2018

Nonprofit
Learning
Opportunities
Join the Minnesota Council of
Nonprofits in 2018 for a variety of
trainings to help you and your
organization grow and thrive.
2018 Nonprofit Learning Opportunities

At the Minnesota Council of

Nonprofits, we believe the
nonprofit sector is strongest when
each organization is well-run and
well-supported. MCN offers learning
opportunities that help nonprofit staff,
board and volunteers know what they
need to know, strengthen their skills and
build connections with others.

Our job is to help your nonprofit achieve

excellence.

Join us in 2018 at one or more of our in-

person or virtual learning opportunities.
Visit our website frequently – we’ll add
more events throughout the year:

www.minnesotanonprofits.org/events
Public Policy and Advocacy

Advocacy is a powerful catalyst for change. Learn

the tools to become a stronger advocate and
support your mission by joining an advocacy training.
We are powerful when we work together!

• How a Bill Becomes Law with a Capitol Tour: February 16

• 2018 Session Line-Up: February 23
• Understanding the State Budget: March 2
• Working with Media in Advocacy: March 9
Leadership From Many Angles

MCN offers a variety of courses to help you learn to lead

yourself and others. Become a stronger leader, a better
manager and a more reflective colleague by attending
these classes.

Staff Supervision and Coaching: Whether you’re a new

supervisor or a long-time leader, managing others can be a
challenging task. MCN offers a range of sessions to help you
be a better boss.

• Supervising for Employee Engagement: February 6, April 17,

September 13, November 28
• Supervising for Team Engagement: May 10, October 16
• Coaching Skills for Leaders and Managers: February 22, June
28, September 27
• Staff Performance & Terminations: Hiring, Supervising and
Firing Staff: February 23

Board Governance: Boards of directors have their own l

eadership challenges and opportunities. MCN hosts various
sessions to enhance board operations, connect better with
staff and increase fundraising.

• Building an Effective Board: February 8, May 24, October 25

• Watch for additional workshops about Theory of Change
and Board Leadership

www.minnesotanonprofits.org/events
Leadership From Many Angles

Mindfulness for Leaders: MCN offers workshops that

combine strategic organizational processes with eastern
wisdom to develop responsive leaders, high-performing
teams and thriving organizations.

• Understand and Invest in Your Organization’s Culture:

March 16
• High Performing Teams in 5 Mindful Moves: June 19
• Inspired Leadership in 5 Mindful Moves: September 26

Nonprofit Diversity Leadership Series: Across Minnesota,

nonprofit leaders are increasing their commitment to
inclusion and equity. Learn how to make this goal a
reality.

• So You Want to Do Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Work?:

February 1
• Understanding Generational Shifts: April 26
• Hiring and Interviewing without Bias: Culturally Responsive
Workplaces: June 21
• People, Practices & Power for a Diverse Workforce: July 19
• What Not to Do in DE&I Work: September 14
• Understand Legal & Human Resources Responsibilities:
October 18
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as a Tool for Succession
Planning: November 27
Fundraising and Grantseeking

In the area of raising money, MCN offers a variety of

courses that can advance your work – whether
you’re an executive director, board member or
development professional.

Beginner and Intermediate Grantwriting: New in 2018, MCN

will offer a 2-part workshop for newer grantwriters. Take
both courses, one week apart, or sign up for each class
separately.

• Winter dates: February 5 and February 12

• Spring dates: April 25 and May 2
• Summer dates: June 22 and June 29
• Fall dates: October 15 and October 22

Advanced Grantwriting: The two-part series offers

advanced tools to develop more effective fundraising
strategies and polished grant proposals. Check for dates
on MCN’s website.

Essential Sponsorship Clinic: On February 28, join Barbara

Harrington, a leading expert on sponsorships, to learn
strategies to increase fundraising from individuals,
foundations and companies.

Fundraising in Weird Times: On June 6, national speaker

Kim Klein will examine issues that will impact your
nonprofit’s ability to fundraise in 2018. Plus, learn concepts
that can amp up individual donations.

www.minnesotanonprofits.org/events
Fundraising and Grantseeking

National Foundations: On September 28, find out what it

takes to attract national funders. This workshop by Access
Philanthropy includes a directory of more than 100 funders
that give in Minnesota.

Minnesota Foundations: On December 18, one of MCN’s

most popular workshops offers grantseeker insights about
Minnesota’s largest foundations. Attendees receive the
2019 Minnesota Grants Directory.

Philanthropy Leaders Forum: This occasional series of

breakfast gatherings connects leaders from philanthropic
organizations with the nonprofit community. Watch for
dates coming soon.
Conferences

MCN convenes hundreds of nonprofit leaders, staff

and board members for in-person engagement,
learning and networking. Registration opens about
three months prior to each conference.

• Nonprofit Communications & Technology Conference,

Hyatt Regency Minneapolis, March 21
• Nonprofit Finance & Sustainability Conference, Earle
Brown Heritage Center, Brooklyn Center, April 19
• Greater Minnesota Nonprofit Summit, Mankato State
University, May 16
• Nonprofit Leadership Conference, McNamara Alumni
Center, Minneapolis, June 13
• Nonprofit Fundraising Conference, Earle Brown Heritage
Center, Brooklyn Center, July 26
• Nonprofit Essentials Conference, University of St. Thomas,
Minneapolis, August 16
• MCN Annual Conference, Saint Paul RiverCentre, St. Paul,
November 14-15

www.minnesotanonprofits.org/events
Virtual Trainings

MCN’s virtual trainings aren’t your ordinary webinars;

in fact, while using familiar webinar software, they
don’t feel like a webinar at all. Instead, they are highly
interactive – combining presentations, conversations,
individual reflection and work between sessions.

• Supervising for Employee Engagement – three-parts:

starting April 10 or October 9
• Developing Your Evaluation Strategy and Plan – three-
parts: starting July 11 or November 6
• Evaluation Basics – two-parts: May 21 and 22
• Plus, watch online for details about grantwriting and
board basics

Virtual Conference for Small Development Shops: This

web-based conference will take place this fall and will
replicate many aspects of traditional conferences. The
content will be geared to organizations with two
fundraising staff members or fewer. Sessions will be
available online for twelve months.

Spotlights: Taking place on March 28, June 27, September

26 and December 19, MCN’s quarterly online learning
opportunities, called Spotlights, offer four sessions each on
a specific topic. Topics include nonprofit leadership,
diversity and inclusion and donor engagement and
retention strategies.
Interpersonal Communication
And Evaluation
Everyone involved in advancing your nonprofit mission
can benefit from strong skills in communications and
evaluation.

Conflict Management: Conflict is healthy and essential for

growth. But often we miss the growth opportunities
inherent in conflict situations.

• Constructive Problem Solving Skills: January 26 and

October 26
• Conflict: Your Organization’s Superpower: March 7
• Stepping Up When Conflict Happens: April 24 and
November 29
• Stop Giving It Away: Learn Strong Negotiation Skills: June 7

Evaluation Tools and Skills: Whether you need to evaluate

your organization, program, board or staff – MCN offers
trainings that can take you to the next level.

• Tools and Techniques to Get the Data You Need: May 30

• Team-Based Inquiry for Nonprofit Evaluation: June 20
• Leading with Theory of Change: September 21
• Evaluation Basiscs: September 26

Nonprofit Communicators Workshop Series: These fall

workshops advance your skills around communications
such as social media and storytelling. These sessions will be
online by late-summer.

www.minnesotanonprofits.org/events
Greater Minnesota
Opportunities
Check out MCN’s online calendar for training
opportunities across Greater Minnesota. MCN offers
dozens of workshops in Bemidji, Duluth, Fargo,
Mankato, Rochester, Saint Cloud and other cities.

Visit www.minnesotanonprofits.org/regional-chapters
for more information on our work throughout the state
of Minnesota.
 NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATION
US POSTAGE PAID
TWIN CITIES, MN
PERMIT 3780
REGISTER NOW
2314 University Ave. W. Ste. 20
St. Paul, MN 55114-1802
To find out more about www.minnesotanonprofits.org
event times, locations, costs and
registration procedures, visit
our website or give us a call.
Visit our website frequently –
we’ll add more events
throughout the year.

Phone: (651) 642-1904

Email: info@minnesotanonprofits.org
Online: www.minnesotanonprofits.org/
events

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