Course Descriptions

Fund Development Courses

Course Objective: Build your professional capacity to manage and execute a comprehensive and sustainable fund development plan.

Does your nonprofit have a fund development plan? When did you last revise your plan? Is your funding diverse and sustainable?

Part 1: Principles of Fund Development & Individual Giving
Gain a comprehensive understanding of the current fundraising climate and emerging trends in Colorado, how your organization’s goals may align with these trends, and how you can gain a competitive edge by improving your case for support. Stop being reactive and start being proactive!

Part 2: Diversified Funding & Donor Engagement
Learn new techniques for diversifying your revenue streams and reconnecting with your donors. Join us as we cover funding strategies like social enterprise, earned revenue streams, online giving, crowd funding, special events, and corporate engagement. This session will review best practices, data, and emerging trends across these fundraising strategies.  Participants will share strategies, workshop opportunities, and discern best approaches for their organization.

Part 3: Major Gifts & Planned Giving
This interactive and engaging session will build your confidence and toolbox to craft a strategy for major gift, planned giving, and capital campaign efforts. Learn how to create a donor-centric major gift program, conduct prospect research and qualification, and gain buy in from senior staff and board members to move beyond “transactional giving” to transformational philanthropy.
Gain strategies to:

• Understand why planned giving is worth your time
• Learn the Top Ten things you can do to get a planned giving program started
• Craft a truly donor-centric major gift program
• Incorporate meaningful engagement strategies for major donors
• Explore planned giving vehicles

This 3-part series will provide you with personalized coaching and peer review of a current grant application. Each session will focus on a different element of the Common Grant Application (CGA), including: narrative, goals & objectives and grant attachments. This course is intended for nonprofit professionals that work in a development capacity and have an active grant application. Participants will have the opportunity to get direct feedback during the class and revise their proposals between sessions.

PART 1: DEVELOP YOUR EFFECTIVE CASE FOR SUPPORT
Part 1 will focus on how to maximize the limited space available to tell your story in your grant proposal and work to clarify and refine your organizations goals and objectives with the help of peer review.

PART 2: MISSION BUILDING BLOCKS
Part 2 will focus on reviewing and interpreting nonprofit principles and best practices and writing a narrative that references instructions to ensure you are answering the questions posed in an application.

PART 3: GRANT ATTACHMENTS & TIPS FOR SUCCESS
Part 3 will focus on tips to avoid common mistakes and the essential elements of the attachments section of a grant proposal as well as tools for grants management and infrastructure.

Course Objective: Refine your professional capacity to write competitive grants by gaining a comprehensive understanding of the critical components to a winning grant application and learn how to use your grant reports to position yourself for future success.

CRC offers the most comprehensive and affordable grant seeking and grantwriting workshop in Colorado! You will receive practical, hands-on instruction on the process, research techniques and skills of professional proposal writing. This two day interactive clinic is designed to help intermediate and advanced grant writers who are looking to refine his or her skills in order to stay ahead of the curve.

This clinic is NOT recommended for those seeking funding for capital campaigns or government programs.

This 2-Day Clinic will cover topics including;

  • Brief overview of research techniques including use of the Colorado Grants Guide
  • Review the critical components of the Common Grant Application
  • Deep dive into goals, objectives and activities and key elements of building your case for support
  • In depth review of grant application and financial attachments
  • Overview of the Common Grant Report and evaluation
  • Opportunity to discuss grantwriting “do’s and don’ts” in a panel with representatives from Colorado funders

Course Objective: Participants of this training will learn the steps necessary to develop an organized, focused approach to research and how to optimize their search efforts, using the Colorado Grants Guide®.

Research is the first step for success in grant-writing. Developed by the Community Resource Center, the Colorado Grants Guide® is Colorado’s leading tool for grant funding research. This comprehensive, online database profiles over 750 local foundations and trusts, corporations, national funders, government agencies and religious organizations that support Colorado nonprofit organizations.

Save valuable time and resources and master the Colorado Grants Guide® today.

  • Master your usage of the Colorado Grants Guide® online for grant funding research
  • Understand basic grant terminology and how research fits into the larger process
  • Recognize what to look for in a foundation 990

Course Objective: Build your professional capacity to find and write competitive GOVERNMENT grants by gaining a deeper understanding of the government grants sector.

This is a 1-day Introduction to Government Grants workshop to learn more about the differences and distinctions of grants in the government sector. Participants will understand the essential elements included in finding and writing government grant applications, and determining your eligibility and capacity to administer this type of grant.

This training will cover topics including:

  • The culture of government grant funding (local, state and national levels) – what makes them different from foundation grants?
  • Local, State and Federal level government grants – how they are similar and different? Determining which is right for you?
  • How do you find government grants – at each level?
  • Steps to Determine Eligibility – Are government grants right for you? How to determine if you can administer a government grant – do you have the capacity
  • Process for applying for and administering government grants (local, state and federal levels)

This training will also include a government funder panel.

Course Objective: Build your professional capacity to write competitive grants by gaining a deeper understanding of best practices for writing a grant application.

Join CRC for a comprehensive grant writing workshop and learn best practices in grant writing and tips for success. Participants will understand the essential elements included in a grant proposal and how to craft a compelling case for support through interactive exercises. A review of grant terminology, sources of grant funding and research tools including the Colorado Grants Guide® will be discussed. 

This training will cover topics including;

  • Grant funding context in fundraising plan
  • Research and grants management
  • Review the key elements of winning grant proposals
  • Deep dive into goals, objectives and activities
  • Tools and resources to apply to your work

Build your capacity to write competitive grants by gaining a deeper understanding of all that goes into a successful application – beyond just answering the questions. In this interactive session you will learn and discuss how to structure a grant narrative for maximum effectiveness, build data systems for impactful grant reporting, strengthen funder relationships and cultivate donors, create sustainable grant management tools, and build a culture of philanthropy across your organization.

Course Objective: Gain a broad understanding of individual donor cultivation and retention and gain skills and confidence in your gift solicitation.

Individual support is key to any successful development plan and the face-to-face ask is the most successful approach to raising individual donations.  Let us show you how the face-to-face ask can increase your individual donations, and help learn more about your donors’ interests and how they fit with your nonprofit’s goals and community needs.

Learn to master the critical components of “Making the Ask” and gain the confidence to truly utilize these techniques! The half-day workshop will help you:

  • Gather ideas for assembling the best solicitation teams within your organization
  • Gain solicitation skills that will improve your effectiveness in closing individual donations
  • Build your confidence when responding to a “No,” and learn to alter your ask and get a “Yes!”

Social Enterprise & Impact Courses

Getting Started with Social Enterprise

Getting ​Started ​with ​Social ​Enterprise ​is ​the ​first ​step ​in ​a ​comprehensive ​program ​designed ​to ​help ​you ​and ​your ​nonprofit ​explore, ​design ​and ​develop ​a ​social ​enterprise ​and/or ​new ​earned ​income ​strategies. ​This ​session ​is ​an ​excellent ​stand-alone ​introduction ​to ​social ​enterprise ​and ​can ​be ​a ​jumping ​off ​point ​for ​participating ​in ​the ​comprehensive ​Colorado ​Nonprofit ​Social ​Enterprise ​Exchange.

Rethinking Revenue – Impact Investing for Nonprofits

Impact investing is in the news, and it’s happening in your neighborhood. But what does it all mean? Colorado is leading the way in this arena and there are exciting opportunities for nonprofit organizations to rethink how to finance their important work. Come learn more about this topic and have a chance to ask questions and discuss these ideas with fellow innovators. This updated training will share trends and specific ways for your organization to evaluate this revenue model. Topics will include:

  • How Impact Investing Can Fit into Your Revenue Strategy
  • Costs and Benefits of Impact Investing Strategies
  • Strategic Considerations for Nonprofit Organizations and Impact Investing
  • What Funders/Investors Look For

Rethinking Revenue – Program Related Investments

As Impact Investing increases in its use and scope in the nonprofit sector, PRI are more and more common. This half day workshop will cover definitions and concrete examples of PRIs, an impact investing tool for Foundations. Participants will also have the chance to work through examples of PRI in the development stage to answer strategic questions and think about deal structure, terms and impact. The session will close with a panel of funders who are active in the PRI space to share their experience and what they look for in successful investments.

This training workshop will also feature a funder panel.

Management & Leadership Courses

Course Description: How do you do human resources when you don’t have an HR department? This workshop will focus on the fundamental importance of good HR practices for your organization, and provide you with resources that small organizations can use to strengthen their practices. We will explore why good HR practices matter, and how they strengthen your entire organization and its standing in the community. A guest speaker will address the legal aspects of HR, and you will leave with tools to use immediately in implementing stronger HR practices.

Specifics will cover:

  • Good onboarding of new employees
  • Healthy supervision practices & having difficult conversations
  • When someone leaves, what is your role?
  • What a personnel handbook should include
  • Laws that affect your HR practices
  • Benefits and brokers

Good management involves knowing about governance and policies, delegating well, communicating effectively, and organizing one’s own time well.  Leadership is something much more personal, and reflects one’s ability to connect, communicate, and inspire others. While some may seem to be born leaders, most meaningful leadership skills are learned and can be refined with practice and intention.

This session will explore the differences between management and leadership and provide participants with the opportunity to reflect on the type of leader they are and want to be. Participants will engage in several activities to practice leadership skills related to building trust, creating a culture of accountability, and managing their own response to challenging situations. Participants will explore organizational practices that support inclusive leadership and engage in individual reflection, which includes building an understanding of how implicit bias impacts one’s own leadership.  This full day session will benefit both individuals in formal management roles and those looking to advance their opportunity for leadership.

Course Objective: Build your organizational capacity around nonprofit accounting practices, financial oversight, and internal controls.

Join us for an overview of the critical components of financial management for nonprofit organizations. This workshop will provide participants with an understanding of basic financial management terminology, policies and best practices for success. Topics include understanding a nonprofit board of director’s financial oversight responsibilities, best practices around internal controls, year-end reporting requirements, an overview of financial statements including cash flow, and statement of activities. This session is appropriate for those who manage or review budgets.

Course Description: Participants will come away with practical tips on how to recruit and engage board members in strategic planning and fundraising for organizations toward achieving mission and building a sustainable organization.

This training is for Executive Directors, Board Members, and any staff interested in increasing their skills and knowledge of nonprofit governance. Topic areas covered by this training will include: shared leadership and roles, financial oversight, Board recruitment strategies, strategies and agendas for effective board meetings and best practices for engaging board members in fundraising.

NEW COURSE

Course Objective: Your organizational culture needs to be intentionally created and nurtured. But the staggering pace of change, coming from all sides, can leave you feeling overwhelmed. Culture in the workplace has shifted dramatically, while structures have often not. How do organizational structures, such as management hierarchy, policies, decision-making power and privilege, affect your organizational culture? Join this two part series to discover new ways to better understand your culture and explore tools and practices to either embrace it or change it for the better.

Course objective: Everything DiSC Workplace® is a personalized learning experience that can benefit everyone in an organization in building more productive and effective relationships at work. It teaches participants to understand themselves and others, while learning to appreciate the different priorities, preferences, and values each individual brings to the workplace.

Participants in this training will:

  • Receive their custom Everything DiSC Workplace® Profile.
  • Explore the priorities that drive their behavior learning what comes naturally and what might be challenging when interacting with others.
  • Gain actionable strategies to unlock engagement and strengthen interpersonal interactions.
  • Learn how to adapt to the style of others to improve collaboration and the overall quality of the workplace.

Price:

Registration for this course is $65 for the first person from an organization. Since the benefits to you and your organization increase when more team members understand their workstyle, the price for each additional member is $45.

Everything DiSC® is a registered trademark of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

Objective: Participants will understand the key elements to volunteer recruitment, selection, recognition, and ongoing engagement.

Description: Volunteers are a vital resource in the nonprofit sector. Many of our organizations’ missions and programs rely heavily on the contributions of these dedicated community members. This training will cover topics including recruitment and selection, job descriptions and roles, orientation and training, recognition and engagement.

Planning Courses

Course Objective: Learn the essential tools you need to effectively create or expand a nonprofit organization forward and operate according to best practices in the State of Colorado.

Have an idea for a nonprofit? New to the sector? Do you want to know what it takes to effectively manage a nonprofit organization? You have the passion, now learn the basics on how to strengthen your mission and successfully manage and work with your nonprofit organization! This is an introductory training for those who are either new to the sector or starting a new nonprofit, and are looking for a deeper understanding of what goes into working for and managing a successful nonprofit.

Part 1: Overview of Nonprofits and Their Role in Colorado
Gain a comprehensive understanding of the nonprofit sector, why nonprofits exist, who nonprofits serve, and how a nonprofit differs from a for-profit. This is where we address assumptions about the nonprofit sector head on! Learn what it takes to be successful and what impact the nonprofit sector has on Colorado!

Part 2: Best Practices and Starting a New Nonprofit

With an understanding of the nonprofit sector and its roles and responsibilities in our community, gain an understanding of Colorado Nonprofit Association’s Principles and Practices for Nonprofit Excellence in Colorado and how they relate to your organization. These best practices will take your nonprofit to the next level in supporting your community.

Course Description: Participants will learn about best practices and common tools for assessments. 

Organizational assessments are a powerful tool for planning, strengthening, and measuring progress towards your organizations strategic goals. The primary focus of the session will be a facilitated opportunity to complete a comprehensive assessment of their organization during the course of the session and to receive a report that can be used to inform decision-making. This training is applicable for board members, executive and leadership staff who are looking for an opportunity to advance the organizations effectiveness.

Course Objective: Build your organizational capacity to assess your organizations impact by gaining tools for strategic program planning and evaluation.

Program planning and program evaluation are critical to sustainable nonprofits and has implications around board engagement, grant writing, staff retention, and overall mission impact. Participants will understand the essential elements of effective program planning strategies and program evaluation methods that can be created and implemented by your board and staff.

This training will cover topics including:

  • Review of program planning and tools like logic models to position yourself for future success
  • Deep dive into program goals, objectives and activities
  • Review of program evaluation methods including; design, data collection, and data analysis and interpretation
  • Overview of how evaluation results can be used for marketing and fundraising

Course Objective: Participants will learn about a streamlined strategic thinking and planning process and walk away with greater clarity on mission, goals, opportunities, and specific next steps to move forward.

This training is for Executive Directors, Board Members, department heads, or program managers seeking to engage in a strategic planning process. Topic areas covered will include: insight into why strategic thinking and planning matters in achieving organizational missions; how to conduct an analysis of where an organization, department, program or board is today and look to the future; the core tenets of strategic planning & the tools, processes and templates to keep the plan manageable and relevant.

Advocacy & Civic Engagement Courses

Advocacy for Nonprofits

This session will demystify advocacy and clarify the rules and regulations for nonprofits and explore ways that nonprofits can promote their cause in the upcoming year.

Advocacy is an essential best practice, positioning nonprofits to educate and engage their communities and advocate for just and inclusive solutions. This session will demystify advocacy and clarify the rules and regulations for nonpartisan 501(c)(3) organizations, introduce tactics and strategies best suited for nonprofits, and explore opportunities to get started in the coming year.

Grassroots Leadership: Advocacy Tactics and Tools

This ​session ​will ​explore ​advocacy ​and ​lobbying ​and ​clarify ​the ​rules ​and ​regulations ​for ​nonpartisan ​501(c)3 ​organizations. ​Participants ​will ​gain ​understanding ​of ​the ​best ​practices ​and ​grassroots ​tactics ​to ​move ​policy ​change ​forward. ​Participants ​will ​strengthen ​their ​confidence ​with ​advocating ​for ​their ​mission.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & INCLUSION

Nonprofits do well to include community in organizational planning, programs, and development. This session will help participants understand the role community-led programming can play in meeting their missions, developing more inclusive and equitable engagement processes, and creating sustainable change. We will explore tools, systems, and approaches for inclusive community engagement. This session will explore tools and tactics for participatory community engagement providing participants with tangible resources for engaging diverse stakeholders and centering community in decision making processes.

Grassroots Leadership: Mission Centered Advocacy

Advocacy is an essential nonprofit best practice that positions our sector to make missions and visions a reality. In this session, participants will identify the root causes of the issues facing their organizations and understand means to achieve long-term change. The session will also explore best practices for engaging community members in efforts that achieve just and inclusive solutions.

In this session, participants will explore a tool to identify the root causes of the issues
facing their organizations and understand their role in achieving long-term change.
The session will also explore best practices for engaging community members in
efforts that achieve just and inclusive solutions.

Grassroots Leadership: Strategy and Planning

Participants will gain insight into the advocacy field and learn how to strategically identify partnerships. The course will also focus on learning best practices for building buy-in from staff and board, and explore strategies for resourcing this crucial component of your work.

Peer Learning Roundtables

ED Roundtables are a peer networking and learning group that are confidential spaces to explore issues that affect life as an Executive Director. Each session will offer a brief self-care practice, then focus on a topic that creates a unique set of challenges for EDs . We will provide a chance to hear from thinkers in our field and to share useful tools. Participants will have an opportunity to share management strategies and experiences, as well as solicit ideas and solutions.

Community Resource Center Funder Connections are an opportunity for peer-learning and networking for those who work and volunteer in the nonprofit community.

Participants will gain insight and information on the following:

  • The foundation’s history of giving in Colorado
  • Funding Initiatives
  • Grant application submission and review process
  • Tips for success from the funder
  • Opportunity for open dialogue and questions with the guest speaker

For more information, please contact:

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