Nonprofit Management Programs Information Session

Education Info Session

Are you eager to make a lasting impact in the nonprofit sector? Consider Wisconsin’s only Master’s program in Nonprofit Management and Leadership at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee – now available online! Join us for an online information session to learn about these ground-breaking programs. Learn about the various programs available, UWM’s new microcredentials in nonprofit management, tuition, funding opportunities, and more. Don’t just choose an education—choose a career path. Elevate your skillset, broaden your network, and make an impact.

November 11, 2024, 05:00 PM

Register Now!

Nonprofit Management Programs Information Session

Education Info Session

Are you eager to make a lasting impact in the nonprofit sector? Consider Wisconsin’s only Master’s program in Nonprofit Management and Leadership at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee – now available online! Join us for an online information session to learn about these ground-breaking programs. Learn about the various programs available, UWM’s new microcredentials in nonprofit management, tuition, funding opportunities, and more. Don’t just choose an education—choose a career path. Elevate your skillset, broaden your network, and make an impact.

May 14, 2024, 05:00 PM

Register Now!

Wisconsin Nonprofit Summit 2024

Wisconsin nonprofit leaders, staff members, volunteers, and board members will gather next August to gain valuable information and resources for leading a nonprofit organization into its next best step. The Helen Bader Institute (HBI) for Nonprofit Management at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee presents the 2nd Annual Wisconsin Nonprofit Summit – themed “Adapting and Thriving: Nonprofits in the New Normal,” on August 1-2, 2024, at the Brookfield Conference Center in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Both in-person and virtual participation options will allow participants all over Wisconsin to participate in the invaluable networking and connecting with leaders from other organizations in their communities and around the state, leading to collaboration and a more significant community impact. WNS24 features: 
  • Two days of networking breakfasts, coffee breaks, and lunch 
  • In-person and virtual exhibitor centers 
  • Networking, fun, games, and surprises
  • Recordings of all sessions are available for viewing after the conference
Registration includes both in-person and virtual options.

Introduction to the Foundation Directory

Are you looking for grants for your nonprofit?

Come learn how to use Foundation Directory (FD), the most comprehensive prospect research tool for fundraisers, with over 226,000+ grantmaker profiles. You will learn how to search for grantmakers who have funded organizations working on causes and with communities similar to those you serve.

NOTE: This class is for nonprofit organizations looking for funding. It is not geared toward individuals seeking grants. Before attending, we recommend you take our free one-hour course, Introduction to Finding Grants.

Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:

  • Explain what FD is
  • Identify your needs in preparation for searching for potential grantmakers in FD.
  • Research potential grantmakers using a project-based search in FD.
  • Evaluate prospects for solid or weak fit using FD.
  • Identify the options for accessing FD.
  • Access resources for getting help with FD.

2024 Sessions:

Register Now

Introduction to the Foundation Directory

Are you looking for grants for your nonprofit?

Come learn how to use Foundation Directory (FD), the most comprehensive prospect research tool for fundraisers, with over 226,000+ grantmaker profiles. You will learn how to search for grantmakers who have funded organizations working on causes and with communities similar to those you serve.

NOTE: This class is for nonprofit organizations looking for funding. It is not geared toward individuals seeking grants. Before attending, we recommend you take our free one-hour course, Introduction to Finding Grants.

Outcomes:

Upon completion of this course, you should be able to:

  • Explain what FD is
  • Identify your needs in preparation for searching for potential grantmakers in FD.
  • Research potential grantmakers using a project-based search in FD.
  • Evaluate prospects for solid or weak fit using FD.
  • Identify the options for accessing FD.
  • Access resources for getting help with FD.

Register Now

Increasing the Impact of Your Strategic Planning Efforts

There is no perfect one-size-fits-all strategic planning model for every nonprofit at all times. The approach or model that best meets an organization’s needs depends on various factors. This workshop will introduce several strategic planning approaches, starting with a basic, comprehensive model and then moving on to other options:  Focused issue-based approach, scenario planning, strategic program planning, and others. The workshop will also offer guidance on determining which approach to utilize. The session will also address several other choices when designing a strategic planning process, including who makes what decisions. Should we involve external stakeholders in addition to internal stakeholders? And how long will the process take?

Who Should Attend:

Nonprofit and foundation leaders, including board members, executive staff, chairs of strategic planning committees, and others interested in deepening their understanding of nonprofit strategic planning.

Session Topics:

  • The nature and role of strategic thinking and planning
  • Overview of approaches to strategic planning
  • Preparing your nonprofit for planning
  • When, where, why, and how your board, staff, and community stakeholders should be involved
  • Types and sources of data to support your strategic planning efforts
  • Techniques for planning formulation, implementation, and assessment

Key Takeaways:

  • Engage in interactive group exercises stimulating critical steps in the strategic planning process.
  • You will leave with a collection of tools, worksheets, and an annotated resource bibliography for exploring and selecting from the range of available planning approaches.
  • Discover the connections between strategic planning, board governance, and leadership succession.
  • Learn how to ensure your strategic planning is really “strategic.”

Session Presenter: Frank Martinelli, The Center for Public Skills Training

Frank Martinelli has over 40 years of work, training, and consulting experience with various nonprofit and public sector organizations. He is president of the Center for Public Skills Training, specializing in strategic planning, governing board development, building organizational capacity for advocacy and systems change, and community partnership and alliance building. Many professional staff, board members, and other volunteer leaders have benefited from Frank’s practical, results-oriented training and consultation. Frank is the author of “Encouraging Visionary Board Leadership,” which appears in You and Your Nonprofit Board: Advice and Practical Tips from the Field’s Top Practitioners, Researchers, and Provocateurs and is published by Charity Channel Press. From 1981 to 1992, Frank served as Coordinator of The Resource Center, a primary training provider to nonprofit groups in southeastern Wisconsin. A graduate of Marquette University with a BA in Sociology and the University of Wisconsin with an MS in Urban Affairs, Frank has conducted numerous workshops and written extensively on nonprofit management topics with particular emphasis on the involvement of the board of directors in strategic planning. Frank has completed the Advanced Board Consultant Training Program offered by BoardSource. Frank has also completed the Distance Education Professional Development Certification Program at the University of Wisconsin, which provides a range of online offerings for nonprofits. From 2005 to 2015, Frank published the Strategically Speaking Blog, offering his reflections on strategic planning in the nonprofit sector.

 

Register Now – $75.00

Increasing the Impact of Your Strategic Planning Efforts

Increasing Your Mission Impact Through Advocacy

Sometimes, in our efforts to uncover the root causes of the problems our nonprofit seeks to address, we learn that existing laws, regulations, or public and corporate policies hurt the people we serve. We can then take action through advocacy to change or eliminate such rules, regulations, and policies. Advocacy is one of the most effective tools nonprofits and foundations can use to advance their mission and serve their communities.

This session is for board members, executive staff, foundation leaders, and others whose organizations are not currently engaged in advocacy and public policy work but are interested in exploring the idea and seeking credible information on this critical issue.

Session Topics:

  • What is advocacy, and why must nonprofits engage in such advocacy efforts?
  • What the law allows tax-exempt nonprofits to do
  • Barriers to nonprofit engagement in advocacy and how to overcome them
  • Specific roles that board and staff members can play
  • Examples of service provider nonprofits that have decided to engage in advocacy
  • Overview of organizations and proven resources that can help

Key Takeaways

  • Leave with a toolkit of activities, tools, practices, and case studies for exploring where advocacy fits in their nonprofit, making decisions regarding advocacy, and taking the first steps to building internal organizational capacity to engage in advocacy.
  • Discover entry points for advocacy that already exist in nonprofits
  • Learn about ways to engage in advocacy without adding to staffing and budget

Panel Presentation:

This session features a panel of nonprofit leaders engaged in advocacy. The panel will share how advocacy helps their organizations advance their missions and provide advice to nonprofit leaders interested in exploring ways to make advocacy work for their organizations and communities and resources nonprofits can tap to get started.

Panelists: 

  • Martha Collins, Member Services Director, Urban Economic Development Association (UEDA)
  • Matt Stienstra, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Programs, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin
  • Jeanne Geraci, Executive Director, The Benedict Center

Session Presenter: Frank Martinelli, The Center for Public Skills Training

Frank Martinelli has over 40 years of work, training, and consulting experience with various nonprofit and public sector organizations. He is president of the Center for Public Skills Training, specializing in strategic planning, governing board development, building organizational capacity for advocacy and systems change, and community partnership and alliance building. Many professional staff, board members, and other volunteer leaders have benefited from Frank’s practical, results-oriented training and consultation. Frank is the author of “Encouraging Visionary Board Leadership,” which appears in You and Your Nonprofit Board: Advice and Practical Tips from the Field’s Top Practitioners, Researchers, and Provocateurs and is published by Charity Channel Press.

From 1981 to 1992, Frank served as Coordinator of The Resource Center, a primary training provider to nonprofit groups in southeastern Wisconsin. A graduate of Marquette University with a BA in Sociology and the University of Wisconsin with an MS in Urban Affairs, Frank has conducted numerous workshops and written extensively on nonprofit management topics with particular emphasis on the involvement of the board of directors in strategic planning.

Since the fall of 2016, beginning with a TEDx talk on the subject of systems change and nonprofits, Frank has been organizing the Nonprofit Repositioning Initiative, which aims to provide resources and network-building opportunities to increase the capacity of nonprofits to deepen their impact at the underlying systems level and provide more permanent solutions to community problems.

Register Now – $75.00

Increasing Your Mission Impact Through Advocacy

Board Basics: Roles and Responsibilities in Nonprofit Governance

A comprehensive workshop designed for current and aspiring board members, executives, and staff of nonprofit organizations. This workshop, hosted by the Helen Bader Institute for Nonprofit Management at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, is tailored to enhance the understanding and effectiveness of board governance in nonprofit organizations.  In this interactive session, participants will delve into the fundamental aspects of nonprofit board governance. The workshop will cover the following key areas: 

Introduction to Nonprofit Governance: Gain a clear understanding of what governance means in the nonprofit context. Explore the difference between governance and management and why this distinction is crucial for organizational success.

Board Roles and Responsibilities: This segment will discuss board members’ legal and ethical responsibilities. It will outline the core duties of care, loyalty, and obedience and explain how they guide board members in decision-making. 

Effective Board Structure: Examine various board structures and their impact on organizational efficiency. Understand the roles of critical officers such as the Chair, Treasurer, and Secretary and how these roles contribute to effective governance. 

Strategic Planning and Oversight: Explore the board’s role in setting strategic direction and ensuring the organization’s resources are managed effectively. Discuss the importance of aligning the board’s work with the organization’s mission and goals. 

Financial Oversight: Delve into the board’s role in financial oversight, including budget approval, financial monitoring, and risk management. Understand the elements of financial statements and the importance of financial transparency. 

Board-Staff Dynamics: Discuss best practices for fostering a productive and respectful relationship between the board and the organization’s staff, emphasizing the importance of clear communication and boundary setting. 

Ethical Leadership and Decision Making: Address the ethical considerations and challenges that board members may face and explore frameworks for ethical decision-making in governance. 

Case Studies and Interactive Discussions: Engage in case studies and scenario-based discussions to apply learned concepts to real-world situations. This practical approach will enhance participants’ ability to navigate complex governance issues. 

Networking and Resource Sharing: This is an opportunity for participants to network with peers, share experiences, and access additional resources for ongoing learning and development in nonprofit governance. 

This workshop is ideal for those new to nonprofit board service and seasoned board members seeking to refresh their knowledge and skills. By the end of the session, participants will have gained essential insights and tools to contribute effectively to the governance of their nonprofit organizations, ensuring they are well-positioned to meet their missions and serve their communities effectively.

Session Presenter: Dr. Douglas Ihrke, Helen Bader Institute for Nonprofit Management

Douglas Ihrke, Ph.D., is a noted professor at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. As Chair of the Department of Public and Nonprofit Administration, he contributes his extensive expertise to the Nonprofit Management and Public Administration graduate programs, the Department of Political Science, and the interdisciplinary Urban Studies program. He also serves as the Executive Director of the Helen Bader Insitute for Nonprofit Management. His academic journey commenced with a Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree from the University of Minnesota, leading him to work as an engineering technician before obtaining an MPA in General Administration from Northern Michigan University (NMU). Professor Ihrke’s professional background is further enriched by his experience working in municipal government in Michigan, laying a practical foundation for his scholarly pursuits. He completed his doctoral studies at Northern Illinois University in 1996, focusing on public administration, public policy, and urban studies, areas where he has since become a leading voice, especially noted for his research on American bureaucratic institutions, public employee attitudes, behaviors, and various facets of local government operations.

Professor Ihrke is an accomplished author and researcher known for his insightful analysis of city council/administrator relations, managerial innovation, and the nature of urban communities. His work has been published in respected journals like Public Personnel Management, Public Administration Quarterly, Public Productivity and Management Review, and the Journal of Management History. In the classroom, Dr. Ihrke is committed to educating the next generation of public administration and urban studies professionals, teaching undergraduate courses in urban politics, public policy, and American Government and graduate courses in organization theory, public personnel administration, and urban public policy. His dedication to teaching and research underscores his significant contribution to understanding and improving public administration and urban governance.

Register Now – $75.00

Board Basics: Roles and Responsibilities in Nonprofit Governance

or

Register for all THREE workshops – $200.00

 

UWM’s Nonprofit Management Programs

Join us for an information session regarding the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee nonprofit management programs on November 13, 2023, 5:00 – 6:00 PM.

During this session, you will have the opportunity to learn more about the wide range of nonprofit management programs available at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. We will provide detailed information on the various courses, certificates, and degrees offered, allowing you to decide your educational path.

Our nonprofit management programs are designed to equip students with the necessary skills and knowledge to excel in the nonprofit sector. We offer a comprehensive curriculum covering fundraising, strategic planning, financial management, and board governance. By enrolling in our programs, you will gain a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities that nonprofit organizations face, and you will be prepared to make a meaningful impact in the field.

In addition to our rigorous academic curriculum, we also provide students with numerous experiential learning opportunities. You can apply your knowledge in real-world settings and make valuable connections with local nonprofit organizations through internships, practicums, and community engagement projects. These hands-on experiences will enhance your understanding of the nonprofit sector and allow you to develop practical skills employers will highly value.

REGISTER NOW

 

At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, we take pride in our faculty’s expertise and dedication to teaching. Our professors are highly experienced professionals who have worked in various leadership roles within the nonprofit sector. They bring a wealth of practical knowledge and real-world insights into the classroom, ensuring you receive a well-rounded education relevant to today’s nonprofit landscape.

By attending our information session, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of our nonprofit management programs and the opportunities they offer. Whether you are a recent graduate looking to start a career in the nonprofit sector or a seasoned professional seeking to enhance your skills and knowledge, our programs can provide the tools you need to succeed.

Don’t miss out on this valuable opportunity to learn more about the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee nonprofit management programs. Join us for our upcoming information session and take the first step towards a rewarding career in the nonprofit sector.

Nonprofit Management Programs Information Session

UWM Dept. of Public and Nonprofit Management

Are you eager to make a lasting impact in the nonprofit sector? Consider Wisconsin’s only Master’s program in Nonprofit Management and Leadership at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee – now available online!

Join us for an online information session to learn about these ground-breaking programs. Learn about the various programs available, UWM’s new microcredentials in nonprofit management, tuition, funding opportunities, and more.

Don’t just choose an education—choose a career path. Elevate your skillset, broaden your network, and make an impact.