That’s a Wrap! Our Top Nonprofit Professional Development Resources of 2021

Nonprofit professional development has seen a surge as the sector adapted to on-demand learning and opportunities due to the pandemic. We did our best to keep up! We hope you enjoyed all 50 webinars, 104 articles, and 36 podcasts that were published by Nonprofit Hub this year…But, in case you missed any, here’s our wrap of 2021!

 

Coming together to do more good!

Nonprofit Hub and Do More Good joined forces at the start of 2021. What was already a great partnership of like-minded causes became a powerhouse engine for nonprofit professional development and education. The merger brought new team members, a location in Michigan, and the Cause Network, our combined membership platform. One year later, our combined forces serve over 50,000 nonprofits like yours throughout North America. 

The merger brought with it the opportunity to reframe our program messaging to better capture what we do. The days of the Hubcap, Hubinar, and Hubcast were numbered when we realized they didn’t say anything about the value Nonprofit Hub’s content provides, or our mission. You see, it is our goal with every piece of content to move nonprofits from good (because you’re already doing good) to growth. In September, we made it official. The podcast, newsletter, and webinar series were all renamed “Good to Growth”! 

 

The Best in Nonprofit Professional Development Resources:

 

WEBINAR

Overcoming the Overhead Myth with Kiersten Hill

Honorable Mention: Secrets of Year-End Giving Success with Rod Arnold

Ever have a donor ask to fund something you have no capacity to provide? We thought so. You’re not alone. The myth that overhead expenses like salaries and benefits don’t equal impact is a bogus and outdated assumption. Kiersten reveals to viewers how this myth originated and how to combat it in the boardroom and donor calls. 

We’re also giving an honorable mention to Rod Arnold’s presentation, The Secrets of Year-End Giving Success.” This powerhouse webinar provided an in-depth look at how leading charities tackle their fundraising. Rod’s templates alone are worth the view!

 

GOOD TO GROWTH PODCAST EPISODE

Flipping the Narrative on Strategic Planning with Joel Kessel

Does your nonprofit have a beautiful and well-articulated strategic plan? Has it sat in a file drawer or hard drive since it was formed? You’re not alone! Over 40% of nonprofits are operating without a strategic plan. Joel shares practical insights on how to keep your long-term vision at the forefront of your nonprofit’s operations. 

BTW…We were so impressed with Joel following this podcast recording that we’ve invited him to be the moderator of our Executive Peer Coaching Groups! 

 

BLOG POST

What is a Vision Statement? Why Nonprofits Need Them. 

Mission, vision, values…how many statements does one organization need? This top-performing blog article breaks down the value and purpose of each. You’ll also get some guidance on how to craft a vision statement that fits and forwards your organization’s mission. 

If you want to go a step further, check out these resources related to mission statements:

Nonprofit Mission Statements: Good and Bad Examples

Creating a Mission Statement Guide

 

CAUSE CAMP SESSION

Tammy Charles | How to Create Winning Corporate Partnerships

Tammy, a self-proclaimed “social change geek” dazzled the audience with her step-by-step guidance on how to approach corporate partnerships. When partnerships focus on addressing social change rather than simply monetizing events and creating PR buzz, the impact is phenomenal. Tammy’s session – in fact, all past Cause Camp sessions – are available to members of the Cause Network. 

Not a member yet? Sign up for Cause Camp 2022 and you’ll receive a complimentary one-year membership. 

 

FREE GUIDE

Robert’s Rules Guide

Honorable Mention: Nonprofit Startup Guide

We thought maybe this was a need in the sector and WOW, we were right! The number of downloads of this guide after only a few months is astounding. If you’re a regular in the boardroom, but need help with the lingo or the governance process, download this free guide!

Also, an honorable mention goes to the Starting a Nonprofit Guide from our partners at BryteBridge Nonprofit Solutions. This guide debuted only a month ago and we can already tell it’s helping many future nonprofit organizations get their start. 

 

COURSE

Board Basics

The Board Basics Course was born out of the realization that many boards wanted to pursue training, but their schedules and limited time during meetings prevented it. The Board Basics series uses 15-minute sessions taught by expert instructors on core areas of governance that board members need to understand and be proficient in. The twelfth and final session of this course will be posted in January! 

PARTNER EDUCATION PIECE

Harbor Compliance Nonprofit Compliance Checklist

There are many boxes to check and reports to file in the nonprofit world in order to be compliant with state and federal regulations. Thankfully, our friends at Harbor Compliance prepared an easy-to-follow checklist for nonprofit compliance to help guide the way. This list was one of our most appreciated items sent through the partner dedicated learning series in 2021! View the message here.

 

PRODUCT OR SERVICE

Easy Board

The board governance structure of nonprofits can be complicated and burdensome. Our friends at EasyBoard, however, have literally made the work of board governance much easier. No more lost in translation emails, meeting reminders, or re-sending of board documents. This easy-to-use portal helps nonprofit leaders to easily communicate and manage boards of any size. Our team was so impressed with this product that we began using it in 2021 as well. To quote the vice president of the Do More Good board of directors, “Easy Board is, well…easy.”

Big Things Ahead in 2022

You have big plans for your nonprofit and your career in 2022, and we’ll be there to help! Watch out for new professional development programming and even more free nonprofit resources. Here are a few of the highlights:

Cause Camp 2022

The biggest Cause Camp to date will happen this May in a new city and a new venue. Join us in person in Grand Rapids, Michigan, or sign up to watch virtually. Either way, we’ve built in some great ways to network with your peers, access conference-related resources, and engage with some of the top thought leaders in the nonprofit sector. Tickets are selling faster than they ever have before. Reserve yours!

Peer Growth Groups

You asked for it! If you’re looking for a way to grow professionally as well as your network, consider joining a peer growth group. These are not your typical networking groups. Peer Growth Groups are expertly-moderated and highly structured avenues to grow professionally as well as inspire new ideas. Registrations are open now!

More Free Guides + Webinars

Watch out for a new free guide on a trending nonprofit topic each week! Each guide is a downloadable resource written by our in-house team of experts or a subject matter expert. Also, in partnership with Firespring, we’ll be bringing you at least two webinars each week. Can’t make it on Wednesday? Register and watch-on demand or check out other offerings throughout the week.