Program Details

The Advanced Board Leadership Series is a highly interactive and fast-paced series designed to further prepare and support experienced members and leaders of nonprofit and public service governing boards, especially Board Chairs, Officers, Committee Chairs, Chief Executives, and those who aspire to serve in such roles. This four-session series is facilitated by Dr. David Renz, director emeritus of the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership at UMKC and a nationally recognized expert on nonprofit governance and boards. Our vision for the series is to attract and engage a diverse group of experienced leaders from across the Kansas City community in thoughtful learning and dialogue as we explore the challenge of board effectiveness and share with each other what we have learned about how to develop, support, and sustain it. The goal of the series is to enhance the effectiveness of experienced nonprofit and other public service board and executive leaders as they develop and lead boards capable of excellence and impact.

We will meet from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. at the Bloch Executive Hall at UMKC for four Thursday nights in October: October 5, 12, 19, and 26. Participants are asked to attend all sessions.

Session 1: Boards, Governance and Organizational Effectiveness
Date: October 5, 2023 (6:30-9pm)

• Introduction to the Series, Your Colleagues, and How We Learn Together
• Governance, Boards, and the Roles that Bring Them to Life
• The Fundamentals of Board Effectiveness

Session 2: Critical Elements of Governance Success
Date: October 12, 2023 (6:30-9pm)

• The Life Cycle of Board and Board Member Effectiveness
• Boards and Executives: The Imperative of Role Clarity
• The Unique Power and Impact of an Effective Chair

Session 3: The Growing and Sustaining an Effective Board
Date: October 19, 2023 (6:30-9pm)

• Strategies for Developing and Sustaining Board Performance
• How Healthy is Your Board’s Culture?
• The Universe of Board Self-Assessments (and How to Use Them Well)

Session 4: Sustaining a Healthy and Effective Board
Date: October 26, 2023 (6:30-9pm)

• The Elephant in Every Board Room: Strategies for Diversity, Inclusion, and Impact
• Preparing For and Enabling Leadership Succession
• Making Sense of It All: A Dialogue on Board Effectiveness

Location and Parking:
The sessions will be held at the UMKC Bloch Executive Hall, 5108 Cherry Street, Kansas City, Missouri. Parking details will be sent after registration.

Cancellation and Transfer Policy:
Full refunds will be given when cancellations are made at least five working days before the first session. A $50 cancellation fee will be deducted from refunds when notification occurs fewer than five working days before class begins. No refunds will be made after the first session has begun. You may transfer your registration by contacting MCNL at (816) 235-5720 or culverm@umkc.edu.

Photo and Video Release:
By attending the event, you are giving MCNL permission to use photos and videos from the workshop in future promotional materials.

Program Details

Our four-session in-depth introduction to board service draws upon the nationally recognized expertise of Dr. David Renz, director emeritus of the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership at UMKC, with brief presentations from a diverse group of experienced board leaders from across the Kansas City community. The goal of the series is to prepare current and emerging community leaders to serve effectively as members of the governing boards of nonprofit and other community and public service organizations.

Session 1: Boards, Governance, and Public Service Leadership: Introduction to the Roles and Responsibilities of the Board and Its Members
Date: To be determined.

• Introduction to Nonprofit (and Governmental) Boards
• Making Sense of the Work of a Governing Board
• The Legal and Ethical Dimensions of Board Work
• The Core Responsibilities of Boards

Session 2: Show Us the Money Part One! The Board’s Role in Securing and Using It Wisely
Date: To be determined.

• Overview of Financial Leadership and Accountability
• Understanding the Organization as a Financial Creature
• Making Sense of Financial Reports
• Insights from the Boardroom

Session 3: Show Us the Money Part Two! The Board’s Role in Fundraising and Development
Date: To be determined.

• Philanthropy and Nonprofit Business Models
• Board Roles in Fund Raising and Development
• The Basics of Philanthropy and Raising Money
• Insights from the Boardroom

Session 4: Organizing for Successful Board Work
Date: To be determined.

• Variations in How Boards and Related Governance Structures Are Organized
• Developing an Effective Board-Executive-Staff Partnership
• What It Takes to be an Effective Board Member
• The Passion to Serve: Finding the Right Match for Board Service
• Insights from the Boardroom

Location:
UMKC Bloch Executive Hall (5108 Cherry Street, Kansas City, Missouri).

Cancellation and Transfer Policy:
Full refunds will be given when cancellations are made at least five working days before the first session. A $50 cancellation fee will be deducted from refunds when notification occurs fewer than five working days before class begins. No refunds will be made after the first session has begun. You may transfer your registration by contacting MCNL at (816) 235-5720 or culverm@umkc.edu. 

Photo and Video Release:
By attending the event, you are giving MCNL permission to use photos and videos from the workshop in future promotional materials.

Program Details

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Program Details

In this workshop, you will cultivate financial leadership and accountability, explore financial information systems, identify short- and long-term financial strengths and weaknesses, and evaluate the financial health of your nonprofit organizations. Following this workshop you will be able to:

• Understand the financial leadership model and complete a Financial Leadership Self-Assessment
• Define accounting practices required for accurate financial information
• Complete Accurate Financial Data Assessment
• Recognize the financial leader’s key assessment questions and the information needed to answer these questions
• Assess Financial Health Assessment

This seminar is a part of the Financial Leadership of Nonprofit Organizations Series.

Location and Parking:
The session will be held at the UMKC Bloch Executive Hall, 5108 Cherry Street, Kansas City, Missouri. Parking details will be sent after registration.

Meals:
Light breakfast and boxed lunch will be provided.

Cancellation and Transfer Policy:
Full refunds will be given when cancellations are made at least five working days before the first session. A $50 cancellation fee will be deducted from refunds when notification occurs fewer than five working days before class begins. No refunds will be made after the session has begun. You may transfer your registration by contacting MCNL at (816) 235-5720 or culverm@umkc.edu.

Photo and Video Release:
By attending the event, you are giving MCNL permission to use photos and videos from the workshop in future promotional materials.

Program Details

In this workshop, you will learn about strategic financial planning and how to evaluate your organization’s financial planning process. Following this workshop you will be able to:

• Outline the stages in the budgeting process
• Complete a Financial Planning Assessment
• Relate cash flow projections to strategic financial management
• Outline the cash flow budgeting processing
• Monitor and manage cash flow
• Develop internal controls and policies and procedures for cash flow management

This seminar is a part of the Financial Leadership of Nonprofit Organizations Series.

Location nad Parking:
The session will be held at the UMKC Bloch Executive Hall, 5108 Cherry Street, Kansas City, Missouri. Parking details will be sent after registration.

Meals:
Light breakfast and boxed lunch will be provided.

Cancellation and Transfer Policy:
Full refunds will be given when cancellations are made at least five working days before the first session. A $50 cancellation fee will be deducted from refunds when notification occurs fewer than five working days before class begins. No refunds will be made after the session has begun. You may transfer your registration by contacting MCNL at (816) 235-5720 or culverm@umkc.edu.

Photo and Video Release:
By attending the event, you are giving MCNL permission to use photos and videos from the workshop in future promotional materials.

Program Details

Module 1 – Building a Culture of Philanthropy
Friday, October 6, 2023 (8:30-11:30am)
IN-PERSON SESSION – UMKC Bloch Executive Hall, 5108 Cherry Street, Kansas City, Missouri

Often development responsibility falls on a small segment of people siloed from the organization’s operations. Building a Culture of Philanthropy assists and supports participants to lead and manage development activity to and for all within the organization.

Objectives of Module One:

• Participants should gain an understanding of the components of a culture of philanthropy.
• Participants should begin to understand how to build a culture of philanthropy.
• Participants should learn how to examine their development department’s culture and operations to assess whether they are on course to create a culture of philanthropy.

Module 2 – Designing the Long Game
Friday, October 20, 2023 (8:30-11:30am)
VIRTUAL SESSION – This session will be held via Zoom.

A hallmark of a nonprofit’s success lies in its ability to design an inclusive strategic planning process. This is equally true for a successful development operation. Designing the Long Game equips participants with the tools to develop, articulate and measure a strategic plan for the fund development operation that works within the organization’s larger strategic plan.
Objectives for Module Two:

• Participants should increase their appreciation for mission statements and their importance to the fundraising process.
• Participants should learn and understand how to operationalize the components of the strategic planning cycle.
• Participants should realize how to measure the results of a strategic plan using a dashboard.

Module 3 – Prioritizing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Fundraising
Friday, October 27, 2023 (8:30-11:30am)
IN-PERSON SESSION – UMKC Bloch Executive Hall, 5108 Cherry Street, Kansas City, Missouri

The dynamics surrounding fundraising in communities of color are complex but crucial for nonprofit professionals to fully understand. Fundraising leaders at majority white organizations often overlook people of color as potential donors and can become frustrated because they can’t recruit them to support their causes. Prioritizing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Fundraising offers development professionals insight to focus more time and attention on respectfully approaching and engaging diverse communities.

Objectives for Module Three:

• Participants should begin to understand the deep potential of donors of color.
• Participants should learn best practices for diversifying their development team.
• Participants should realize how to engage and increase support in communities of color.

Module 4 – Developing & Strengthening Talent
Friday, November 10, 2023 (8:30-11:30am)
VIRTUAL SESSION – This session will be held via Zoom.

Unemployment is near a historic low, which creates serious obstacles for nonprofit leaders to recruit and retain development professionals. Developing & Strengthening Talent provides participants with tools to assess staff, build a culture that maximizes talent, and cultivate leadership within the development area of your organization.

Objectives for Module Four:

• Participants should identify approaches for recruiting high quality development staff.
• Participants should learn best practices for retaining development staff.
• Participants should develop an understanding of strategies for training, evaluating and rewarding development staff.

Module 5 – Strategic Communications
Friday, November 17, 2023 (8:30-11:30am)
IN-PERSON SESSION – UMKC Bloch Executive Hall, 5108 Cherry Street, Kansas City, Missouri

When we say development, how many people think of the ask? The ask is the part of the iceberg above water that you see, building audience and a prospect database accounts for the 90% of the iceberg that goes unseen. In Strategic Communications, participants will be equipped with the tools essential for building a bigger and better audience of prospective donors.

Objectives for Module Five:

• Participants should learn how to utilize the components of a market driven nonprofit.
• Participants should understand how to operationalize donor-centered fundraising principles.
• Participants should recognize how to retain donors using their mission and storytelling.

Program Logistics:
Each module is delivered from 8:30am to 11:30am. The in-person sessions will be held at the UMKC Bloch Executive Hall, 5108 Cherry Street, Kansas City, Missouri and the virtual sessions will be held via Zoom.

Cancellation and Transfer Policy:
Full refunds will be given when cancellations are made at least five working days before the first session. A $50 cancellation fee will be deducted from refunds when notification occurs fewer than five working days before class begins. No refunds will be made after the first session has begun. You may transfer your registration by contacting MCNL at (816) 235-5720 or culverm@umkc.edu

Photo and Video Release:
By attending the event, you are giving MCNL permission to use photos and videos from the workshop in future promotional materials.

What You Will Learn

• understand the basic language and components of capital campaigns
• explore the best capital campaign form and structure to guide your designated organization
• determine the readiness of your organization to launch a capital campaign
• begin exploring an outline to shape your capital campaign case statements
• identify the primary donor prospects for your respective capital campaigns

What You Will Learn

• understand the basic language and components of capital campaigns
• explore the best capital campaign form and structure to guide your designated organization
• determine the readiness of your organization to launch a capital campaign
• begin exploring an outline to shape your capital campaign case statements
• identify the primary donor prospects for your respective capital campaigns

Program Details

Refund Policy
No refunds will be made after receiving access to the pre-recorded lecture session.

Photo and Video Release
By attending the event, you are giving MCNL permission to use photos and videos from the workshop in future promotional materials.

The Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership reserves the right to cancel courses and seminars when circumstances require.

What You Will Learn

• explore the philosophical and motivational underpinnings behind fundraising
• examine the basic fundraising cycle and how volunteers can support it
• begin identifying the fundraising support most needed from volunteers at their designated organizations; and
• begin defining the systems needed to support volunteer fundraising.

What You Will Learn

• explore the philosophical and motivational underpinnings behind fundraising
• examine the basic fundraising cycle and how volunteers can support it
• begin identifying the fundraising support most needed from volunteers at their designated organizations; and
• begin defining the systems needed to support volunteer fundraising.

Program Details

Refund Policy
No refunds will be made after receiving access to the pre-recorded lecture session.

Photo and Video Release
By attending the event, you are giving MCNL permission to use photos and videos from the workshop in future promotional materials.

The Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership reserves the right to cancel courses and seminars when circumstances require.

What You Will Learn

• Purpose Driven Fundraising
• The Fundraising Cycle
• Donor Advised Funds
• Leadership and Fundraising
• Constituency: Changing Demographics and Fundraising
• Stewardship and Donor Recognition

What You Will Learn

• Purpose Driven Fundraising
• The Fundraising Cycle
• Donor Advised Funds
• Leadership and Fundraising
• Constituency: Changing Demographics and Fundraising
• Stewardship and Donor Recognition

Program Details

Refund Policy:
No refunds will be made after receiving access to the pre-recorded lecture.

Photo and Video Release:
By attending the event, you are giving MCNL permission to use photos and videos from the workshop in future promotional materials.

The Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership reserves the right to cancel courses and seminars when circumstances require.

What You Will Learn

• Overview of Philanthropy and Fundraising
• Philosophy of Fundraising
• History of Fundraising
• National Fundraising Trends
• Kansas City Fundraising Trends
• What don’t people give money and time?
• The Donor Pyramid
• Moves Management
• Roles of Staff and Board in Fundraising

What You Will Learn

• Overview of Philanthropy and Fundraising
• Philosophy of Fundraising
• History of Fundraising
• National Fundraising Trends
• Kansas City Fundraising Trends
• What don’t people give money and time?
• The Donor Pyramid
• Moves Management
• Roles of Staff and Board in Fundraising

Program Details

Refund Policy:
No refunds will be made after receiving access to the pre-recorded lecture.

Photo and Video Release:
By attending the event, you are giving MCNL permission to use photos and videos from the workshop in future promotional materials.

The Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership reserves the right to cancel courses and seminars when circumstances require.

What You Will Learn

• The Proposal Writing Process
• The Inquiry Letter
• The Components of the Master Proposal
• Red Flags and Tips on Proposal Writing

What You Will Learn

• The Proposal Writing Process
• The Inquiry Letter
• The Components of the Master Proposal
• Red Flags and Tips on Proposal Writing

Program Details

Refund Policy:
No refunds will be made after receiving access to the pre-recorded lecture.

Photo and Video Release:
By attending the event, you are giving MCNL permission to use photos and videos from the workshop in future promotional materials.

The Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership reserves the right to cancel courses and seminars when circumstances require.

What You Will Learn

• Overview of Prospect Research and Proposal Writing
• How to Conduct Prospect Research on Foundations
• How to Conduct Prospect Research on Individuals
• Searches for Foundation Funders
• Searches for Individual Funders.

What You Will Learn

• Overview of Prospect Research and Proposal Writing
• How to Conduct Prospect Research on Foundations
• How to Conduct Prospect Research on Individuals
• Searches for Foundation Funders
• Searches for Individual Funders.

Program Details

Refund Policy:
No refunds will be made after receiving access to the pre-recorded lecture.

Photo and Video Release:
By attending the event, you are giving MCNL permission to use photos and videos from the workshop in future promotional materials.

The Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership reserves the right to cancel courses and seminars when circumstances require.

What You Will Learn

• Overview of the Annual Development Plan
• Review of 15 Components of Annual Development Plans

What You Will Learn

• Overview of the Annual Development Plan
• Review of 15 Components of Annual Development Plans

Program Details

Refund Policy:
No refunds will be made after receiving access to the pre-recorded lecture session.

Photo and Video Release:
By attending the event, you are giving MCNL permission to use photos and videos from the workshop in future promotional materials.

The Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership reserves the right to cancel courses and seminars when circumstances require.

What You Will Learn

• Why evaluate?
• Basics of Social Impact and Evaluation
• Theory of Change
• Logic Models
• Types of Evaluation
• Dashboards

What You Will Learn

• Why evaluate?
• Basics of Social Impact and Evaluation
• Theory of Change
• Logic Models
• Types of Evaluation
• Dashboards

Program Details

Refund Policy:
No refunds will be made after receiving access to the pre-recorded lecture session.

Photo and Video Release:
By attending the event, you are giving MCNL permission to use photos and videos from the workshop in future promotional materials.

The Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership reserves the right to cancel courses and seminars when circumstances require.

Program Details

Learn More

Program Details

Program Details

Program Details

Click on the Learn More button for details on upcoming sessions.

Program Details

Starting a new nonprofit can be confusing and overwhelming. This free two-hour informational session covers basic planning steps and legal requirements to become a nonprofit organization.

Key Topics

• Nature and structure of nonprofit organizations
• Determining sufficient need to establish a new organization
• Legal issues and processes involved in establishing a nonprofit
• Alternatives to incorporation
• Governance and management challenges

Resources:
Access the collection of resources referenced in the workshop.

Location:
This in-person session will be held at the at the KAUFFMAN CONFERENCE CENTER (4801 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, Missouri 64110) – Brookside Room. Parking is free of charge and located on the north side of the building. Please enter through the right-hand set of doors for the Conference Center.

Photo and Video Release:
By attending the event, you are giving MCNL permission to use photos and videos from the workshop in future promotional materials.

Program Details

In this workshop, you will learn about specialized nonprofit financial topics. Following this workshop you will be able to:

• Account for and report on grants
• Understand audit requirements
• Outline a process for hiring and managing auditors
• Communicate financial information to stakeholders
• Complete Financial Monitoring Assessment
• Identify strategies for managing long-term financial health

This seminar apart of the Financial Leadership of Nonprofit Organizations Series.

Location and Parking:
The session will be held at the UMKC Bloch Executive Hall, 5108 Cherry Street, Kansas City, Missouri. Parking details will be sent after registration.

Meals:
Light breakfast and boxed lunch will be provided.

Cancellation and Transfer Policy:
Full refunds will be given when cancellations are made at least five working days before the first session. A $50 cancellation fee will be deducted from refunds when notification occurs fewer than five working days before class begins. No refunds will be made after the session has begun. You may transfer your registration by contacting MCNL at (816) 235-5720 or culverm@umkc.edu.

Photo and Video Release:
By attending the event, you are giving MCNL permission to use photos and videos from the workshop in future promotional materials.