Workshop: Prepare for People

Both staff members and volunteers can maximize your organization’s impact and most often touch every aspect of your mission. 

With the Community Volunteer & Job Fair – Passion in Action around the corner, CNL wants all organizations participating to be prepared to engage community members in their work and welcome them to a program that will orient them, train them and retain them. Our first event last fall was a good start and this year’s event will be even better!

Each organization that registers for space at the Volunteer & Job Fair will receive free attendance for one member of their team to this pre-fair training opportunity. Additional attendees can also join for the modest fee of $25 each.

When: Wednesday, April 26th  
9:00am – 11:00am
Where: Bright Futures for Youth, 3rd Floor
200 Litton Drive, Grass Valley, CA
Cost: $25

Review our Check List of items to have prepared for June 3rd!

Do you have in place:

  • List of Staff and Volunteer Jobs/Tasks
  • Descriptions for each
  • An application for potential staff and volunteers
  • Messaging around your programs
  • Messaging around your staff and volunteer needs
  • A vetting and/or recruitment process (particularly if required by law)
  • A handbook or document with expectations
  • An orientation/onboarding process
  • Job specific training options
  • Do you use tracking software or processes?  If not, what’s your plan
  • An evaluation process
  • A stewardship plan to build relationships

This workshop will review the main aspects of having a program in place for successful use of your volunteers.  We will be adding additional content this year that will also focus on using this event as a place to recruit new staff members.  The morning will include hands on work in break out sessions for each component of your program:

Recruit and Select: craft messaging around both your programming and volunteer/employee needs; a review of legal best practices for interviewing candidates with a focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Train: review, refine and/or craft all items needed to onboard your new volunteers/employees;

Retain: organize and prepare to track, evaluate and steward your volunteers/employees.

Attendees will come away from the workshop with their list of “to do’s” to prepare all the components needed for a ready-to-receive volunteer program and filling open employee positions, including imperative messaging for use at the Passion in Action event – How to ‘sell your needs’ without overwhelming potential candidates. 

At the conclusion of the workshop, you will be asked to identify areas where you would like additional training and resources that will be provided in smaller groups and 1-1 both in-person and virtually. These sessions will be scheduled in late April and early May, giving you ample time to finalize you’re your materials prior to the big day on June 3rd.

Your Volunteer Program – Dial It In!

Volunteers can maximize your organization’s impact and most often touch every aspect of your mission.  The pandemic has affected organizations in many ways, least of all, at one of the hearts of our work. 

Our volunteer corps.

With the Community Volunteer Fair- Passion in Action around the corner, CNL wants all organizations participating to be prepared to engage community members in their work and welcome them to a program that will orient them, train them and retain them.

Each organization that registers for space at the Volunteer Fair will receive free attendance for one member of their team. Additional attendees can also join for the modest fee of $25 each.

When: Tuesday, September 27th  
9:00am – 11:00am
Where: Bright Futures for Youth, 3rd Floor
200 Litton Drive, Grass Valley, CA
Cost: $25

Review our Check List of items to have prepared for November 5th!

Do you have in place:

  • List of Volunteer Jobs/Tasks
  • Descriptions for each
  • An application for potential volunteers
  • Messaging around your programs
  • Messaging around your volunteer needs
  • A vetting and/or recruitment process (particularly if required by law)
  • A handbook or document with expectations
  • An orientation/onboarding process
  • Job specific training options
  • Do you use tracking software or processes?  If not, what’s your plan
  • An evaluation process
  • A stewardship plan to build relationships

This workshop will review the main aspects of having a program in place for successful use of your volunteers.  We will also focus on using the Volunteer Fair as a place to recruit new people.  The morning will include hands on work in break out sessions for each component of your program: Recruit: craft messaging around both your programming and volunteer needs; Train: review, refine and/or craft all items needed to onboard your new volunteers; Retain: organize and prepare to track, evaluate and steward your volunteers.

Attendees will come away from the workshop with their list of “to do’s” to prepare all the components needed for a ready-to-receive volunteer program , including imperative messaging for use at the Passion in Action event – How to ‘sell your needs’ without overwhelming potential volunteers.  An elevator speech for volunteer needs! 

Join us!

Advocacy 101: How Nonprofits Can Grow Their Influence and Power through Advocacy

When: Wednesday, September 21st  
9:00am – 10:30am
Trainer: Bethany Snyder of Snyder Strategies
Cost: FREE – Thanks to our Sponsors
VIA Zoom

Presenter: Bethany Snyder

Key learning objectives: 

  • Why we need nonprofits engaged in policy advocacy 
  • What grassroots advocacy is – and isn’t – and why it’s essential to achieve your goals 
  • How your organization can leverage your strengths and expertise to impact policies 
  • Engaging your board members, supporters, and donors so they can be your best and most powerful advocates
  • How to effectively engage with local policymakers, such as county supervisors

Each attendee will receive a legislator research worksheet.

This session will be recorded and available for registrants to view for one week.

Suggested participants: Staff, board, or volunteers who are interested in learning about advocacy
When: Wednesday, September 21st, 9:00am – 10:30am (via Zoom)
Trainer: Bethany Snyder of Snyder Strategies
Cost: Free, thanks to our generous sponsors: 

Beyond the Check: Stretching a Donor & Engagement Tactics

When: Monday, May 24th
4:00pm – 5:30pm
Via Zoom
Presenter: Katie McCleary
$20 for CNL Members /
$30 for Not-Yet-Members

As social changemakers, our role is to inspire, educate, and create positive impact through action and fundraising. Yet, in a busy world, finding ways to energize, connect, and stretch a donor further can sometimes feel challenging. Many individual donors want to do more than just write a check or show up at an event. They can become trusted strategic partners that help move the vision forward. What strategies can we try to help integrate individual donors more into the organization, further increasing their commitment to your mission? What are a few strategies that we can apply to our grant funders? In this 90 minute session, you’ll learn:

  • Stewarding the Donor: who, what, when, where, and why
  • Typical donor/funder conversation paradigms and which one makes the difference
  • What to listen for when with a donor to tailor the ask/invitation
  • Three things to present in every interaction and which data point matters the most
  • How to shift your ask for more engagement and better results
  • Tangible tricks and tactics for more engagement

Don’t miss this opportunity to take your donor engagement to the next level. Join CNL and presenter, Katie McCleary from Bridge The Gap for this engaging workshop.

Many thanks to our workshop sponsor.
Their generosity and support allows CNL to provide trainings during these challenging times at a reduced rate or often, free of charge to staff and board members our member organizations.

The Lee & Dunn Group

Foster an Environment of Connection: Trust, Respect, and Care with Donors

When: Monday, May 17th
4:00pm – 5:30pm
Via Zoom
Presenter: Katie McCleary
$20 for CNL Members /
$30 for Not-Yet-Members

The quality of our relationships are important, especially if we want to accomplish big goals and create meaningful impact. We need people to invest in our work. It’s paramount to our success that we connect effectively and efficiently with our donors, funders, and stakeholders. Trust, respect, and care are all essential ingredients to building relationships that are both purposeful and prosperous. Given the fast-paced nature of our world and work, how can we have better interactions that capture the attention, hearts, and dollars of a donor, funder, or stakeholder? In this 90-minute session, you’ll learn:

  • The art and neuroscience of relationship building
  • The nuances of presence and intention—two difference makers in interactions
  • Two core competencies that all people track in relationships
  • How to accelerate trust and respect between people
  • What three things to always present to a donor and why 
  • How to sustain and renew the energy of the relationship

Don’t miss this opportunity to build your skills in connecting with and growing your relationships with donors. Join CNL and presenter, Katie McCleary from Bridge The Gap for this engaging workshop.

Many thanks to our workshop sponsor.
Their generosity and support allows CNL to provide trainings during these challenging times at a reduced rate or often, free of charge to staff and board members our member organizations.

The Lee & Dunn Group

Member Event: Connect, Reflect and Power On


Thursday, February 11, 2021
4:00pm – 5:00pm
Gathering on Zoom
Registration Required

We may be in a new year, but the challenges and frustrations of 2020 go on. Join CNL for this hour-long Member event and be inspired to reignite your passion for the organization you serve.  Carol Scofield will guide our inspiration as we connect with those in our nonprofit sector, find ways to continue our mission and work and learn how CNL can help in 2021.

This event is free of charge and a benefit for CNL Members. but registration is required.  We do encourage any & all organizations to attend and ask that if you are not already a CNL Member, you consider supporting our mission and work on behalf of our sector by joining today!

Virtual Workshop: Employer Regulations and Labor Law Requirements – What You Need to Know for 2021

Thursday, January 28th
10:30am – 12:00pm
Via Zoom
Presenter: Glen Drouin, Harbor HR

Cal/OSHA’s new emergency regulations require businesses to take additional steps to protect workers from COVID-19.  These new regulations apply to all businesses and nonprofits in California effective immediately. Join CNL and Glen Drouin of Harbor HR for a 90-minute session aimed at making sure you have the understanding to implement and move ahead with these ever-changing laws and regulations.

Some of the requirements of these new regulations that will be addressed include:

  • Employers written COVID-19 Prevention Program
  • Process for screening employees for and responding to employees with COVID-19 symptoms
  • Provision of training on policies and procedures that protect employees from COVID-19 hazards.
  • Notification of COVID-19 exposure to employees while maintaining a case’s personal identifying information.
  • Informing employees how to obtain COVID-19 testing.
  • Maintaining employee’s job status including earnings, seniority, and all other employee rights and benefits if away from work due to COVID-19 issues

In addition to these regulations, California has some new-in-2021 labor laws specific to COVID-19 that makes management of the above items even more important.  Along with those laws, Glen will briefly address the most pertinent labor laws that went into effect at the start of the year.

Many thanks to our workshop sponsor

Date and Time: Thursday, January 28th – 10:30am – 12:00pm via Zoom
Pandemic Pricing: $20 – CNL Member organizations; $30 – Not-Yet-CNL Members (our pricing during this time is intended to help make professional development affordable for all – we are able to offer our members this reduced rate thanks to our generous sponsor)

Strategic Giving – The Way You Make A Difference

When: Wednesday, January 29th;  2:00pm – 5:00pm
Where:  Atria Senior Living Center, Upstairs Meeting Room, Grass Valley

How can you ensure that your charitable gifts make the biggest possible difference in your community?  By combining methods for evaluating organizational sustainability and effectiveness with tools for tax advantaged giving.

Join CNL for this workshop focused on donors, board members, nonprofit staff and anyone interested in maximizing the impact of private philanthropy.

The program will be presented in two parts.

First, a panel of donors will share how they assess organizations, including their impact and sustainability to determine where, how, and when to donate. The discussion will explore the ways that donors can analyze how well organizations are performing and maximizing private philanthropy.

Second, foremost tax CPA, Doug Summers and premier estate planning attorney, Dylan Hendricks will discuss a variety of giving vehicles offer tax advantages (even for some individuals who do not itemize on their tax returns).

This is a must attend event for donors who want to learn the different ways they can give and how to find the organizations they want to support; plus nonprofit staff and board members wanting to hear from donors and tax experts about how nonprofits can maximize return on donor investment.

Suggested Participants: Any and All Donors and potential Donors at any level, Board Members Executive Directors and interested Staff
Date & Time: Wednesday, January 29th,  2:00pm – 5:00pm, Registration deadline: Monday, January 27th
Location: Atria Senior Living Center,  Upstairs Meeting Room,  Grass Valley (map)
Cost: $25 for each attendee

CNL Did You Know?

Here’s what’s happening in the first part of 2020:

January 16, 2020:  Leadership Roundtable:
CNL is launching a new initiative to bring together Executive Directors and Board members to discuss common issues, share successes and find ways to work together. We hope you will join this opportunity to connect with other EDs, and Board Members about our common work and goals of a better community!

Round Tables will be held in the evening from 5:30p – 7:00pm. Invitation will have details about topics and location.  You can also check our website or the forecast calendar at cnlsierra.org/event-calendar/

January 29, 2020: Every Day Giving – The Way You Make a Difference
2:00pm – 5:00pm at the Atria Senior Living Meeting Room
CNL is excited to offer our first ever workshop focused on donors and anyone interested in making a difference by giving.  The information will also, undoubtedly benefit nonprofit staff and boards.

The program will be presented in two parts.  First, a panel of donors will share with attendees how they assess organizations to determine where to donate and whether to continue their support.  Second, foremost CPA Doug Summers and esteemed estate planning attorney Dylan Hendricks will discuss a variety of tax advantaged options for donating.

This workshop is open to the public so please share the information with all who are interested in giving to make a difference in our community

February 20, 2020: Board Essentials.
5:00pm – 8:30pm, Wesley Hall, United Methodist Church
This twice annual training looks to strengthen the skills of all those serving as nonprofit board members.  It is a great opportunity to understand the role of a nonprofit board and its member duties and responsibilities, as well as meet and connect with other directors. Led by CNL’s Wendy Willoughby and CA Habitat for Humanity’s Executive Director, Debbie Arakel, the training takes place in  the evening to accommodate working attendees.  Participants will come away knowing the 10 essential functions charged to those serving on nonprofit boards. You will learn how to be a role model and adopt the attributes of a strong, effective director. And finally, leave prepared to do the rewarding work of a productive leadership team.

2nd Fridays: January 10, February 14th, March 13th, 2020- Monthly ED Meet Ups: These informal monthly gatherings are time for ED’s to spend together touching base, soliciting advice or just supporting one another around any number of challenges or successes they share. Held at various locations each second Friday from 9a – 11a, CNL shares the details for the Meet Up a week ahead.

March 30, 2020 Executive Director (ED) Huddle: The Huddles are a focused time for EDs to peer share around a specific topic, often featuring a special guest from the community. In 2020, they will occur on the fifth Mondays in March, June, August and November.  These gatherings also offer the opportunity to network over appetizers and wine! EDs receive an invitation with details each month a Huddle takes place.

Sector Share: The Six Essential Ingredients for Good Governance

See a description of the six ingredients below and a supporting link(s) for each.

Board Meetings:
As the boardroom is the formal place where the board acts on its authority, a focused, well planned, and effectively executed meeting is the crux of decision making.

Strategic Board Meetings
Board Meeting Preparation

Strategic Planning:
The strategic planning process charts a future course and then drives the actions that move the organization forward. It informs the  board’s structures, aligning committees and task forces with strategic objectives and shaping their work, timetables, and checkpoints. And it guides the leadership prospecting process.

Elements of a Strategic Plan

Streamlined Structure:
When aligned with the strategic priorities of the organization, an efficient structure allows board and staff to apply their skills in concert to fulfill the mission.

Nonprofit Board Structure
Nonprofit Board Committee Membership

The Composition of the Board and Staff:
With the right people in the right positions, working on the right mission, success is within reach.

Board Recruitment: Are you focusing on the right things?
Taking Action on Board Diversity

The Leadership of the Board and the Organization:
Look at any high-performing organization and you will find it led by a board chair and chief executive committed to a constructive partnership built on a shared understanding of mission and vision; reciprocal communication; and mutual respect, trust, and support for each other and the partnership.

Board Chair & Chief Executive Partnership

The Mission:
A clear, concise, and compelling mission unifies and motivates the board and staff to achieve meaningful results.

Tips for Developing or Revising Your Mission Statement
Mission vs. Vision