5930 Middle Fiskville Rd

A three-part series based on the book titled, The Board-Building Cycle by Susan S. Meier.A three-part series facilitated by Wedny Biro-Pollard, CVA.Based on the book titled, The Board-Building Cycle by Susan S. Meier.• STRATEGIC RECRUITMENT - Identify, Cultivate, RecruitHow to build a board of capable, diverse and enthusiastic people with the right mix of skills, experiences and backgrounds. Focuses on identifying potential board members, cultivating their interests and recruiting them to serve.• EFFECTIVE BOARD ENGAGEMENT - Orient, Involve, EducateHow to engage new and existing board members in creating a culture of inclusion that values the input of all members. It is the board’s responsibility to provide ongoing education about the organization and its programs, the external operating environment, and the board’s leadership role.• INTENTIONAL REVITALIZATION - Evaluate, Rotate, CelebrateStimulating thoughtful conversation about effective governance, understanding the board’s performance through self-assessment and regularly looking for opportunities to strengthen the way the board worksPlease note Nonprofit Austin reserves the right to postpone this learning opportunity if there is inadequate registration.

Join us for this 90-minute sessionUncover innovative strategies to combat employee burnout and improve retention, ensuring a motivated and resilient team that drives your nonprofit's success! This in-person session is facilitated by Laura Leonard. Nonprofit Austin reserves the right to postpone this opportunity without adequate registration. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Laura Leonard brings over 15 years of dynamic experience in strategic leadership and consulting, blending Fortune 500 expertise with a deep commitment to social equity. With a Mechanical Engineering degree from Rice University and an M.B.A. in Operations Management and Continuous Improvement from the University of Michigan (Lean Six Sigma Certified), Laura has led impactful initiatives at companies like Chevron, BASF, and Indeed.Dedicated to breaking down educational and professional barriers for underrepresented groups, Laura has made significant contributions through the Society of Women Engineers and BASF’s Racial Equity Task Force. Her community initiatives, like the Jersey City Holiday Meal Exchange, and her nonprofit consulting engagements such as with Woman Rising and We the People Opportunity Farm showcase her ability to drive meaningful change.As the Founder of Good Egg Solutions, Laura partners with nonprofits to tackle mission-critical challenges—from alleviating employee burnout to boosting programmatic impact. Her collaborative, data-driven approach delivers customized, actionable solutions that drive […]

Find ways to use AI tools like GPT productivelyJoin Nonprofit Austin, as we open a discussion to discover how AI tools like GPT can transform your marketing efforts, from crafting compelling content and optimizing campaigns to analyzing audience engagement and improving outreach strategies. Led by Laura Leonard.Nonprofit Austin reserves the right to postpone this opportunity if there is not adequate registration.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------More about out facilitator: Laura Leonard brings over 15 years of dynamic experience in strategic leadership and consulting, blending Fortune 500 expertise with a deep commitment to social equity. With a Mechanical Engineering degree from Rice University and an M.B.A. in Operations Management and Continuous Improvement from the University of Michigan (Lean Six Sigma Certified), Laura has led impactful initiatives at companies like Chevron, BASF, and Indeed.Dedicated to breaking down educational and professional barriers for underrepresented groups, Laura has made significant contributions through the Society of Women Engineers and BASF’s Racial Equity Task Force. Her community initiatives, like the Jersey City Holiday Meal Exchange, and her nonprofit consulting engagements such as with Woman Rising and We the People Opportunity Farm showcase her ability to drive meaningful change.As the Founder of Good Egg Solutions, Laura partners with nonprofits to tackle mission-critical […]

This session will review organizational identity, and why its blueprint is so important for nonprofit organizations.Culture is often ignored but it is the springboard for healthy norms, in all organizations. Today, many organizations are experiencing an identity crisis because little to no attention is spent really understanding the organizational identity blueprint and how by truly defining it, it creates a pathway to ensuring the mission, vision and values truly become part of the ethos of the organization.Nonpropfit Austin reserves the right to postpone this opportunity if there is not adequate registration.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------More about our facilitator: Pamela Benson Owens is the President and CEO of Edge of Your Seat Consulting, Inc and is currently serving as the Acting Executive Director of Six Square. For 23+ years Pam has owned Edge of Your Seat Consulting, a unique consulting firm that is dedicated to assisting for-profit and nonprofit organizations. The firm’s major focus is to provide methodologies that help manage perceptions and narratives about complex and challenging issues with courage and strategic passion. Pam feels she is most effective when she partners with organizations from the inside out in order to streamline the hierarchical needs, create infrastructure, coach teams, shift organizational cultures and, of most importance, […]

Join us for a 90-minute discussion on internal controls for smaller organizations.Learn the design and implementation of internal controls and strategies for preventing fraud and errors. Participants will explore how to establish a robust control environment through a risk assessment lens. Leave with practical guidance that balances the need for oversight with the realities of being a smaller operation. Additionally, this class will provide practical guidance on how to prioritize and allocate resources to areas of highest risk, ensuring that internal controls are both effective and sustainable. Discussion led by Holly Raymond.Nonprofit Austin reserves the right to postpone this opportunity if there is not adequate resgistration.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------More about our facilitator, Holly Raymond: The success of Upbring's mission depends largely on two key components: finances and operations. Holly Raymond understands not just the importance of efficient operations and sound finances, but how to maximize both. As the Chief Financial Officer of Upbring, Holly directs finance, facilities, budget and procurement functions as well as information technology and human resource administration for the organization. Since joining Upbring in 2017, Holly has implemented structural modifications, strengthening financial operations that has resulted in a 25% overall organizational growth. In her prior role, as Senior Vice President of Finance, […]

Nonprofit Financial Management: Overview, Setting Up Systems, and the Annual Operating CycleThis comprehensive course provides a deep dive into the essential aspects of financial management for nonprofit organizations. Effective financial management is critical to the success and sustainability of any nonprofit, ensuring that resources are utilized efficiently to achieve the organization’s mission. The day will begin with an overview of nonprofit financial management, exploring the unique financial landscape of nonprofits, including the challenges of managing diverse revenue streams, maintaining financial transparency, and meeting regulatory requirements. Then, we will move to the process of setting up robust financial systems tailored to the needs of your organization, covering everything from selecting accounting software to establishing internal controls and financial policies. The annual operating cycle will help manage an organization’s financial planning and reporting processes that occur throughout the year such as creating and monitoring budgets, cash flow management, preparing financial statements, and conducting audits. We will also discuss best practices for working with boards and financial committees to ensure strong governance and oversight.Nonprofit Austin reserves the right to postpone this opportunity if there is not adequate registration.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Our day will be facilitated by Holly Raymond. Read more about our facilitator below:The success of […]

Learning to develop others to achieve performance goals, develop skills, solve problems, work productively, and advance their careersHow do you engage and develop others, so they can achieve performance goals, develop skills, solve problems, work productively, and advance their careers? In a 10-year research endeavor dubbed Project Oxygen, Google, Inc discovered the key is leadership coaching. Many other research projects have reached similar results (e.g., HBR Leadership that Gets Results), concluding that leaders who coach their staff create productive, motivated, and successful employees, teams, and organizations.Learning to coach — like learning to lead — is a journey, not a quick fix. In this exercise and practice driven introductory workshop, we will clarify the concept of coaching and hone our coaching skills. Please come prepared with at least one personal or professional goal you are trying to achieve, a difficult decision you are trying to make, a problem you are struggling to solve, or a struggle you are addressing. There will be an opportunity to receive in-room coaching and to coach others on their goal, decision, problem, or struggle.Learning Objectives• Understand when coaching is useful and when it is not• Develop skills for effective listening and asking powerful questions• Learn how […]

Looking at the bigger picture for nonprofit programs and their organizational performanceSometimes it is challenging to see the forest through the trees. Nonprofits often have many programs running at the same time, and an endless “to do” list for each program. This workshop will guide participants in taking a step back to assess the big picture for their organization, program, or activities. Participants will engage in an evaluation exercise that will include identifying bottlenecks and “traps” their work may have fallen into. Identifying and addressing these bottlenecks and traps will lead to increased organizational agility, resilience, and sustained performance. This learning opportunity will utilize the Liberating Structures EcoCycle Planning micro-structure, an open-source tools.Nonprofit Austin reserves the right to postpone this opportunity if there is not adequate registration.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Our facilitator, Christine Gendron: Christine Gendron is an experienced and entrepreneurial leader, a systems thinker, connector, collaborator, and capacity builder. She has nearly 20 years of leadership experience serving as a resource for nonprofits, policymakers, government, and philanthropy organizations on strengthening outcomes for children, youth, families, and underserved populations.Christine previously served as the Executive Director of a statewide association and advocacy organization for eight years. She stepped into that role when the organization was […]

Differences in leadership and management, and how those differences affect decision-making.Research has highlighted the differences in leadership and management. Cultivating strong decision-making skills is not optional. This session looks at the aspects of leadership that involves how to make informed choices for the organization and the people in it. Nonprofit Austin reserves the right to postpone this event if there is not adequate registration.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Our facilitator, Pam Benson Owens:Pamela Benson Owens is the President and CEO of Edge of Your Seat Consulting, Inc and is currently serving as the Acting Executive Director of Six Square. For 23+ years Pam has owned Edge of Your Seat Consulting, a unique consulting firm that is dedicated to assisting for-profit and nonprofit organizations. The firm’s major focus is to provide methodologies that help manage perceptions and narratives about complex and challenging issues with courage and strategic passion. Pam feels she is most effective when she partners with organizations from the inside out in order to streamline the hierarchical needs, create infrastructure, coach teams, shift organizational cultures and, of most importance, help leaders become more effective. Clients’ transformations are the essence of her work, and they’re also what bring her great joy and empirical pride. She serves on the […]

Improve the effectiveness and efficiency of your meetings.If you are a typical professional, you have about 62 meetings per month, and your coworkers believe 50% of these meetings are a waste of time. (Altissan, 2019). Learn simple, immediately applicable skills and processes to facilitate any group conversation, foster collaboration, come to decisions, and drive productive outcomes. In this workshop, you will learn to facilitate by facilitating – please come prepared to experiment with new techniques and give and receive feedback and challenge how you lead groups.Learning Objectives• Practice and develop core facilitation skills for framing dialogue, effective listening, and asking productive questions• Learn to use processes and tools to enable groups to share and analyze information and make decisions• Learn to manage individual and group “dysfunction”Nonprofit Austin reserves the right to postpone this opportunity if there is not adequate registration. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------More about our facilitators:

A comprehensive session to budgeting for nonprofit organizations.Utilize a comprehensive guide to the essentials of nonprofit budgeting. Effective budgeting is crucial for nonprofits to achieve their mission, allocate resources efficiently, and maintain financial stability. However, nonprofit budgeting comes with its own set of challenges, including managing restricted funds, aligning budgets with mission-driven goals, and ensuring compliance with donor requirements. Leave with examples and a clear path of how to tackle your next budget cycle.Nonprofit Austin reserves the right to postpone this opportunity if there is not adequate registration.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------More about our facilitator, Holly Raymond: The success of Upbring's mission depends largely on two key components: finances and operations. Holly Raymond understands not just the importance of efficient operations and sound finances, but how to maximize both. As the Chief Financial Officer of Upbring, Holly directs finance, facilities, budget and procurement functions as well as information technology and human resource administration for the organization. Since joining Upbring in 2017, Holly has implemented structural modifications, strengthening financial operations that has resulted in a 25% overall organizational growth. In her prior role, as Senior Vice President of Finance, she deepened the finance and facilities resource capabilities by strategic staffing additions. Her success at Upbring is a testament […]