Wednesday Webinars

See Lawrence Associates' presentations under "Governance". Please register using our complimentary code: LAcomp

Wednesday Webinars	Time/ Date	Registration
Communication and Marketing	2:00 pm Eastern/ 11:00 am Pacific
ML03 Getting the most out of your branding and communications efforts	March 10, 2010	Register here
ML02 What is a brand (and why does it matter to nonprofit organizations)?	March 31, 2010	Register here
Prospecting on a shoestring budget. Maria Semple	June 9, 2010	Register here
Facilities	1:00 pm Eastern/ 10:00 am Pacific
SyP04 & 05 Building Understanding: Opportunities & Pitfalls in Facility Planning	April 21, 2010 April 28, 2010	Register here Register here
Finance	1:00 pm Eastern/ 10:00 am Pacific
AMS01 Linking Income to Outcomes	March 31	Register here
Fundraising	1:00 pm Eastern/ 10:00 am Pacific
FC01 Ten Steps to Creating a Fundraising Plan: Save time & money by planning ahead	April 14, 2010	Register here
FC02 Building Donor Loyalty: How to keep your donors giving in any economy	May 12, 2010	Register here
Governance	1:00 pm Eastern/ 10:00 am Pacific
Human Resources	1:00 pm Eastern/ 10:00 am Pacific
NPT01 Using the Leadership Transition Process to Improve Your Organization—Beyond the Role of the Executive Search Consultant	March 24, 2010	Register here
NPAG02 Building Organizational Capacity through the Search Process	April 7, 2010	Register here
NPAG03 Modernizing Executive Search for a New Economy	May 5, 2010	Register here
NPAG04 How to Hire Like a Search Firm 101	May 26, 2010	Register here
Operations	1:00 pm Eastern/ 10:00 am Pacific
Strategy/Planning/Organizational Development	1:00 pm Eastern/ 10:00 am Pacific
SyP03 Beyond Strategic Planning: The Case for Integrated Planning	March 17, 2010	Register here
SyP02 Strategic Planning as Organizational Development	May 19, 2010	Register here

Webinar Descriptions

AMS01 Linking Income to Outcomes
Presenter: Rebeka Mazzone, CPA, director of the Rhode Island Region of Accounting Management Solutions, Inc
Next offered: March 31, 2010

In the mission-oriented nonprofit world, it can sometimes be difficult to get your team to focus on the relationship between money coming in and the organization’s ability to effectively deliver programs and services to its constituents. While top-line measures are exciting (“we raised $2 million last quarter!”) they can also be distracting and counterproductive (“what do you mean we can’t afford to run this program?”) if they are not properly accounted for and effectively presented. A program emphasizing Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) can help your nonprofit organization’s team, executive director, staff and board members truly understand your financial situation and see how finances directly impact programs. Find out how you can get started linking your organization’s income to its outcomes.

FC01 Ten Steps to Creating a Fundraising Plan: Save time & money by planning ahead
Presenter: Tina Cincotti, Owner & Principal Consultant, Funding Change Training & Consulting
Next offered: April 14, 2010

Some say there are four steps to fundraising—plan, plan, plan, and work your plan. Unfortunately, some of us are so busy fundraising that we feel like we don’t have time to plan. But, in the long run, this only costs us more time (and money!). Time management experts calculate that every hour we spend planning saves us five hours of work. In this webinar, you will start to win back some of your lost time by learning how to create a strategic fundraising plan for your organization. We will go over the internal and external factors to consider when creating your plan, the financial information you need to gather and analyze, how to develop your goals, and the key components of each fundraising strategy. All participants will receive a customizable planning worksheet after the session to share with your full staff and board and complete your organization’s fundraising plan.

FC02 Building Donor Loyalty: How to keep your donors giving in any economy
Presenter: Tina Cincotti, Owner & Principal Consultant, Funding Change Training & Consulting
Next offered: May 12, 2010

It ’s much more expensive for you to find a new donor than it is for you to keep a current donor. This webinar will explain the reasons donors often stop giving to your organization (it’s not the economy!) and what you can do to change that. You will learn what donors expect when they donate and how you can meet those expectations. We’ll also discuss how you can increase the satisfaction, commitment, and trust of your supporters. Be prepared to receive lots of concrete strategies for increasing the number of donors who continue giving to your organization year after year.

LA01 Will Your Nonprofit’s Executive Compensation Withstand Scrutiny by the IRS, Public and Media? Part I Overview
Presenters: Lindalee A. Lawrence and Richard M. Lucash, Lawrence Associates
Next offered: January 27, 2010

The purpose of executive compensation is to recruit, retain and motivate executives. Learn how reasoned policies and approaches can help to assure compliance while fulfilling ongoing good governance responsibilities. However, media and public attention are focused on nonprofit executive compensation and bonus awards, the IRS and Congress are increasing scrutiny and regulation, and nonprofits are all feeling the impact of this scrutiny from all stakeholders. Trustees and managers, who are subject to personal penalties for compensation decisions, should have a solid understanding of the IRS regulations on nonprofit executive compensation, the safe harbor and important compensation and policy questions now publicly disclosed on the IRS Form 990.

LA02 How are Nonprofits Responding to Scrutiny of Executive Compensation by the IRS, Public and Media? Part II Strategies and Responses
Presenters: Lindalee A. Lawrence and Richard M. Lucash, Lawrence Associates
Next offered: February 24, 2010

Learn how nonprofits are responding to scrutiny of executive compensation. Case studies and discussion of how to apply reasoning and analysis that will help to protect the organization, and its trustees and managers, who are subject to personal penalties for compensation decisions. Gain a solid understanding of the IRS regulations on nonprofit executive compensation, the safe harbor and important compensation policy questions now publicly disclosed on the IRS Form 990. Hear how reasoned policies and approaches can help to assure compliance while fulfilling ongoing good governance responsibilities.

ML01 Effective Marketing Communications on a Shoestring
Presenter: Michele Levy, brand strategy consulting
Next offered: January 13, 2010

Most nonprofit organizations have extremely limited marketing communication budgets, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create and execute effective marketing plans. This webinar is designed to help both leadership and marketing/communications staff think about:

• Who is the target audience (or, as is more likely, audiences)?
• What are your goals - to build awareness? generate leads? strengthen relationships?
• What are the most effective (and cost effective) ways to reach those audience segments?
• How will you know what’s working? Attendees will complete the webinar armed with at least a couple of tools they can implement immediately to improve the effectiveness of their marketing communications programs.

ML02 What is a brand (and why does it matter to nonprofit organizations)?
Presenter: Michele Levy, brand strategy consulting
Next offered: February 10, 2010

This “brand 101” session is designed to help nonprofit leadership and board members understand the basic concepts around developing and maintaining a strong brand:

• What it means to brand an organization
• How to identify what's at the core of your organization’s brand
• How to build simple messaging frameworks that allow consistent communications of that brand
• How to help your organization “walk the walk” when it comes to delivering on the promise of your brand

ML03 Getting the most out of your branding and communications efforts
Presenter: Michele Levy, brand strategy consulting
Next offered: March 10, 2010

Regardless of where you are in terms of brand development, your brand must be actively managed (and if you’re not doing the management, your marketplace is doing it for you!). This session is designed to help organizations of all types and sizes:

• Deliver on your brand: how to make sure that your board, staff, volunteers, etc. all can communicate and live your brand in a consistent, high impact manner.
• Communicate your brand: building and executing a cost-effective integrated communications plan.
• Measure success: how to know what’s working, and equally important, what’s not.

NPAG01 Don't Get Left at the Altar: Getting to a Favorite Candidate, and Getting Them to Yes!
Presenters: Laura Gassner Otting, Founder and President, and Alison Falk, Vice President, Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group
Next offered: February 3, 2010

Ever gotten to the end of a search only to have your favorite candidate turn down your offer? Ever get tripped up by a late entry of an internal and unqualified candidate? Ever find yourself throwing a life jacket to a candidate drowning in third party reference gossip? Executive searches are landmines ready to explode; with candidate pools larger than ever, search committees need to work harder to navigate the minefields.

NPAG02 Building Organizational Capacity through the Search Process: Using Your Search as a Tool to Improve Your Reputation, Staff Morale, and Board Engagement
Presenters: Laura Gassner Otting, Founder and President, and Allison Kupfer, Managing Associate, Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group
Next offered: April 7, 2010

Organizations attuned to the very real emotional dimensions of change can do much to limit anxiety by being thoughtful about how they share news of impending leadership change and its likely influence on staff roles and organizational direction. A comprehensive and carefully shared strategy for managing the change will help staff understand their role and build their capacity to contribute to a productive and positive leadership transition. Alternatively, poor communication around leadership change can lead to resistance and the crafting of private agendas that can weaken the search process and result in a new leader whose success is hindered by staff that felt left out and undervalued in his or her hiring.

NPAG03 Modernizing Executive Search for a New Economy: Making the Process of Key Hiring Leaders Cost-Effective
Presenters: Laura Gassner Otting, Founder and President, and Katherine Jacobs, PhD, Managing Partner, Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group
Next offered: May 5, 2010

It has been widely reported that the mission-driven sector is facing an epic shortage of talent, the likes of which it has never before seen. Compounding this problem are the grim realities of a faltering economy that is forcing nonprofits, higher education institutions, and the public sector to stretch hard-raised dollars farther than ever. The old methods of recruiting top leadership are costly, and the worldwide economic downturn is making that expense harder to bear even for the most important searches. As an executive search and professional development firm dedicated to building the capacity of the mission-driven sector and its leaders, Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group has been at the cutting edge of the consulting field from its inception as a "new economy" search firm that merges the wisdom of generations of search professionals with the innovation of powerful new technologies and efficient business practices. Come learn how we do it, and how to get your professional services consultants to work smarter for you.

NPAG04 How to Hire Like a Search Firm 101
Presenters: Laura Gassner Otting, Founder and President; Tracy Welsh, Vice President; and Erin DeCurtis, MBA, Vice President of Strategy, Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group
Next offered: May 26, 2010

Join us for a lively presentation about what happens inside of the mystery search firm, and learn how we attract candidates, build deep and diverse pools, vet candidates, and make the final matches. This webinar will review both the nuts-and-bolts of search, but also dig into the “craft” as well.

NPAG05 Exploring the Use of Virtual Tools to Manage Remote Teams: What we have learned as a virtual firm and some tips and tools for organizations to use as they build their virtual environment
Presenters: Katherine Jacobs, PhD, Managing Partner, and Erin DeCurtis, MBA, Vice President of Strategy, Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group
Next offered: March 3, 2010

Many nonprofits are learning that they can cut their overhead, retain talented staff, and become more productive by establishing remote or flexible work arrangements with some or all of their employees. As a firm that has successfully done this for seven years, we've learned a thing or two about best practices in this new economy model of working.

NPT01 Using the Leadership Transition Process to Improve Your Organization—Beyond the Role of the Executive Search Consultant
Presenter: Christian W. Dame, President & Founder, Non-Profit Transitions LLC
Next offered: March 24, 2010

Funders and nonprofits alike are increasingly aware from published research and documented experience that the period after the departure of one leader and before the arrival of the next is too valuable to waste “standing still” in a holding action. The webinar will discuss the factors that every nonprofit needs to examine during the transition period—respecting the past, examining the present, and planning for the future, in order to complement the role of the executive search consultant and prepare the way for a truly exciting next chapter in the life of the organization.

SyP01 Cultivating Stakeholders: A Strategy of Inclusion for Challenging Times
Presenter: Sam Frank, Principal, Synthesis Partnership
Next offered: January 20, 2010

An inclusive planning process builds connection and enthusiasm, enhances self-awareness and mutual understanding, and develops strategic thinking and informed leadership. This workshop will explore these issues and ideas. Participants will gain an understanding of the basic structure of an effective planning process, ways of adapting it for individual organizations, the roles of various stakeholders and how to engage them, and some specific tools to use in planning.

SyP02 Nonprofit Boards and Effective Governance
Presenter: Sam Frank, Principal, Synthesis Partnership
Next offered: February 17, 2010

The nonprofit governing board has been described, wryly, as an ineffective group of effective people. Trustees are recruited for their stature, skills or connections, and then are not engaged in a way that optimizes their potential contribution. This webinar will offer a range of concepts and tools for effective recruitment, orientation, stewardship, guidance and leadership development.

SyP03 Beyond Strategic Planning: The Case for Integrated Planning
Presenter: Sam Frank, Principal, Synthesis Partnership
Next offered: March 17, 2010

Integrated planning offers a total planning framework, with elements differentiated by purpose, participation and processes. It facilitates coordinated strategic thinking, improved operations and management, and more effective board oversight. This webinar will clarify roles and methods of strategic, program and business planning, and their relationship to other planning needs: board development, identity and branding, advancement planning, technology planning and facility strategy.

SyP 04 & 05 Building Understanding: Opportunities & Pitfalls in Facility Planning
Presenters: Sam Frank, Principal, Synthesis Partnership and Randall Reaves
Next offered: April 21 & 28, 2010

Part 1: Opportunities & pitfalls in the planning of new facilities and renewal of existing ones. What a CEO and board need to know to increase quality and value in the conception, design and construction of new or renovated facilities, while reducing costs, risks and stress. Roles and responsibilities (board, CEO, staff, architects, contractors, consultants), strategy, planning, programming, budgeting, and financial modeling. Participants will get a road map to the facility development process.

Part 2: Before launching any substantial facility project, nonprofits should have a clear sense of the entire process so that they can maximize quality and value and minimize costs, risks and stress. Picking up from the previous webinar, this session will consider establishment of an effective structure for project decision-making and oversight, selection of an architect and construction company, development of client-friendly contracts, and the phases of the design and construction process.

SyP06 Strategic Planning as Organizational Development
Presenter: Sam Frank, Principal, Synthesis Partnership
Next offered: May 19, 2010

Strategic planning should be a means not only to develop a strategy, but also to develop new energy, commitment and consensus around mission. Participants will acquire tools to use for assessing their situation, engaging their constituencies, developing a detailed mission-based plan, and putting in place the means for implementation They will gain an understanding of the basic structure of an effective planning process and why it can be a critical function of organizational development.