Marketing Must-Haves

Please join us, Thursday, April 12th from 8-9:30am at the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa to discuss marketing must-haves.

Nonprofits have a lot on their plates. In the prioritization of things, marketing can sometimes get overlooked, be viewed as too expense, or just not get done because there is not enough
staff or time. The truth is that marketing is an essential cog in a nonprofit's ability to provide services and communicate to those who need them. 

Lindsay and Jake will present some of the marketing must-haves organizations should be thinking about, no matter the size of their budget or staff. Discussion on topics such as knowing your audiences, honing your messages and storytelling, creating a distinct brand, and using online assets will help teams develop marketing solutions that connect people to their missions. The pair will share knowledge gained from other professionals through CVNA marketing meet up presentations and bring their perspectives as nonprofit marketers.

Free for CVNA members; $25 non-members.  Please RSVP by April 10th. 
Sector Solutions

Advocacy  is the action of promoting and advancing a non-profit's mission...the primary goals of advocating for your non-profit are done in an effort to grow awareness of the community need and the service you are providing, with the hopes that it will create more awareness and solutions, and ultimately meet the needs of the mission it provides.
As non-profits,  we simply must speak up for those we serve both with legislative partners that can help direct funding for the critical and important  programs and services we provide our state, as well as leverage vital local philanthropic support to ensure the success of our programs (read more...)  

Nominations Please
 
NOMINTATION DEADLINE EXTENDED TO MARCH 16TH

We are still looking for the following nominations:
  • Business Partner of the Year
  • Nonprofit Staff Leader of the Year
  • Nonprofit Board Member of the Year
  • Food Award for Collaboration
  • Gordon Mack Legacy Award
  • New Nonprofit Employee of the Year
  • Keri Klush Award for Outstanding Student Leadership
  • Exceptional Nonprofit of the Year
If you know anyone you would like to nominate, please click here.  


The Volunteer Center of Cedar Valley is accepting nominations now through Friday, March 16th for the 2018 Mayors' Volunteer Awards and Top Teen
Awards. The awards recognize individuals who have demonstrated an
outstanding commitment to service through volunteerism in the Cedar Valley.

The Mayors' Top Teen Awards honor youth ages 13-18 attending a school in
Black Hawk County. The Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa also selects one junior from each of the accredited high schools in Black Hawk County to receive the $1000 Mother Moon Service Scholarship.

All nominees and recipients will be recognized at special events on May 1.

Nomination forms are available online at www.vccv.org.  
7 Habits Cedar Valley

We are offering 7 Habits training again!  If you haven't gone through 7 Habits training, it truly is transformational!  It is a FranklinCovey certified training right here in the Cedar Valley.  Normally you would pay thousands to attend this type of training and have to travel, but because of our exclusive agreements with Covey we are able to offer it here at a much reduced rate.  This is a professional development training, but if you have kids in a Leader in Me school it also teaches you the language and habits that your kids are learning in school.  
 
Attached is the informational flyer.   Seats are filling up so reserve yours soon. 

Community Events

Since 2010, the McElroy Trust has partnered with culture, recreation and arts attractions in downtown Waterloo, to make sure that every kid and every family experiences an  AMAZING Spring Break.

Over 10,000 people have enjoyed the event each year!  Venues  include: Young Arena (ice skating); Sullivan Brothers Iowa Veterans Museum and Grout Museum of History and Science; Bluedorn Science Imaginarium; Phelps Youth Pavilion; National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum; Black Hawk Children's Theatre; John Deere Tractor & Engine Museum; CedarValley SportsPlex (swimming); YMCA (swimming), and the Waterloo Public Library.

Admission is just $1 per child...and only $1 for the adults that came along with the kids!  To learn more about this year's event, visit the World Greatest Spring Break website.



What do you get when you combine an unlimited soup buffet, a silent auction, a live auction, and unprecedented amount of raffle prizes, all in one night?  You get Empty Bowls 2018. 

Empty Bowls is one of our biggest events of the year. Once again, we will be hosting this event at the  5 Sullivan Brothers Convention Center in Waterloo, IA, on  April 6th from 6:00PM - 9:30 PM.

We also have  one more surprise that we're going to wait and unveil to you in the next few weeks. Until then, put  April 6th on your calendar and  save the date!

Job Openings

Job Title:  Cedar Valley Readers Coordinator

Operation Threshold is accepting applications for the position of Cedar Valley Readers Campaign for Grade Level Reading (CVR) Coordinator.  In
conjunction with its board and partners, the Coordinator is responsible for
directing the overall vision of CVR and moving the literacy/reading
proficiency campaign forward.  This position will work with various
community groups, partners, and volunteers, and will serve as the backbone ofthis collectivc impact effort. Must have excellent organizational, planning,
motivational, recruiting, managing, and collaborative skills. Requirements
include a Bachelor's Degree in Education, Human Services, or related field and two years' experience in a related field.  Submit resume to: Human Resources, OperationThreshold, PO Box 4120, Waterloo, IA 50704 or
cboche@operationthreshold.org

Legislative Corner

Keep up-to-date with what's going on with our State Representatives & Legislative team (not all represented)

 In our first 5 years we have: (continually being updated)
  • 78 member organizations
  • 6 investors
  • 1,575 program registrations
  • 177 hours of programming
  • 179 e-newsletters
  • Grant Gurus workshops
  • 192 jobs advertised
  • 20+ organizations connected with 50 UNI students 
  • added additional educational training workshops to our members
  • won the "Gift of the Heart Innovation" award in 2013
  • Partners with Idealware
  • Developed a new website 2017
  • Created Internship Program
Check out the other benefits of membership  HERE    If you are interested in joining CVNA, you can access our application form online 
HERE.

Share your good news with the CVNA and be featured in future e-newsletters.   Have you implemented an innovative idea?  Are you hiring?  Have you created or updated your website?  Are you hosting an event?   Let the CVNA spread the word. 

To submit an item for the next newsletter, click on the  submit news page.  Please note that only member organizations who have submitted membership applications may post items.  The newsletter is published every two weeks.
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Holly Dusenbery | Coordinator Cedar Valley Nonprofit Association |   holly@cedarvalleynonprofits.org| Website | Facebook | | Event Calendar |