Every Thursday, 4 pm to 5 pm

Location: Zoom

Most of us are on Week 8 of social distancing and staying fat home, while many of our nonprofit colleagues remain on the front lines, trying to provide essential services to our neighbors as safely as possible. Having just gotten used to a new reality, the phased approach to "re-opening" presents its own new challenges and uncertainties for local nonprofits! Now more than ever, we all need a chance to come together, share joys and challenges, ask questions, and get support. And that's what our Happy Hours are all about!

This week, our special guest will be Ellen Murphy, Associate Dean of Strategic Initiatives and Professor of Practice at Wake Forest University School of Law. She will share how you can adapt training from in-person to virtual, how to keep people engaged during meetings, and other tips she's picked up from using Zoom.

Join us, won't you?

(The link is the same each week!)

Join us for our First-Ever Online Volunteer Management Training Series!

Seven sessions starting on May 12th:

Tuesdays, 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm and

Thursday, 9:30 am to 12 pm

Location: Zoom

 

For the first time, we're excited to offer our  Volunteer Management Training Series , VMTS, entirely online! The curriculum, developed initially by Points of Light and our fellow Global Affiliates, and extensively modified by us here at HandsOn NWNC, is comprised of a series of seven online modules that provides a comprehensive understanding of the "nuts and bolts" components of any successful volunteer program. Each session will be live and interactive and last two and one-half hours with significant breaks. Volunteer administrators and anyone who has responsibility for recruiting, coordinating, or managing volunteers will benefit from the sessions, which are based on the latest research and best practices in the industry, with a lens focused on the changes wrought by COVID-19.

 

A first-ever partnership between HandsOn and the South Carolina Service Commission , with funding from the Volunteer Generation Fund , (an initiative of the Corporation for National and Community Service ,) is allowing us to offer VMTS online for the first time. There are slots available for anyone in our local and statewide network who would like to participate. However, unlike in the past, you must register for the entire series. Each Tuesday session is scheduled from 1:00 pm to 3:30 pm and each Thursday session is from 9:30 am to Noon. Each will have significant breaks built-in!

Tuesday, May 12: Understanding Volunteering: Exploring the Heart of the Volunteer Sector

Thursday, May 14: Planning: Building a Solid Foundation

Tuesday, May 19: Recruiting and Placement: Matching Volunteer Skills with Service  

Thursday, May 21: Training and Orientation: Achieving Service Excellence 

Tuesday, May 26: Supervision: Maximizing the Volunteer Experience

Thursday, May 28: Evaluation: Improving Results Using Data and Feedback

Tuesday, June 2: Overcoming Volunteer Management Challenges in Rural Communities

Each session will be co-facilitated by HandsOn's own Amy Lytle alongside Sharee Fowler , Assistant Professor & Director, Nonprofit Management & Community Leadership Program at Salem College . Both teach volunteer management at the college level, and have decades of volunteer management experience in the field. They have worked with local organizations of all sizes, corporate teams, college volunteers, as well as grassroots and faith-based groups. The have co-presented VMTS together for more than three years.



Please let Kathy Davis know if you have any questions!

 

Register Today! APPLY T

Information Session:

2020/2021 Women's Emerging Leaders Program

Wednesday, May 13th, Noon to 1 pm

Location: Zoom

 

Attention all mid-level female staff and new female Executive Directors! If you are currently working in a nonprofit and looking for leadership development, a better understanding of nonprofit operations, and the opportunity to meet other women like yourself, come to this information session to learn more about the   Women's Emerging Leaders Program .

 

This 10-month, equity-focused program is designed just for you by developing the skills needed to move into next-level leadership positions within the nonprofit sector. We'll discuss the program and what to expect, as well as review the application and answer any questions. We'll have representatives of our more than 100 graduates available to provide their insight and the impact that the program has had on them as well. The program is open to mid-level female and non-binary staff or to Executive Directors of new or emerging nonprofit organizations who have 3 years or less of experience in their role as Executive Director. All participants must currently work for nonprofits serving people in Forsyth, Davidson, Davie, Stokes, Surry and Yadkin counties.

 

We are currently accepting applications for the program, and the deadline to apply is June 30th!

 

Let Us Know You'll Participate in the Info Session! APPLY T

Sterling Volunteers Webinar-

Risking Your Reputation: A review of volunteer screening research and insights

Thursday, May 14th, 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Location: Zoom



We are happy to co-present this webinar with our partners at Sterling Volunteers. They recently conducted a survey of over 700 volunteer managers, executive directors and other volunteer program professionals across the U.S. and asked questions about volunteer background screening practices, processes and expectations for 2020 (pre-pandemic, of course.) This webinar reveals key research results, insights on best practices and where opportunities lie to improve the quality of your screening program. Join this complimentary webinar to learn:

Join Us Via Zoom!

APPLY T

CapDev Zoom Workshop:

Building Relationships in an Un-relatable World

Wednesday, May 20, 10:00 - 11:00 am

Location: Zoom



In this unprecedented time of great uncertainty, our country has come to rely on nonprofits, from healthcare providers to food banks and many more. We have also seen great inequities exposed, as well as humanity rising to the challenges of this time with great acts of philanthropy. How is your nonprofit tackling the challenges of today and preparing for the rebuilding ahead? Are you continuing to build relationships with donors or have you abandoned fundraising?

Join this special one hour virtual conversation to address some of the tough questions of our time related to philanthropy. Hosted by Allan Burrows and Clare Jordan from CapDev , they will offer advice and resources to address issues of donor relations facing nonprofits as we manage through this pandemic together. Please send us your questions when you register and we will prioritize our time to address those points most relevant to you.

Cost: FREE! Many thanks to CapDev, a HandsOn Consulting Partner , for providing this class pro bono to our network!

Register Here!

Thursday, May 21, Noon to 4:30 pm

Location: TBD

You've heard again and again--we all need to do a better job in telling our stories. But with whom should we be sharing? Our stories of impact deserve to be heard not just by our friends, neighbors, and funders--but by our elected officials as well. As the experts "on the ground," nonprofits need to play an active role in shaping public policy. Learn successful advocacy strategies used to advance an organization’s mission for the public good, how to measure the success of your advocacy and communication efforts, and how to address related legal, ethical and tax issues.  

The course is taught by Barbara Lentz , formerly with Wake Forest University and WFU School of Law. Barbara has been awarded both the Jurist Excellence in Teaching Award at the law school and the Innovative Teaching Award from the University, focusing her teaching on nonprofits, entrepreneurship, art law, contracts and writing. Barbara brings real life experiences and scenarios her classes, requiring students to think creatively and work collaboratively to solve problems. Barbara also serves nonprofits and social enterprises, including the National Advisory Council of the Reynolda House Museum of American Art, the Board of the Winston-Salem Symphony, as Board Chair to The Olio, and is a co-founder of Forsyth Backpack Inc., partnering with public schools and the local food bank in providing supplemental food to hungry children in Forsyth County.

COST: $50 for Supporting Partners; $60 for all others

Supporting Partners can register for the entire 10-class series for just $450 ($550 for all others), and you can begin the series with any class. ( Not currently a HandsOn Supporting Partner? Become one when you register for the class and enjoy the discount today!)

Register Now!

Wednesday, June 17th, Noon to 4:30 pm

OR

Thursday, June 18th, Noon to 4:30 pm

Location: TBD

Even before the pandemic, we were planning on offering something new this year for our last class in our yearly Nonprofit Essential series which covers Grantwriting. We're excited to welcome not only a new instructor for this class, but a brand new curriculum as well--one that will provide a differentiated educational experience based on experience level. We believe that this change in approach and design will provide a more effective and engaging class for all involved!

For those who are registered for our entire Nonprofit Essentials series, you may choose to attend either session. For those who are looking to take only one class, this format means that we will have space for you--whether we can offer these workshops in person or via Zoom! Even if you've attended one of our grantwriting classes in past years, we encourage you to consider coming back for the new, advanced session!

On Wednesday , June 17th join us for Advanced Grant Writing , which is geared towards those with a higher level of experience seeking to increase their effectiveness. At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to: evaluate a request for funding and customize a proposal to match the grant maker's interest; develop a strong needs assessment; formulate broad goals and measurable objectives; and write grant proposal components in compliance with grant instructions and demonstrate the mechanics and logic of good expository writing. Participants will have an opportunity to review and critique well-written proposals and seek guidance regarding their specific grant writing challenges. This session features small group work.

 

On Thursday, June 18th, join us for a more introductory Grantwriting session designed for those seeking to develop practical, everyday grant proposal writing skills. In this session, you'll learn to: assess the "grant readiness" of your organization; research funding sources; become familiar with grants terminology; write a successful grant by learning the common elements of a grant proposal; and prepare to manage a grant.

The Advanced Grant Writing session will be taught by Ruth Peebles , President of The INS Group , who offers more than 30 years of hands‐on experience in nonprofit management, project management, fundraising and organizational development. Ms. Peebles is an instructor for the Duke University Certificate Program in Nonprofit Management and served as an adjunct instructor for the School of Public and International Affairs Master of Public Administration Program at North Carolina State University.

The Grant Writing course will be taught by Susan Brittain . Susan is an independent consultant. Susan has held a variety of roles within our local nonprofit sector, with many years of direct grant writing experience.

COST: $50 for Supporting Partners; $60 for all others for both sessions

Supporting Partners can register for the entire 10-class series for just $450 ($550 for all others), and you can begin the series with any class. ( Not currently a HandsOn Supporting Partner? Become one when you register for the class and enjoy the discount today!)

Register Now for Advanced Grant Writing on Wednesday, June 17th!

OR

Register Now for Grant Writing on Wednesday, June 18th !

As Shannon discussed in her column, we've all been working furiously to adapt our services to the changing needs of our community during COVID-19. One of the ways HandsOn has responded is by further leveraging our online volunteer engagement platform, GetConnected , to elevate our partners' needs and compile resources for both nonprofits and volunteers. We update two, COVID-19 pages regularly, in "real time": one that focuses on volunteer needs and resources for nonprofits , and one that emphasizes health and safety protocol for volunteers . Soon, we plan to add resources related to how nonprofits might "re-open" operations over the next few months (as though you ever really "closed!")

We will continue to curate resources and opportunities both locally and globally, and our pages have been referenced in the Winston-Salem Journal, the Governor's Office, local emergency management, and by other local community groups and agencies. As your needs change with the phased re-opening process in North Carolina, please email Julia Ough to let her know so we can make updates as needed. Because, as always, we want to make it easy to make a difference!

Find All of Our COVID-19 Resources Here!

The Winston-Salem Journal Features our Governor's Volunteer Service Award Winners!

As part of their partnership with us to be a co-presenter of the 2020 Forsyth County Volunteer Service Awards , The Winston-Salem Journal is running two ads this week that feature our winners. As part of our efforts to elevate the inspirational stories of service of all of our nominees, in lieu of our traditional breakfast event, we ran profiles on all of our nominees on our Facebook , Instagram , and Twitter accounts throughout late April and the very beginning of this month. Our own board member, Katherine Caster of Novant Health , hosted a Facebook Live event, as part of #GivingTuesdayNow on May 5th, where we announced the winners. Starting this week, we'll be featuring each winner's "acceptance speech", one each day, through mid-May. If you missed the Facebook Live event, you can view it on our Facebook page. To view a program with more detailed descriptions of each winner's service, please visit our website . Our hope is that when it is safe again to do so, we will convene a small gathering of all of our nominees. Many thanks to all of you who helped make these awards possible, including our other co-presenters Salem College and the United Way of Forsyth County , as well as our Premier Sponsor Novant Health, and our Main Sponsor Truliant Federal Credit Union . (We're excited to have been one of their mini-grant recipients this year!) We couldn't have made this transition without your support!

Shenell McClurkin Thompson Joins

The Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust!

All of us at HandsOn were excited to learn that Shenell McClurkin Thompson will be the next Local Impact in Forsyth County Senior Program Officer at The Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust , replacing Joe Crocker, who retired at the end of 2019. We have long worked alongside Shenell as fellow members of the Forsyth County Asset-Building Coalition , and look forward to continuing to work with her when she joins the Trust, a long-time Funding Partner of HandsOn, later this month. Shenell is currently the founder and CEO of Brick by Brick Consulting NC , and, prior to founding Brick by Brick in 2018, she worked at Financial Pathways of the Piedmont , a HandsOn Supporting Partner , for 15 years.

In her new role, Shenell will oversee the Trust’s grantmaking activities to create long-term, sustainable solutions for vulnerable and underserved communities in Forsyth County. Specifically, Shenell will work with grantees and partners to build an inclusive economy in Forsyth County, to foster economic mobility for those with the greatest need and develop lasting solutions to the root causes of poverty and inequity. She will also manage the Trust’s special initiative, Great Expectations, to ensure all children in Forsyth County enter kindergarten ready to learn and leave set for success—regardless of the color of their skin, their income, and where they live. Welcome to your new role, Shenell!

Samaritan Ministries Names Jan Kelly

As New Executive Director!

The Board of Directors of Samaritan Ministries has named Jan Kelly as their new Executive Director as of July 1st after an extensive nationwide search. Jan will replace long-time director Sonjia Kurosky , who is retiring on June 30. Jan first joined Samaritan in 2011 as the capital campaign director, leading the effort of raising $4.2 million to transition to the current building. Her leadership as development director since 2012 has led to a $1.3 million annual budget, and she has significantly transformed and grown the Ministry's annual fundraising events. Jan brings 20 years of nonprofit management experience to the role, having served in numerous local nonprofit roles prior to joining Samaritan. Congratulations, Jan!

Census 2020 Deadlines Extended!

It feels like it was only 8 weeks ago that we were focused on April 1st--Census Day!--working on how to make sure our partners were prepared to do their part in reaching out to traditionally under-counted neighbors, helping to make sure that our region gets its fair share of funding to support the work of both local nonprofits and local governments. Because nonprofits are highly-trusted by the communities and individuals we serve, outreach about the importance of having everyone complete the 2020 Census can be incredibly effective. North Carolina continues to lag behind other states, as well as the national average, in terms of response rate. As of last week, North Carolina’s response rate was only 49.4%; the national average was 54.3%.

Luckily, though, the 2020 Census has extended its timelines due to the pandemic. Two key changes are:

While the local Forsyth County Complete Count Committee's Nonprofit Subcommittee has temporarily suspended meetings, please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or if we can help connect your organization to Census resources!