In this basic session, we will cover what distinguishes non-profits from for-profits, the various IRS designations for exempt organizations, how and why a gift is deductible, and the role of the board of directors. We will discuss the life stages of a nonprofit, from just a dream to producing and sustaining, and the common bumps in the road on this path.

As a nonprofit, you have a responsibility to your board and to the mission of your organization and those things require a great deal of time. However, you also have some legal and cultural responsibilities for the human resources of your organization that you need to be aware of. While, it may be easy to just let things happen to assume that everything is fine in regard to the people and people systems of your organization, not knowing or not taking these responsibilities seriously can lead you and your organization into deep trouble. We will cover the basics pieces of what you need to know regarding HR. What do you need to keep track of? What systems should you have in place? What support do you need? Let us help you create a more effective work environment.

Improve the effectiveness of your most valuable asset — your stakeholders. Inspired people carry the torch across the finish line. It is their story that reveals the underlying conflict, emotion, and desire that moves hearts and minds into action — or derail it. It is in the story that inspiration and motivation are imbued. To make the most out of what people have to give, coaches get into the story, and level up their commitment and performance (coaching up). And when it is time, coaches assist individuals to recognize the untold story that needs to be realized elsewhere (coaching out). Come ready to hear some storytelling and challenge your thinking.

Without volunteers, most nonprofits would cease to exist or otherwise suffer drastic reduction in their capacity to provide valuable services to their communities. However, finding and retaining volunteers is easier said than done. In this training, we explore WHY people volunteer and offer practical tips on how you can leverage that information to first attract the right volunteer and then ultimately KEEP them participating in your projects and engaged in your mission.

This session will have everything to get you starting planning an event, help you evaluate the outcomes and purposes of events, and tools to evaluate events for future successes. Jillian and Alisha have 15 years of event planning experience to help you start at ground zero for a new event or re-imagine your existing events to ensure events are meeting organizational goals.

This session will explore different methods you can use to measure success in your programs. Whether you need these evaluations for your own continuous improvement, grant compliance, or for marketing materials, demonstrating program effectiveness is essential.

The Art of Gratitude: ‘Real’ gratitude is much different than simply acknowledging a gift with a thank you letter and required tax receipt! It is also a key component to donor retention, which is an important element to your organization’s fundraising growth. This session examines donor retention in the numbers and explores elements of true gratitude that can be implemented by your organization right away to retain your loyal supporters and attract new donors.

We live in an increasingly polarizing world of political views, social issues, and community dialogue. Conversations that once took place over fence posts have turned into angry comments on facebook. Where we used to gather together for barn raisings, we now see our towns pulled apart by new projects and initiatives. As a nonprofit leader, you are faced with difficult conversations within your organization, community, and the entire state of Wyoming. New divisions, differences, and silos seem to be arriving on a daily basis. Yet, it is the leaders who are able to bridge the gaps in understanding and bring people together who will succeed. Join us as we discuss leading through complexity, inviting difficult dialogue, and having a renewed sense of hope in the world (ok, we can't actually promise the last one, but wouldn't that be nice?!). Being a leader in the 21st century requires a new set of skills, and this session will help you consider about how to sharpen your leadership for today's changing environment.

The presentation covers the following topics to help organizations understand what it will take to protect there most valuable asset – Data.
• What are the basics to protect my systems and network?
• Everything you will want to know about Phishing and Spear Phishing
• Protecting for the “Needle in the Haystack”
• Are passwords antiquated?
• How to protect from Internet attacks?
• Should my data be encrypted?
• How does PCI affect my organization?
• How can current cyber threats affect my organization?
• What is the difference between a Cyber Security Services Provider and an IT Support Provider?

Fundraising is a team sport! Everyone in your organization has a special role to play in developing major giving relationships – in fact ALL your relationships. Yet, we spend precious energy and time engaged in emotions that don’t serve us. In fact, they can drain us. “If only my board would help me,” we wail. “What if we don’t meet our numbers?” WHAT IF OUR CELLPHONE DIES? OMG! Let’s dial down the drama and dial up how we can best inspire our Board to be ALL IN with us. Join Marcy Heim, dynamic (and sometimes dramatic) speaker, major giving veteran, Mom, executive director, girl singer, life coach, author, and Speaker to those composing a good world and dial down the drama. Laugh, reflect AND take away real tools to make the shifts that dial up your success – in fundraising you’re your Board and in life.

Skills-based volunteering means leveraging the specialized skills and talents of individuals to strengthen the infrastructure of nonprofits, helping them build and sustain their capacity to successfully achieve their missions. We will discuss this innovative approach that takes advantage of individuals’ skills and experience to help service organizations build and sustain their capacity to bring real solutions to our most pressing social problems.

What if you had a specific 3-sentence recipe to ask for anything? What EXACTLY do you say? Marcy’s 3-sentence ask will give you a clear path. As she says, “A confused donor doesn’t give and a confused fundraiser doesn’t ask.” Get crystal CLEAR on exactly how to write and speak an ask. You’ll also learn how to apply this ask formula not only to major gifts, but for event sponsors, operations, board service, endowment gifts and annual fund leadership gifts. You may rock at creating a great relationship but the gift comes from a clear ask confidently delivered. Learn how to do it with Marcy.

Join us for a panel discussion of available resources for Wyoming nonprofits. ServeWyoming, Corporation for National and Community Service United States Department of Agriculture, and the Wyoming Women’s Foundation will provide a session related to National Service grants and discuss the streams of service, USDA grants, and the Wyoming Community Foundation grants how these options can help your nonprofit grow, the various applications and what kind of programs each are seeking to fund.

Do you need to raise more money? Do you have limited time and budget? This workshop is designed for you. Learn how to secure new donors and dollars for you mission – without increasing expenses or staff time. Executive Directors and emerging Development Directors will learn how to time-efficiently build and implement a fundraising plan that’s right-sized to their nonprofit, and one that actually raises money. After attending, you’ll not only get the training, but a toolkit of templates to:1) Build a data-driven development plan & assess your true fundraising potential; 2) Engage your board & volunteers in direct fundraising activities to acquire & upgrade donors; 3) Create an impact-driven fundraising message with effective campaign assets.