Free financial training series for Chicago-area nonprofits December 15, 2020

How do you plan for the unprecedented? What do you do when your revenue streams change overnight? How do you reimagine programming and staffing on-the-fly? How do you think about long-term recovery and resiliency when you’re still responding to the urgent needs in your community?

Nonprofit leaders just like you have been voicing these questions over the last few months, and we want to help. That’s why we’re offering a two-part series of free seminars designed to answer your questions. These seminars are free to Chicago-area nonprofits, thanks to the generous support of the Kenneth C. Griffin Charitable Fund.

You do not have to be a financial expert to attend. In fact, we encourage a team-based approach to financial management and hope that staff throughout your organization join the financial management conversation.

 


 

Session 1: Understanding Financial Heath & Planning Ahead in a Time of Uncertainty

Nonprofit organizations are experiencing a variety of challenges, including shifting staffing structures, sudden changes in service delivery or capacity, and potential losses across multiple revenue streams. These changes put the financial health and resilience of nonprofits at risk as they navigate the current reality while staying mission focused.

This webinar will address critical areas of focus in a time of uncertainty, including: (1) Grounding financial decision-making in your values, (2) Understanding your current financial position through key data sources and what those metrics say about your financial health; and (3) Actions to consider given the financial health of your organization.

Opportunities to Attend Session 1:

  • Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2:30-4:00 PM CT – REGISTER
  • Thursday, Jan. 28, 2:30-4:00 PM CT (*organizations with budgets under $1 million) – REGISTER

*Organizations of any size may attend either session, but some advice and discussion will be tailored to smaller organizations.

 


 

Session 2: Scenario Planning for Resilience and Reinvention

Many organizations created scenario plans in the first few months of the pandemic to help navigate the unknown future. Over time, scenarios and strategies have evolved as we learn more about funding changes, new program delivery models, and the likelihood of continued disruption related to the pandemic. In this workshop, participants will learn how to reframe scenario planning from emergency response to a practice that keeps their organizations nimble to meet community needs in an ever-changing environment.

Topics include: (1) Guiding principles for successful scenario planning processes; (2) Participatory processes organizations can use to weigh options, implications, and trade-offs; and (3) Questions to consider when accounting for key revenue and expense drivers.

Opportunities to Attend Session 2:

  • Tuesday, February 9, 2:30-4:00 PM CT – REGISTER
  • Thursday, Feb. 11, 2:30-4:00 PM CT (*organizations with budgets under $1 million) – REGISTER

*Organizations of any size may attend either session, but some advice and discussion will be tailored to smaller organizations.

 


 

Those who attend one or both sessions will have the opportunity to sign-up for one-on-one financial coaching with our partners at BDO FMA LLC (formerly Fiscal Management Associates), who will also be delivering the webinars. FMA specializes in helping nonprofits understand their financial story, and we know they will be a great resource to you at this very challenging time.

Please share this opportunity to your friends in the nonprofit space.