SkillsBuilders
NPCC’s SkillsBuilders training and support programs are designed to transfer practical management skills to leaders of small and mid-sized nonprofits and to track measurable improvements in the participating organizations. It makes available practical training and support by top providers in management areas such as marketing and communications, financial management and outcome management at greatly reduced cost. Two pilot programs have launched: Managing for Results: Outcomes Management for Smaller Nonprofits, and Basic Finances. Grantwriting for Smaller Nonprofits will begin in Fall 2008.
SkillsBuilders offers intensive training and support in nonprofit management areas where these services are not affordable or appropriately structured for small and mid-sized organizations. The goal is to develop low-cost strategies that help managers build stronger organizations. Results of the training and support provided are tracked as part of the program.
Basic Fundraising
Sooner or later, all of us have to ask individuals for money. So why should someone give money to your organization or cause? Need to know why people give money to nonprofits and why, in particular, they might contribute to yours? Learn how to create a compelling case for support, to deliver your pitch successfully and to raise more money from a more diverse group of people.
Led by Judy Levine and Gregory Cohen of Cause Effective: Nonprofit Resource Development Center, the series of workshops and clinics will provide practical exercises to assess and improve your organization’s grassroots fundraising success, and will offer NPCC members an opportunity to participate in a longer-term, low-cost fundraising training and support program that is part of the NPCC SkillsBuilders series.
To read more about the series which begins in January 2009, click here. For more information about Basic Fundraising, contact Alison Kincaid at 212-502-4191, extension 24 or akincaid@npccny.org.
Outcome Management
Managing for Results: Outcome Management for Smaller Nonprofits enables organizations to master the basics of defining, assessing and tracking outcomes. It launched in April 2006, and is conducted in partnership with The Rensselaerville Institute. The program combines small, hands-on workshops with follow-up coaching and support sessions, offering nonprofit leaders real experience in creating practical outcome management strategies for their organizations.
To date, 28 groups have successfully completed participation in the first two rounds of the initiative. All have successfully implemented outcome management in their organizations. The next round of Outcome Management is scheduled to begin later in 2008. The cost is $500 for two participants from each organization. For more information contact Michael Clark at 212-502-4191, extension 23 or mclark@npccny.org.
Basic Finances
Basic Finances for Small Nonprofits enables leaders of small nonprofits to manage their organization’s financial affairs through mastery of basic concepts of bookkeeping (assets and liabilities, debts and credits, cash disbursements, cash receipts and journal entries). Nonprofit leaders are often unfamiliar with the rudimentary aspects of bookkeeping, financial statements, audits and government reporting. This program offers guidance on how to use financial information as an effective management tool.
Through workshops, support clinics and coaching, participating groups get guidance and bookkeeping solutions and help in preparing for their organization’s first audit. Ongoing telephone and email support is provided. Ideal participants are an executive director and/or board member for each organization, i.e., someone who ultimately has responsibility for the organization’s finances, but lack confidence in their ability to interpret and manage financial information.
To date, 24 groups have successfully completed the Basic Finance course through two cycles. Basic Finances was last offered in July 2008. The cost is $500 for two participants from an organization. For more information contact Marcia Brown at 212-502-4191, extension 27 or mbrown@npccny.org.