn about the phases of conducting a capital campaign—evaluation, feasibility study, organization, solicitation, and post-campaign activities—as well as how to avoid common pitfalls in capital campaigns.
Learning Objectives:
- Explain the five phases of a capital campaign
- Define what a feasibility study is and why one should be conducted prior to a capital campaign
- Discuss what role consultants can play in conducting a feasibility study
- Describe important factors for evaluating consultants
- Explain how tools like a gift range chart can help to organize campaign solicitations
- Describe the different types of leadership teams and committees that may be formed to support a capital campaign
- Discuss different techniques that can be used to troubleshoot a stalled capital campaign
- Understand what is required for a successful solicitation meeting
Cost: $150
CEUs: .4 (Contact Hours: 4) | CFRE Credits: 4 | SHRM Credits: 4
Fundraising is one of the central activities of a nonprofit organization and nonprofit management. To help finance operating budgets, nonprofits must raise money every year. In addition, special projects and improvements to facilities may be needed. In these situations, fundraisers will often launch large capital campaigns or apply for foundation grants. This course offers an introduction to fundraising for nonprofit organizations, with an emphasis on the fundamental issues.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the key concepts related to nonprofit fundraising, such as annual campaigns, capital campaigns, and planned giving
- Discuss how nonprofit funds can be raised through direct mail and telemarketing
- Explain how the Internet and social media channels may be used to generate donations
- Compare and contrast fundraising through corporate donations versus foundation grants
- Explain the different sections of a grant application
- Describe methods for evaluating annual campaign performance
- Discuss how ethics applies to nonprofit fundraising
- Explain the importance of donor relations
Cost: $79
CEUs: .3 (Contact Hours: 3) | SHRM Credits: 3
Google Analytics is the most popular web analytics software on the market. Whether in small business management or as part of a larger marketing effort, an understanding of how to design and execute campaigns in Google Analytics is becoming increasingly important for marketing success. This course will teach learners to use the application’s tools to uncover marketing and sales data, attract web traffic, increase conversions, and create targeted marketing campaigns. The material assumes no prior knowledge of web analytics.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand the practice of Web Analytics and how Google Analytics is used as a tool in this field
- Describe the basic concepts behind Google Analytics including metrics, dimensions, and goal-tracking
- Know how to set up a Google Analytics Account and the tracking code that pulls data from websites and applications
- Understand organizational goals for analytics, visitors, goals, and goal values
- Analyze website traffic reports and compare data for marketing and sales purposes
- Describe the differences between dimensions and metrics and how they are used to analyze web traffic
- Create Google Analytics’ Audience, Acquisition, Behavior, and Conversions reports and translate data from those reports into actionable plans
- Discuss the average session duration, bounce rate, pages per session, page views, and how each plays a role in a digital measurement plan
- Understand how views, filters, and segmentations work in digital analytics
- Describe SEO and how it impacts web traffic
- Explain how to use Google Analytics for Ecommerce, B2B, and content publishing
Cost: $79
CEUs: .3 (Contact Hours: 3) | CFRE Credits: 3 | HRCI Credits: 3 (Specified – Strategic Business) | SHRM Credits: 3
Understanding what the numbers say about the health of your nonprofit is critical to being able to manage the organization successfully. This course will develop your ability to appropriately interpret the major financial accounting statements that are used by nonprofit organizations. You will gain an understanding of the types of financial statements that are used by nonprofit organizations, and how they differ from for-profit financial reporting. Also, the course demonstrates the power and limitations of accounting information in assessing financial performance and decision-making. You will also learn the uses of financial statement analysis, or ratio analysis for nonprofit organizations.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify and describe the documents and financial statements included in a nonprofit organization’s financial report
- Analyze the information found in nonprofit statements of financial positions
- Analyze the information found in the statement of activities
- Analyze the information found in the statement of cash flows
- Describe the nature of business enterprises and nonprofit organizations, as reflected by the statement of financial position
- Define financial (ratio) analysis and explain its objectives and limitations
- Identify the various categories of financial ratios used in nonprofit analyses
- Define and calculate the ratios within each category
Cost: $150
CEUs: .5 (Contact Hours: 5) | CFRE Credits: 5 | HRCI Credits: 5 (Specified – Strategic Business) | SHRM Credits: 5
Writing grants is often a critical part of gaining funding for any nonprofit organization’s mission. Strategic grant writing aligns the needs of a nonprofit with funding sources, whether foundations, government agencies, corporations, or individuals. This introductory-level course offers a guide to the basics of grant writing. The course explores the relationship between grant writing and an organization’s strategy for fundraising. It also outlines the six stages of grant writing and highlights grant writing best practices.
Learning Objectives:
- Discuss the importance of grant writing to nonprofits and other organizations seeking funding
- Describe how capital grants and endowment grants can be integrated into fundraising efforts, including matching funds
- Explain how grant writing and fundraising represent complimentary methods of ensuring a nonprofit’s financial stability
- Outline the six stages of the grant writing process
- Discuss the process of identifying and establishing a need for funding (Stage One)
- Describe how to research grantmakers and available grants (Stage Two)
- Explain the process of establishing relationships with potential funders (Stage Three)
- Discuss the importance of alignment between a nonprofit and a funder’s mission (Stage Four)
- Outline the grant writing process (Stage Five)
- Explore tools and techniques employed in writing the grant proposal
- Explain how a nonprofit should follow-up after winning or losing a grant award (Stage Six)
- Outline best practices for grant writing
- Apply your understanding of the grant writing process to case studies covering the six stages
Cost: $99
CEUs: .5 (Contact Hours: 5) | HRCI Credits: 5 (Specified – Strategic Business) | SHRM Credits: 5
There are many differences between nonprofit organizations and for-profit organizations. Before delving into the details of nonprofit management, this course serves as a critical introduction to the fundamentals of nonprofit organizations. You will gain an understanding of the nonprofit sector and the issues that leaders face in this exciting and growing field. You will also be exposed to the major areas of responsibility for nonprofit leaders, including strategy, managing employees and volunteers, fundraising, grant writing, board governance, marketing, innovation, and social media.
Learning Objectives:
- Discuss the purpose and structure of the nonprofit sector
- Describe the governance of nonprofits, including the types of boards and the relationship between boards and executive directors
- Explain how nonprofits establish their vision and strategic direction
- Describe the nonprofit leadership role and what it entails
- Discuss servant leadership
- Outline key ethical issues faced by nonprofits
- Discuss how nonprofits managers handle staff and volunteers
- Outline the key financial issues facing nonprofits
- Describe the key legal issues facing nonprofits
- Discuss the importance of marketing and communication for a nonprofit
- Explain the basics of nonprofit fundraising
- Outline the grant writing process
- Discuss the growing importance of social media for nonprofits
- Define and explain social entrepreneurship and social innovation
- Outline methods for assessing nonprofit performance
- Discuss trends impacting nonprofits now and in the future
Cost: $150
CEUs: .5 (Contact Hours: 5) | CFRE Credits: 5 | SHRM Credits: 5
Volunteers are the lifeblood of most nonprofit organizations. And board members are a special type of volunteer, helping to guide the direction of a nonprofit, promote the organization in the community, and ensure that the nonprofit’s mission is fulfilled. Learning how best to manage the board and other volunteers is a critical part of nonprofit management. This course covers the fundamentals of board and volunteer development as well as recruiting, effective communication, and retention.
Learning Objectives:
- Explain the reasons why people volunteer and how nonprofits can make volunteer programs more successful
- Describe the responsibilities of the nonprofit board
- Discuss different models for organizing a nonprofit board
- Describe the differences between a nonprofit board and a for-profit board
- Explain different approaches for recruiting and filling a nonprofit board
- Discuss the pros and cons of large versus small boards
- Describe why board evaluations are useful
- Explain why nonprofit boards form committees
- Discuss typical nonprofit board and staff interactions
- Describe how nonprofits can develop and maintain a strong volunteer base
Cost: $79
CEUs: .3 (Contact Hours: 3) | CFRE Credits: 3 | HRCI Credits: 3 (Specified – Strategic Business) | SHRM Credits: 3
When we think of marketing, we typically think of the activities that a for-profit company engages in. However, marketing is an important function for nonprofit organizations as well. Effective marketing is how nonprofit organizations determine the needs of their clients and their donors. As in the for-profit world, nonprofit marketing includes advertising, promotion, public relations, and customer relationship management. This course examines how nonprofits use marketing to publicize their mission and to gather contributions of time and money. The course also discusses marketing planning in the nonprofit organization.
Learning Objectives:
- Define what marketing is within the nonprofit environment
- Explain the service-intensive nature of nonprofit program activities
- Explain how the marketing mix is expanded for service products (the Three Ps of Services Marketing)
- Describe the importance of customer satisfaction and how expectations play a role in satisfaction with service products
- Discuss the role of ethics in nonprofit marketing
- Describe the importance of a nonprofit marketing plan
- Describe how target markets can be identified for donors
- Explain how new service products are developed by nonprofits
Course pricing and location
Most classes run from 9 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. and are held at TCC’s Center for Workforce Solutions, 7000 College Drive, Suffolk, VA.
One-Day Courses: $70 and .5 CEUs
Two-Day Courses: $95 and 1 CEU
1/2 Day Courses: $50 and .3CEUs
DIY Workshops: $50 and .3 CEUs – Not all DIY Workshops are eligible to apply to Certificate of Nonprofit Management