GCN Events
GAgives on #GivingTuesday 2018 Kickoff Event
Kick off your campaign planning with a morning of insight from experts and peers, and a keynote from #GivingTuesday.
QuickBooks Made Easy for Nonprofits
Join product expert Gregg S. Bossen, for this 2-part workshop to receive step-by-step instruction on how to maximize QuickBooks to support your organization's financial operations.
National Foundation Relations
Not just another course on grant writing, this workshop focuses on the relationship-building practices that drive deep, meaningful partnerships between nonprofits and foundations.
DOING LAB | Write the Talent Development Plan
Do you need to improve employee retention, plot career paths for your people, and prepare for your future personnel needs? This 2-session Lab is designed for organizations without an HR department, who need a plan to keep their most essential employees engaged and on-board, build a stronger and more capable team, and find the additional talent they’ll need to meet the goals of the organization.
Certificate of Nonprofit Marketing Essentials
Learn the tools for building a strong marketing and communications program from the ground up.
Webinar | Supporting your team with a workplace financial wellness program
Find out how you can create a high-value, low-cost program that provides resources and initiatives to help your employees improve financial competency, confidence, and well-being, by leveraging the free resources of GCN's new Mission:Money initiative.
DOING LAB | Start Your Nonprofit
Get your nonprofit off the ground and into action: In this 3-session Lab, you'll get the vital materials drafted, bring together your founding board, and complete your tax-exempt application.
DOING LAB | Write the Strategic Plan
Writing a strategic plan can be daunting, and not everyone can afford consultants. In this 4-session team-based Lab, you’ll create a strategic plan with a complete environmental scan, at least three goals, and associated objectives. In the end, you’ll take away a draft that you can present to the board for adoption, and a roadmap to achieving organizational priorities that you can share with your funders and donors.
DOING LAB | Write the Annual Development Plan
Write a 12-month development plan for fundraising, donor engagement, social media, and your annual appeal in this 2-session Lab.
Certificate of Nonprofit Volunteer Management
Discover the keys to effective volunteer recruitment, training, organization, and engagement in our 4-part series.
Gwinnett Series | How to Start a Nonprofit
Considering a nonprofit launch? Navigating your first year as a startup? Find out everything you need to know to get your organization off the ground and headed toward long-term success.
First Flex Fridays, a new consulting benefit for GCN members
Complimentary one-hour consult and coaching sessions on organizational change management are available on the first Friday of each month this fall, exclusively for GCN member organizations. Schedule yours today.
Gwinnett Series | Grant Management
Certificate of Supervision & Management
Prepare for a supervisory role with the knowledge and skills needed to be an effective manager and team leader.
Certificate of Nonprofit Organization Management
This 360-degree orientation to NPO program management will help you learn the sector inside and out.
Certificate of Change Management
NEW! Lead to effectively drive positive change. A two-day series overview of change management theory and strategies for driving a change process, managing resistance to change, and helping others more effectively support your agenda for change.
How to Start a Nonprofit
This evening workshop covers the essentials to get your nonprofit off to a strong start.
Gwinnett Series | High Potential Diverse Leaders
HPDL is coming to Gwinnett! This annual program prepares “rising stars” for executive-level careers in the sector through an intensive leadership development experience, presented in partnership with the American Express Foundation and MailChimp. Application deadline.
Competing for and Keeping Top Talent: A Nonprofit HR Summit
Join fellow nonprofit executive and HR leaders for this day-long event – featuring a keynote panel, lunch presentation, and three breakouts – where experts will present strategies, tools, research, and guidance to help you compete for and retain employees.
Gwinnett Series | Certificate of Outcome Measures
Join us for a two-day series on writing effective outcome measures that will wow your funders, help your board define success, and focus your programs on results.
Certificate of Fundraising | Grant Management
Go beyond the basics to learn how to not only write compelling proposals but create a powerful grant management system.
First Flex Fridays, a new consulting benefit for GCN members
Complimentary one-hour consult and coaching sessions on organizational change management are available on the first Friday of each month this fall, exclusively for GCN member organizations. Schedule yours today.
Gwinnett Series | DOING LAB | Write the Annual Development Plan
Conflict Resolution: Dealing With Difficult People
Learn how to effectively resolve conflict through techniques for managing and dealing with anger, difficult people, and difficult situations.
Data-Driven Fundraising
Learn how to use data to maximize the giving potential of donors and prospects.
Certificate of Nonprofit Human Resource Management
A comprehensive but practical foundation across the major HR functions critical to any organization’s success.
Certificate of Nonprofit Accounting
Prepare for growth in the financial management role through this comprehensive 5-part series.
First Flex Fridays, a new consulting benefit for GCN members
Complimentary one-hour consult and coaching sessions on organizational change management are available on the first Friday of each month this fall, exclusively for GCN member organizations. Schedule yours today.
How to Start a Nonprofit
This evening workshop covers the essentials to get your nonprofit off to a strong start.
Finance for the Nonfinancial Manager
Learn to read and understand financial statements, budgets, cash flow projects and what these tools tell you about your programs and organization.
First Flex Fridays, a new consulting benefit for GCN members
Complimentary one-hour consult and coaching sessions on organizational change management are available on the first Friday of each month this fall, exclusively for GCN member organizations. Schedule yours today.
GCN Resources
Power shift: The #GivingTuesday founder on the “new power” principles transforming philanthropy
Author and ED Henry Timms explains how the “connected crowd” is redefining the way we rally supporters and create impact, and how his team leveraged it to launch the global #GivingTuesday phenomenon. (If you're on the fence about participating in GAgives on #GivingTuesday, this is a must-read.)
Introducing DOING LABS: Learn. Draft. Do.
GCN's Nonprofit Consulting Group has launched a new service to help nonprofits develop strategies and action plans in specific areas: annual fundraising, strategy, developing talent, starting a nonprofit, and more.
Led by GCN senior consultants, each DOING LAB will bring together small cohorts of nonprofit leaders to learn theory and gain confidence through practice, then draft plans and complete them using ready-made templates and teamwork.
What the right communications staff can do for you
With all the voices in your organization, it takes skilled, trusted communicators to make your messages cohesive and compelling. Big Duck CEO Sarah Durham shares tips for building an optimum in-house team – even if it’s a team of one!
Nonprofit University Online
Nonprofit University programs are now online and on-demand, thanks to our new partnership with NonprofitReady.org – the largest free online learning library for nonprofit professionals.
Sign up to access complimentary short videos and in-depth training opportunities based on our most popular and practical NU programs.
Looking for volunteer leaders? Give them what they want
It takes intentional efforts to establish volunteer leadership for the long-term. Nonprofit University facilitator Shirley Anne Smith reveals what they’re looking for from you – and where you can learn more.
The nonprofit workforce speaks.
In the latest report from GCN's Work for Good, nonprofit pros share what makes a workforce great, what matters most, and how they decide to stay or go. Gain candid insight and practical advice on how to attract, engage, and retain top talent.
Jump-start your staffing strategy: Three steps toward a plan
You can’t reach your goals without the right people in the right positions at the right time – and you can’t line up those factors without a thoughtful, comprehensive approach to talent management.
A benefit that pays back: Financial planning for your people
Nonprofit employers need cost-friendly ways to retain talent, and we could all use help offsetting salaries that continually fall behind those in other sectors. Senior Consultant Mary Bear Hughes explores a compelling solution to both challenges: personal financial planning tools.
Monthly sector news and insight, delivered.
Get complimentary issues of This Month @ GCN, featuring reporting on trending topics and best practices, grant opportunities, and upcoming events; Georgia Nonprofit NEWS, a roundup of accomplishments, impact, and people moves; plus, timely briefings on policy developments, training opportunities, and more.
Your all-in-one talent management solution from GCN
Exclusively for member nonprofits, our Nonprofit University + ThinkHR Subscription delivers year-round professional development and training for your team; unlimited on-call support from certified HR pros; and interactive HR and talent compliance tools.
Four steps to a killer skills-based volunteer project
Looking to build a financial model, develop a scheduling app, or create a fundraising video, but don’t have the talent on-hand? Hands On Atlanta shares a step-by-step process for meeting those needs with volunteer expertise.
[How We Hire] Finding the people to reach 200 million worldwide
From GCN's Work for Good, the search for talent to drive CARE USA’s transformative goals begins with Melissa Wiley, who looks for passion, curiosity, openness, and an appetite for global experience.
Why wellness works
Ten years ago, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta set out to redefine corporate wellness efforts for a staff of 11,000-plus. Here’s what it took to make their Strong4Life program a success, and the dividends it’s paid for employees and patients.
How to train and recruit board members the right way
Board member recruitment is an annual process for finding the best people to support your mission: those with time, talent, and treasure, to govern the organization. But too many of us are putting it off, using shortcuts that undermine the process, or moving it down our long list of priorities.
Measuring what matters: Custom training in Augusta
Measures are critical for a host of reasons – evaluating performance, reporting impact, and making the case for investing in your organization. But not all measures are equal: There are those that show what you’ve done, and those that show the difference you’ve made.
The talent hunt is (still) on: 6 tips for hiring and retention
With unemployment low and workers’ expectations high, every nonprofit with a position to fill must take active steps now to become the employer of choice. Mary Hughes, leader of the executive search practice for GCN’s Nonprofit Consulting Group, shows you how.
United Way Worldwide's breakout campaign
Charting a new direction for a sector icon is no small task. AMA Nonprofit Marketer of the Year Lisa Bowman tells us about the research, determination, and tough conversations that went into the bold new “Join the Fight” outreach campaign.
The need to convene: Alliance-building in six steps
Because partnerships are more vital than ever, GCN VP Sir José Bright outlines a process for putting together an effective alliance with help from two leaders in the Coalition of Refugee Service Agencies.
GCN's Nonprofit University arrives in Gwinnett!
In 2018, we're offering area nonprofits intensive workshops in leadership, strategy, change management, fundraising, performance measures, and more. Thank you to our sponsors Primerica and Nordson, and to our partner Gwinnett Coalition for Health & Human Services for hosting the series.
Mindful news consumption for nonprofit pros
With an endless stream of news (much of it bad) beamed directly to our phones, the way we consume the latest headlines can have a huge impact on our stress levels – and our risk of burnout. On GCN's Work for Good, Beth Kanter has the tactics to tame your media habits.
Three secrets for kickstarting your board
Want board members to jump in with both feet? According to the experts from our Nonprofit Consulting Group, it’s not just a matter of strategic planning and understanding organizational needs, but practices that encourage clarity, communication, and board member empowerment.
SMARTer marketing strategies through Connective Impact
If communications and development aren’t working together, they’re probably working at odds. To maximize your donor cultivation efforts, MagnifyGood CEO Sam Stern suggests rethinking internal relationships using Collective Impact principles.
Seeking the Millennial donor: How the largest generation gives back
It isn’t easy to pin down the most diverse American demographic yet. That’s why we turned to the research to find out how this highly loyal, highly mobile cohort shows they care.
Retention, recruitment, and the nonprofit advantage: Practical ideas from GCN’s Spring CEO Forum
Taken from our latest gathering of member executives, GCN CEO Karen Beavor provides reasons to be optimistic about a tight market for talent, and tactics for becoming a top competitor.
Announcing 2018 Collaborative Innovation Grant Winners
Continuing our decade-long Building Community Network partnership with The Home Depot Foundation, GCN is proud to announce the winners of the 2018 Collaborative Innovation Grants competition. The Foundation is providing a total of $317,000 to seven Atlanta nonprofit partnerships that will further the “greening” of neighborhoods, expand access to no-cost medical equipment, bring free opera performances to the BeltLine, and much more.
Guidestones from young pros
To discover what helped propel their early success, we asked the winners of this year’s Nonprofit Leader 30 Under 30 Awards: What decision, experience, or principle has made the biggest difference in your leadership journey?
Your most powerful tool for fundraising: Relationships and the resource development plan
Getting what you want from donors means giving them what they want, in terms of messaging, asks, and appreciation.
Why trends matter to nonprofits
With the rate of change today, adaptation is a must. GCN President and CEO Karen Beavor details three principles for identifying the trends that most affect your efforts, and turning them to your advantage.
Time (again) to take charge: Four practices for an uncertain era
Though it’s hard to predict exactly what policy changes are on the way from the new White House – and okay to be worried about it! – nonprofits can weather them the same way we have in the past: with resiliency, sustainability, alliances, and advocacy.
More than compatibility: What makes a merger work
Every merger has its challenges, even among the most aligned of partners – as in the case of newly-established FOCUS + Fragile Kids. Associate Director Joy Trotti shares lessons learned, including funding-friendly resources for marketing and legal issues.
How can your organization become the workplace of choice?
The demand for fulfilling, purpose-driven careers is growing – and yet, mission-driven employers must contend for top talent in a highly competitive hiring environment.
This new report from GCN's own Work for Good, based on our recent survey of nonprofit pros, delivers first-hand testimony and sound methods for attracting, engaging, and retaining your greatest assets: talented employees eager to make a difference.
How an unforgettable event takes shape
World-class events require time, thought, care, and a range of specific skills. Ahead of his Master Class starting Jan. 23, NU facilitator Vic McCarty runs down the points to consider in your plan to wow guests, raise funds, and share the spirit of your organization.
Scoring the diversity bonus: A discussion
In his new book, researcher Scott Page proves the positive impact of workplace diversity on productivity and innovation. Recently, Page sat down with a panel of Atlanta leaders to considers the promise, challenges, and practical steps involved.
Presenting our NOW winter edition, a roundup of reporting over the past quarter, leading with trend insight from CEO Karen Beavor and a primer on strategic HR from Nonprofit University. Also in this issue: sector leaders weigh in on how they tackle fundraising appeals, mergers, employee wellness, skilled volunteer projects, marketing campaigns, and more, plus alliance-building tips from Consulting VP José Bright.
Happy hunting, and how it's done
The most important part of your leadership search is having a consistent process. Here’s how senior consultant Mary Bear Hughes makes that process clear and effective for our Nonprofit Consulting Group clients.
Standing out in a crowd of year-end appeals
It’s holiday-time, when folks are in the mood to give. The problem: When just about every nonprofit is sending an appeal, yours can get lost in the pile-up. Dad’s Garage offers these timely tips to get the most out of your end-of-year ask.
Corporate urgency, nonprofit opportunity: Why businesses need you
Given the daily influx of new social campaigns, boycotts, marches, and hashtag-powered pressure on business, nonprofits hold unprecedented value for corporate partners. Here’s how to make the most of your opening.
Seeking corporate support: Are you ready?
Yes, corporate America is eager to give back – but each company approaches philanthropy with their own outcomes in mind. Master Class facilitator Cathy Ramos outlines what you need to make the business case for your nonprofit.
In light of recent events in Charlottesville, Virginia, please read GCN's statement of sector solidarity against racism asking our nonprofit colleagues to unify.
GCN President and CEO Karen Beavor has also penned a personal letter on the ability and duty of every American to be a leader.
How “doable” is your job? What the workload means for your legacy
If you’re an overloaded executive, you’re ensuring a rocky transition for anyone who steps into the role after you. With this advice from GCN executive search expert Mary Hughes, you can rethink your position to better serve the organization’s future – and your own.
Making the 2020 Census count: A nonprofit call-to-action
An accurate census is fundamental to the work you do and the people you serve – but it isn’t an equal-opportunity enterprise. Expert Terri Ann Lowenthal gives nonprofits multiple ways (and reasons) to help ensure a successful 2020 Census.
A new crop of collaborations: Growing innovative partnerships with the Building Community Network
In three award-winning joint projects, a handful of Atlanta nonprofits demonstrate the power of Design Thinking principles, and The Home Depot Foundation’s grantee network, to answer challenges larger than any one organization.
Thinking like an entrepreneur
In this roundtable discussion, the Nonprofit Consulting Group team experts conducting our freshly-launched business accelerator reveal how sector leaders can benefit from a more entrepreneurial mindset.
Yes, you can lobby—and so much more!
Many nonprofits think that their hands are tied when it comes to working with elected officials. But as an organization with members, donors, and volunteers, you have the power to influence a lot of people—and that makes you important to anyone who answers to voters. Yes, you can lobby, but there are rules.
The powers that be (and how they are used)
If you want to lead, you've got to understand the sources, strengths, and limitations of your power style, and how to step up your abilities through interpersonal skills and professional expertise.
Who's on board?
Why do your board members serve? What does your governance team need? Starting with new data on what drives board members, and featuring simple-but-powerful tools for organizing your board development strategy and getting your recruitment efforts underway, we provide a foolproof primer to help you get it right from the start.
Building Momentum for Atlanta's Westside
In partnership with The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, GCN leads a three-year Westside Momentum process, providing this intensive learning, coaching and peer sharing experience to strengthen the nonprofits who are playing a primary role in revitalizing these historic comunities.
Latest News & Resources
Power shift: The #GivingTuesday founder on the “new power” principles transforming philanthropy
Author and ED Henry Timms explains how the “connected crowd” is redefining the way we rally supporters and create impact, and how his team leveraged it to launch the global #GivingTuesday phenomenon. (If you're on the fence about participating in GAgives on #GivingTuesday, this is a must-read.)
Introducing DOING LABS: Learn. Draft. Do.
GCN's Nonprofit Consulting Group has launched a new service to help nonprofits develop strategies and action plans in specific areas: annual fundraising, strategy, developing talent, starting a nonprofit, and more.
Led by GCN senior consultants, each DOING LAB will bring together small cohorts of nonprofit leaders to learn theory and gain confidence through practice, then draft plans and complete them using ready-made templates and teamwork.
What the right communications staff can do for you
With all the voices in your organization, it takes skilled, trusted communicators to make your messages cohesive and compelling. Big Duck CEO Sarah Durham shares tips for building an optimum in-house team – even if it’s a team of one!
Nonprofit University Online
Nonprofit University programs are now online and on-demand, thanks to our new partnership with NonprofitReady.org – the largest free online learning library for nonprofit professionals.
Sign up to access complimentary short videos and in-depth training opportunities based on our most popular and practical NU programs.
Looking for volunteer leaders? Give them what they want
It takes intentional efforts to establish volunteer leadership for the long-term. Nonprofit University facilitator Shirley Anne Smith reveals what they’re looking for from you – and where you can learn more.
The nonprofit workforce speaks.
In the latest report from GCN's Work for Good, nonprofit pros share what makes a workforce great, what matters most, and how they decide to stay or go. Gain candid insight and practical advice on how to attract, engage, and retain top talent.
Jump-start your staffing strategy: Three steps toward a plan
You can’t reach your goals without the right people in the right positions at the right time – and you can’t line up those factors without a thoughtful, comprehensive approach to talent management.
A benefit that pays back: Financial planning for your people
Nonprofit employers need cost-friendly ways to retain talent, and we could all use help offsetting salaries that continually fall behind those in other sectors. Senior Consultant Mary Bear Hughes explores a compelling solution to both challenges: personal financial planning tools.
Monthly sector news and insight, delivered.
Get complimentary issues of This Month @ GCN, featuring reporting on trending topics and best practices, grant opportunities, and upcoming events; Georgia Nonprofit NEWS, a roundup of accomplishments, impact, and people moves; plus, timely briefings on policy developments, training opportunities, and more.
Your all-in-one talent management solution from GCN
Exclusively for member nonprofits, our Nonprofit University + ThinkHR Subscription delivers year-round professional development and training for your team; unlimited on-call support from certified HR pros; and interactive HR and talent compliance tools.
Four steps to a killer skills-based volunteer project
Looking to build a financial model, develop a scheduling app, or create a fundraising video, but don’t have the talent on-hand? Hands On Atlanta shares a step-by-step process for meeting those needs with volunteer expertise.
[How We Hire] Finding the people to reach 200 million worldwide
From GCN's Work for Good, the search for talent to drive CARE USA’s transformative goals begins with Melissa Wiley, who looks for passion, curiosity, openness, and an appetite for global experience.
Why wellness works
Ten years ago, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta set out to redefine corporate wellness efforts for a staff of 11,000-plus. Here’s what it took to make their Strong4Life program a success, and the dividends it’s paid for employees and patients.
How to train and recruit board members the right way
Board member recruitment is an annual process for finding the best people to support your mission: those with time, talent, and treasure, to govern the organization. But too many of us are putting it off, using shortcuts that undermine the process, or moving it down our long list of priorities.
Measuring what matters: Custom training in Augusta
Measures are critical for a host of reasons – evaluating performance, reporting impact, and making the case for investing in your organization. But not all measures are equal: There are those that show what you’ve done, and those that show the difference you’ve made.
The talent hunt is (still) on: 6 tips for hiring and retention
With unemployment low and workers’ expectations high, every nonprofit with a position to fill must take active steps now to become the employer of choice. Mary Hughes, leader of the executive search practice for GCN’s Nonprofit Consulting Group, shows you how.
United Way Worldwide's breakout campaign
Charting a new direction for a sector icon is no small task. AMA Nonprofit Marketer of the Year Lisa Bowman tells us about the research, determination, and tough conversations that went into the bold new “Join the Fight” outreach campaign.
The need to convene: Alliance-building in six steps
Because partnerships are more vital than ever, GCN VP Sir José Bright outlines a process for putting together an effective alliance with help from two leaders in the Coalition of Refugee Service Agencies.
GCN's Nonprofit University arrives in Gwinnett!
In 2018, we're offering area nonprofits intensive workshops in leadership, strategy, change management, fundraising, performance measures, and more. Thank you to our sponsors Primerica and Nordson, and to our partner Gwinnett Coalition for Health & Human Services for hosting the series.
Mindful news consumption for nonprofit pros
With an endless stream of news (much of it bad) beamed directly to our phones, the way we consume the latest headlines can have a huge impact on our stress levels – and our risk of burnout. On GCN's Work for Good, Beth Kanter has the tactics to tame your media habits.
Three secrets for kickstarting your board
Want board members to jump in with both feet? According to the experts from our Nonprofit Consulting Group, it’s not just a matter of strategic planning and understanding organizational needs, but practices that encourage clarity, communication, and board member empowerment.
SMARTer marketing strategies through Connective Impact
If communications and development aren’t working together, they’re probably working at odds. To maximize your donor cultivation efforts, MagnifyGood CEO Sam Stern suggests rethinking internal relationships using Collective Impact principles.
Seeking the Millennial donor: How the largest generation gives back
It isn’t easy to pin down the most diverse American demographic yet. That’s why we turned to the research to find out how this highly loyal, highly mobile cohort shows they care.
Retention, recruitment, and the nonprofit advantage: Practical ideas from GCN’s Spring CEO Forum
Taken from our latest gathering of member executives, GCN CEO Karen Beavor provides reasons to be optimistic about a tight market for talent, and tactics for becoming a top competitor.
Announcing 2018 Collaborative Innovation Grant Winners
Continuing our decade-long Building Community Network partnership with The Home Depot Foundation, GCN is proud to announce the winners of the 2018 Collaborative Innovation Grants competition. The Foundation is providing a total of $317,000 to seven Atlanta nonprofit partnerships that will further the “greening” of neighborhoods, expand access to no-cost medical equipment, bring free opera performances to the BeltLine, and much more.
Guidestones from young pros
To discover what helped propel their early success, we asked the winners of this year’s Nonprofit Leader 30 Under 30 Awards: What decision, experience, or principle has made the biggest difference in your leadership journey?
Your most powerful tool for fundraising: Relationships and the resource development plan
Getting what you want from donors means giving them what they want, in terms of messaging, asks, and appreciation.
Why trends matter to nonprofits
With the rate of change today, adaptation is a must. GCN President and CEO Karen Beavor details three principles for identifying the trends that most affect your efforts, and turning them to your advantage.
Time (again) to take charge: Four practices for an uncertain era
Though it’s hard to predict exactly what policy changes are on the way from the new White House – and okay to be worried about it! – nonprofits can weather them the same way we have in the past: with resiliency, sustainability, alliances, and advocacy.
More than compatibility: What makes a merger work
Every merger has its challenges, even among the most aligned of partners – as in the case of newly-established FOCUS + Fragile Kids. Associate Director Joy Trotti shares lessons learned, including funding-friendly resources for marketing and legal issues.
How can your organization become the workplace of choice?
The demand for fulfilling, purpose-driven careers is growing – and yet, mission-driven employers must contend for top talent in a highly competitive hiring environment.
This new report from GCN's own Work for Good, based on our recent survey of nonprofit pros, delivers first-hand testimony and sound methods for attracting, engaging, and retaining your greatest assets: talented employees eager to make a difference.
How an unforgettable event takes shape
World-class events require time, thought, care, and a range of specific skills. Ahead of his Master Class starting Jan. 23, NU facilitator Vic McCarty runs down the points to consider in your plan to wow guests, raise funds, and share the spirit of your organization.
Scoring the diversity bonus: A discussion
In his new book, researcher Scott Page proves the positive impact of workplace diversity on productivity and innovation. Recently, Page sat down with a panel of Atlanta leaders to considers the promise, challenges, and practical steps involved.
Presenting our NOW winter edition, a roundup of reporting over the past quarter, leading with trend insight from CEO Karen Beavor and a primer on strategic HR from Nonprofit University. Also in this issue: sector leaders weigh in on how they tackle fundraising appeals, mergers, employee wellness, skilled volunteer projects, marketing campaigns, and more, plus alliance-building tips from Consulting VP José Bright.
Happy hunting, and how it's done
The most important part of your leadership search is having a consistent process. Here’s how senior consultant Mary Bear Hughes makes that process clear and effective for our Nonprofit Consulting Group clients.
Standing out in a crowd of year-end appeals
It’s holiday-time, when folks are in the mood to give. The problem: When just about every nonprofit is sending an appeal, yours can get lost in the pile-up. Dad’s Garage offers these timely tips to get the most out of your end-of-year ask.
Corporate urgency, nonprofit opportunity: Why businesses need you
Given the daily influx of new social campaigns, boycotts, marches, and hashtag-powered pressure on business, nonprofits hold unprecedented value for corporate partners. Here’s how to make the most of your opening.
Seeking corporate support: Are you ready?
Yes, corporate America is eager to give back – but each company approaches philanthropy with their own outcomes in mind. Master Class facilitator Cathy Ramos outlines what you need to make the business case for your nonprofit.
In light of recent events in Charlottesville, Virginia, please read GCN's statement of sector solidarity against racism asking our nonprofit colleagues to unify.
GCN President and CEO Karen Beavor has also penned a personal letter on the ability and duty of every American to be a leader.
How “doable” is your job? What the workload means for your legacy
If you’re an overloaded executive, you’re ensuring a rocky transition for anyone who steps into the role after you. With this advice from GCN executive search expert Mary Hughes, you can rethink your position to better serve the organization’s future – and your own.
Making the 2020 Census count: A nonprofit call-to-action
An accurate census is fundamental to the work you do and the people you serve – but it isn’t an equal-opportunity enterprise. Expert Terri Ann Lowenthal gives nonprofits multiple ways (and reasons) to help ensure a successful 2020 Census.
A new crop of collaborations: Growing innovative partnerships with the Building Community Network
In three award-winning joint projects, a handful of Atlanta nonprofits demonstrate the power of Design Thinking principles, and The Home Depot Foundation’s grantee network, to answer challenges larger than any one organization.
Thinking like an entrepreneur
In this roundtable discussion, the Nonprofit Consulting Group team experts conducting our freshly-launched business accelerator reveal how sector leaders can benefit from a more entrepreneurial mindset.
Yes, you can lobby—and so much more!
Many nonprofits think that their hands are tied when it comes to working with elected officials. But as an organization with members, donors, and volunteers, you have the power to influence a lot of people—and that makes you important to anyone who answers to voters. Yes, you can lobby, but there are rules.
The powers that be (and how they are used)
If you want to lead, you've got to understand the sources, strengths, and limitations of your power style, and how to step up your abilities through interpersonal skills and professional expertise.
Who's on board?
Why do your board members serve? What does your governance team need? Starting with new data on what drives board members, and featuring simple-but-powerful tools for organizing your board development strategy and getting your recruitment efforts underway, we provide a foolproof primer to help you get it right from the start.
Building Momentum for Atlanta's Westside
In partnership with The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation, GCN leads a three-year Westside Momentum process, providing this intensive learning, coaching and peer sharing experience to strengthen the nonprofits who are playing a primary role in revitalizing these historic comunities.
Upcoming Events
8.17.18 | Atlanta
GAgives on #GivingTuesday 2018 Kickoff Event
Kick off your campaign planning with a morning of insight from experts and peers, and a keynote from #GivingTuesday. Learn more.
8.21.18 | Atlanta
QuickBooks Made Easy for Nonprofits
Join product expert Gregg S. Bossen, for this 2-part workshop to receive step-by-step instruction on how to maximize QuickBooks to support your organization's financial operations. Learn more.
8.23.18 | Atlanta
National Foundation Relations
Not just another course on grant writing, this workshop focuses on the relationship-building practices that drive deep, meaningful partnerships between nonprofits and foundations. Learn more.
8.28.18 | Atlanta
Certificate of Nonprofit Marketing Essentials
Learn the tools for building a strong marketing and communications program from the ground up. Learn more.
8.28.18 | Online
Webinar | Supporting your team with a workplace financial wellness program
Find out how you can create a high-value, low-cost program that provides resources and initiatives to help your employees improve financial competency, confidence, and well-being, by leveraging the free resources of GCN's new Mission:Money initiative. Learn more.
8.28.18 | Atlanta
DOING LAB | Write the Talent Development Plan
Do you need to improve employee retention, plot career paths for your people, and prepare for your future personnel needs? This 2-session Lab is designed for organizations without an HR department, who need a plan to keep their most essential employees engaged and on-board, build a stronger and more capable team, and find the additional talent they’ll need to meet the goals of the organization. Learn more.
8.30.18 | Atlanta
DOING LAB | Start Your Nonprofit
Get your nonprofit off the ground and into action: In this 3-session Lab, you'll get the vital materials drafted, bring together your founding board, and complete your tax-exempt application. Learn more.
9.04.18 | Atlanta
DOING LAB | Write the Strategic Plan
Writing a strategic plan can be daunting, and not everyone can afford consultants. In this 4-session team-based Lab, you’ll create a strategic plan with a complete environmental scan, at least three goals, and associated objectives. In the end, you’ll take away a draft that you can present to the board for adoption, and a roadmap to achieving organizational priorities that you can share with your funders and donors. Learn more.
9.05.18 | Atlanta
DOING LAB | Write the Annual Development Plan
Write a 12-month development plan for fundraising, donor engagement, social media, and your annual appeal in this 2-session Lab. Learn more.
9.06.18 | Atlanta
Certificate of Nonprofit Volunteer Management
Discover the keys to effective volunteer recruitment, training, organization, and engagement in our 4-part series. Learn more.
9.07.18 | Gwinnett
Gwinnett Series | How to Start a Nonprofit
Considering a nonprofit launch? Navigating your first year as a startup? Find out everything you need to know to get your organization off the ground and headed toward long-term success. Learn more.
First Flex Fridays, a new consulting benefit for GCN members
Complimentary one-hour consult and coaching sessions on organizational change management are available on the first Friday of each month this fall, exclusively for GCN member organizations. Schedule yours today. Learn more.
9.11.18 | Gwinnett
Gwinnett Series | Grant Management
9.12.18 | Atlanta
Certificate of Supervision & Management
Prepare for a supervisory role with the knowledge and skills needed to be an effective manager and team leader. Learn more.
9.13.18 | Atlanta
Certificate of Nonprofit Organization Management
This 360-degree orientation to NPO program management will help you learn the sector inside and out. Learn more.
9.18.18 | Atlanta
Certificate of Change Management
NEW! Lead to effectively drive positive change. A two-day series overview of change management theory and strategies for driving a change process, managing resistance to change, and helping others more effectively support your agenda for change. Learn more.
9.20.18 | Gwinnett
Gwinnett Series | High Potential Diverse Leaders
HPDL is coming to Gwinnett! This annual program prepares “rising stars” for executive-level careers in the sector through an intensive leadership development experience, presented in partnership with the American Express Foundation and MailChimp. Application deadline. Learn more.
9.20.18 | Atlanta
How to Start a Nonprofit
This evening workshop covers the essentials to get your nonprofit off to a strong start. Learn more.
9.28.18 | Atlanta
Competing for and Keeping Top Talent: A Nonprofit HR Summit
Join fellow nonprofit executive and HR leaders for this day-long event – featuring a keynote panel, lunch presentation, and three breakouts – where experts will present strategies, tools, research, and guidance to help you compete for and retain employees. Learn more.
10.01.18 | Gwinnett
Gwinnett Series | Certificate of Outcome Measures
Join us for a two-day series on writing effective outcome measures that will wow your funders, help your board define success, and focus your programs on results. Learn more.
10.03.18 | Atlanta
Certificate of Fundraising | Grant Management
Go beyond the basics to learn how to not only write compelling proposals but create a powerful grant management system. Learn more.
First Flex Fridays, a new consulting benefit for GCN members
Complimentary one-hour consult and coaching sessions on organizational change management are available on the first Friday of each month this fall, exclusively for GCN member organizations. Schedule yours today. Learn more.
10.12.18 | Gwinnett
Gwinnett Series | DOING LAB | Write the Annual Development Plan
10.17.18 | Atlanta
Conflict Resolution: Dealing With Difficult People
Learn how to effectively resolve conflict through techniques for managing and dealing with anger, difficult people, and difficult situations. Learn more.
10.18.18 | Atlanta
Data-Driven Fundraising
Learn how to use data to maximize the giving potential of donors and prospects. Learn more.
10.30.18 | Atlanta
Certificate of Nonprofit Human Resource Management
A comprehensive but practical foundation across the major HR functions critical to any organization’s success. Learn more.
11.01.18 | Atlanta
Certificate of Nonprofit Accounting
Prepare for growth in the financial management role through this comprehensive 5-part series. Learn more.
First Flex Fridays, a new consulting benefit for GCN members
Complimentary one-hour consult and coaching sessions on organizational change management are available on the first Friday of each month this fall, exclusively for GCN member organizations. Schedule yours today. Learn more.
12.03.18 | Atlanta
How to Start a Nonprofit
This evening workshop covers the essentials to get your nonprofit off to a strong start. Learn more.
12.05.18 | Atlanta
Finance for the Nonfinancial Manager
Learn to read and understand financial statements, budgets, cash flow projects and what these tools tell you about your programs and organization. Learn more.
First Flex Fridays, a new consulting benefit for GCN members
Complimentary one-hour consult and coaching sessions on organizational change management are available on the first Friday of each month this fall, exclusively for GCN member organizations. Schedule yours today. Learn more.