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Workshop Session Descriptions

Session One/Five - Grant Writing Made Easy (Part I and II)

Session Overview:
Grant Writing Made Easy
is a three- tied fast paced seminar focused on developing participants’ skills in; designing high impact successful grant proposals; locating lucrative funding sources and developing insight into the world of successful grant writers and philanthropic resources. Participants will be guided through techniques integral to a well-researched and powerful fundable application

With over $400 billion in grants awarded annually to schools and non-profit organizations, this seminar will help you get your share!

About the Presenter:
Helena Kosoff recently retired as the Superintendent of Springfield Twp. School District. She has successfully obtained over a million dollars in grants from government agencies and foundations. She serves as a grant writer and educational consultant for EIRC, and school districts in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Helena also serves as   a chairperson on grant review committees for; the US Department of Education, US Department of Higher Education, USDA, Community National Service and the US Department of Justice.  She volunteers her services in projects for the South Jersey Breast Care Coalition and Temple Har Zion. She has presented at numerous events including EIRC, New Jersey School Boards Association, the New Jersey Association of School Administrators, New Jersey Education Association and the Educational Institute and Rowan University

 

Session Two - Grant Consulting:  The Next Step

Session Overview:
Consulting as a grant professional has never been more demanding than it is today.  More and more organizations are seeking grant funding and are turning to consultants to help them.  Grant professionals may choose to freelance or leave full-time employment and become a consultant. This workshop will provide you with hints to get started.  Time will be reserved for questions and answers.  As a grant professional, you may think about consulting or freelancing-either while employed by an organization or becoming self-employed.    How do you know if you can make it?  How do you establish fees?  Who are good clients and who do you want to avoid?  How can you find good clients—is marketing a necessity? What are some alternative revenue streams?  This workshop session will provide an overview of the world of consulting and answer the questions you have about being a successful consultant.

About the Presenter:
Debbie DiVirgilio has more than 19 years experience in the non-profit sector where she has been successful in obtaining foundation, state, and federal grant funding.  She has served as a federal grant reviewer, and has experience in program development and a background in program evaluation.  Debbie holds a Bachelor’s Degree in behavioral sciences and a Masters Degree in non-profit management.  She is a Grant Professional Certified and serves on the Board of Directors of AAGP.  Her consulting firm specializes in meeting the resource needs of faith-based organizations.  As a grant writer, Debbie believes her role is advisor, educator and writer. 

 

Session Three - Third Party Evaluators in Government Grants

Session Overview:
It is critical that applicants identify whether to use external or internal evaluators when they begin writing a grant application. Evaluators need to be critical partners in all aspects of program design and shaping proposals. Evaluators need to advise on goals/objectives and to develop the performance assessment plan. Participants will gain skills and knowledge that will improve their evaluation plans resulting in approved proposals and effective program implementation.

About the Presenters:
Jeffrey Lischin, MA is a grantwriter, evaluator,  and education consultant with extensive charter school experience.  In a typical year he writes $1-4 million in approved grants and 1-2 approved charter schools. Mr. Lischin was VP of Education and Youth Development at the Urban League of Hudson County.

Lori Fabian consults in grantsmanship, outcome measurement, and evaluation.  She contracts with Rensselaerville Institute’s Center for Outcomes to provide training and T/A.  She has provided training for the Performance Institute, the Center for Nonprofits, Mississippi United Ways, NJ/NY Girl Scouts, Princeton University, College of New Jersey, and Raritan Valley Community College.

 

Session Four - From Writer to Speaker: Presentation Skills for the Grant Professional

Session Overview:

Do your palms sweat and heart hammer when you present? Are you unsure how to engage with an audience? Grant professionals are frequently required to make presentations--at board meetings, grant proposal planning meetings, and national conferences.  While we are experts in the area of grants, most of us can use some honing in the area of presentation skills.  This session will provide various strategies for successful presentations

Grant professionals are frequently required to make presentations--at board meetings, grant proposal planning meetings, and national conferences, to name just a few venues in which we communicate professionally with others.  While we are experts in the area of grants, most of us can use some honing in the area of presentation skills.  This session will do just that in an engaging and fun way through the accomplishment of the following objectives:

·         Recognize key steps in preparing for high impact presentations

·         Identify appropriate and effective uses of audio-visual aids

·         Utilize techniques to engage the audience in formal presentations

·          Manage speech anxiety

About the Presenter:
Laura Sullivan, M.S.L.S., M.A., is the Grants Coordinator for the W. Frank Steely Library at Northern Kentucky University. She is responsible for grant research, identification, and development of fundable projects in conjunction with library faculty and staff, as well as the writing of grant proposals.  In addition to her Master's Degree in Library Science, Laura holds a Master's Degree in Communication and is currently an adjunct professor in NKU's Communication Department.  Her teaching experience includes both interpersonal communication and public speaking

Session Six - 50 Asks in 50 Weeks

Session Overview:
50 Asks in 50 Weeks
is a concept for executive directors and development directors who want to raise more money for their organizations. It specifically targets non-profit organizations with small development offices (0-3 paid staff members,) and provides clear steps on how to create a simple plan for raising more money, including a significant discussion on grant seeking and building relationships with foundation funders. Most small development offices makes less than 30 asks (or solicitations) per year (and receives far fewer gifts).  50 Asks in 50 weeks will help ED’s and development professionals:

1.       Ask for gifts more frequently,

2.       Create a diverse funding base, and

3.       Streamline (tasks and events) so asking is done in the “smartest” way. 

Objectives:
At the end of the session, participants will:

1.       Have a new system/calendar to ensure they do at least 50 asks per year,

2.       Have a strategy to ensure a diverse funding base for your small nonprofit,

3.       Learn tips and techniques to ask for gifts in smarter, more efficient ways, and

4.       Review basics of grant writing, event planning, individual solicitation, and bulk mail.

About the Presenter:
Amy M. Eisenstein, MPA, CFRE is the Principal and Owner of Tri Point Resources, a full service consulting firm for non-profit organizations and foundations. She has raised millions of dollars through event planning, grant writing, capital campaigns, direct mail, and major and planned gift solicitations for a variety of non-profit organizations.  Amy currently serves on the board of the Association of Fundraising Professionals – New Jersey Chapter. She received her Master’s Degree in Public Administration and Non-Profit Management from the Wagner Graduate School at NYU and her Bachelor’s Degree from Douglass College at Rutgers.

Session Seven - Capital Campaign – Nuts & Bolts

Session Overview:

Expansion is a word that can denote fear, excitement and bring on such an adrenaline rush that you and the leadership volunteers jump into a campaign without really reviewing what tools are going to be needed. What makes a winning capital campaign, how can you support your client in reaching their financial goals, what is the initial agency checklist to see if they are campaign “ready”.

Building a successful campaign has several major steps

STEP 1 : Feasibility Study
STEP 2 : Campaign Leadership
STEP 3 : Gift Table
STEP 4 : Identification and    Solicitation
STEP 5 : Wrap-Up

We will look at all the points of a solid campaign so that each grant professional will feel comfortable in being a resource to their client base.  This will be a very interactive workshop.

About the Presenter:
Ellen’s 25 years of experience in the non-profit community offers  a unique opportunity for you to have one of the most experienced fundraisers and chapter developers in the business work with you.  Ellen has offered many non-profits relatively seamless chapter growth and affiliate development through her intense and admired training efforts.  Her strongest attributes is her history of producing some of the most effective boards (of directors), capital campaigns and major gift campaigns.

Session Eight - Social Media for Grant Professionals: Why & How

Session Overview:
The value of social media in establishing your expertise as a grant professional, connecting with a support network, staying abreast of current developments in the field, enhancing your learning, and building your consulting business is tremendous. Come hear about some of the communities and networks that have already been established by and for grant professionals in the Mid-Atlantic region, and learn hands-on how to get started with LinkedIn, Twitter, blogs, listservs, and Ning communities.

About the Presenters:
Melanie R. Negrin is founder of the For GrantWriters Only learning community, a social community with discussion forum, event listing, chat room, blog, twitter feed, and LinkedIn group featuring news and job leads for grant writers. Member: AAGP.
http://www.forgrantwritersonly.com
http://www.forgrantwritersonly.wordpress.com

Patricia Bruder, Director of Research and Grant Development at the Educational Information and Resource Center (EIRC) is moderator for the New Jersey Grantwriters Forum listserv and blog. Member: AAGP. Designations: GPC and writes on Twitter @grantsbrarian
http://njgrantwriters.blogspot.com/

Susan Caruso-Green is founder of Nonprofit Central NY/NJ, a place where talented nonprofit consultants can connect with organizations who need them. Member: AFP.
http://www.npocentral.net/

Pamela Grow has a large, loyal following via Facebook, Twitter, her blog, and her newsletter. Member: AFP
http://www.pamelasgrantwritingblog.com/

 

Session Nine - How Story Helps Grant Professionals

Session Overview:

Narrative is an extremely effective, accessible, and sustainable tool for grant professionals, crucial to communicating both qualitative and accurate quantitative data. Stories are also a highly effective tool for sharing information and strengthening understanding among staff, board, donors, collaborators, policymakers, and other stakeholders. In this workshop, participants will learn how to plan for, gather, and share the stories that are most effective in articulating program and organizational success and impact.

About the Presenter:

Thaler Pekar is the Founder of Thaler Pekar & Partners, the consulting firm specializing in persuasive communications. As a sought-after strategist, coach and speaker, Thaler helps smart leaders and their organizations break through a crowded marketplace and achieve policy goals, raise funds, and engage audiences. She provides clients with practical tools for finding, sharing, and sustaining the success stories and organizational narratives that articulate both vision and impact. Thaler is featured in the book Storied Careers: 40+ Story Practitioners Talk About Applied Storytelling, and is a Featured Contributor to PhilanTopic, the Philanthropy News Digest blog.

 

Session Ten - Understanding the Non-Profit and Philanthropic Sector

Session Overview:
Understanding the non-profit and philanthropic sector is essential to navigating the grant development world and those who have a better grasp on the sector will have more success in these tough economic times.  Presentation will include information on where the sector and economy is, how to look at nonprofits and the sector and how this plays into grant professionals work. 

About the Presenter:
John Brothers is a recognized leader in the nonprofit arena with nearly twenty years of sector experience and is a national expert in the field of executive transition management, nonprofit effectiveness and sustainability and assisting organizations in organizational crisis and turnarounds. Mr. Brothers gravitated toward non-profit work as a result of his experiences growing up in poverty and homelessness as a child in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Mr. Brothers is an adjunct professor in Nonprofit Finance at NYU’s Wagner School for Public Service, has taught Community Studies at George Mason University.  Mr. Brothers has served in fellowships with the Higher Education Consortium for Urban Affairs and the Children’s Defense Fund.   Mr. Brothers is also a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE).

In addition, Mr. Brothers is a Senior Fellow in executive leadership with the Support Center for Nonprofit Management, for which he also is the Editor of the Journal for Nonprofit Management.  He also is the Principal of Cuidiu Consulting, a consulting firm servicing the nonprofit and government agencies in the New York area and throughout the U.S. 

 

Session Eleven - Finding Your Funding
Session Overview:

JAE Enterprise, Inc.’s “Finding Your Funding” workshop is a comprehensive grant writing and research seminar that is designed for grant professionals of all levels.  The program is designed to look at the process of grant writing and fundraising as just that: a process.  “Finding Your Funding” addresses each stage of the development process to thoroughly prepare the grant professional for that “next big grant” and future funding opportunities.
Objectives:

This seminar is designed to teach:

About the Presenters:
Kelley E. Ewing, Jr. is the lead consultant at JAE Enterprises, Inc. and the developer of the Camden Capacity Building Initiative (CCBI) through the Federal Compassion Capital Fund program.  Kelley is a skilled presenter and has many years of experience in running capacity building, grant writing and fundraising workshops.

Jolene A. Ewing is a Licensed Social Worker with over 26 years of experience in both the public and non-profit sectors.  Jolene is the President and founder of JAE Enterprises, Inc. and brings a wealth of skill and experience in human relations, new project coordination, writing, researching for resources and administration

 

Session Twelve - Finding and Retaining Good Board Members

Session Overview:
The strength of any non-profit is in their board and committee structure.  If the board members don’t have term limits, job description, board yearly workshop they are not receiving the resources that they need to do their job.

The same is true for committees – many non-profits don’t have a committee structure and their reasoning is that there aren’t potential volunteers available and that committees take time and don’t do anything – well, during this workshop we will answer these questions. During this workshop we will look at the importance of committees to the leadership volunteer structure – how to build specific committees, job description for committees, what is the difference in the  profile of a valuable board member and a valuable committee member

About the Presenter:
Ellen’s 25 years of experience in the non-profit community offers  a unique opportunity for you to have one of the most experienced fundraisers and chapter developers in the business work with you.  Ellen has offered many non-profits relatively seamless chapter growth and affiliate development through her intense and admired training efforts.  Her strongest attributes is her history of producing some of the most effective boards (of directors), capital campaigns and major gift campaigns.

 

Session Thirteen - NJ DOE Funding
Session Overview

This workshop will provide updates and trends in New Jersey’s educational funding.

About the Presenter

Chris Bleiholder is currently working as a Grants Specialist for the NJ Department of Education, Office of Grants Management. He formerly served as the Project Administrator/Sponsored Programs Officer for The Ohio State University Research Foundation, Office of Grant and Contract Management in Columbus, OH, where he was responsible for post-award administration of externally funded grant programs. Chris holds a B.A. in Political Science (with distinction) from Rutgers University and a MPA from the School of Public Policy and Management at The Ohio State University.

 

Session Fourteen - Innovators’ Circle – More Than An Internal Grants Program

Session Overview:
As a grants professional, how many times have you heard “I have an idea and I need money!”  Learn about building an internal grants program that fosters innovation and impacts your organization with donor engagement and staff fulfillment. Innovators’ Circle is a model program that helps   build relationships, strengthen knowledge and pave the way to greater grant opportunities locally and nationally.

About the Presenter:
Monica Simon, an RN for 25 years, has used her clinical knowledge to coordinate and manage grants for the past 7 years at Abington Memorial Hospital. During that time over $10 million has been awarded in grants for various hospital programs. Last year Monica successfully completed the GPC exam.

 

Session Fifteen - Writing Tight: Preparing Successful Online Grants

Session Overview:

Online grant applications are the way of the future! How do you convey your case for support when your need statement and project description can only be 2,000 characters in length? Writing tight and still get the attention of the grant reviewer has never been more crucial. In this session, you will learn techniques to prepare successful paper and paperless proposal narratives that get to the point quickly and motivate grantmakers to provide support.

About the Presenter:
Diane Gedeon-Martin is a nationally recognized and respected instructor and lecturer in the area of grants and grantseeking for nonprofit organizations. Since starting The Write Source in 1993, her firm boasts a roster of over 200 clients in 23 states and Washington, DC. Her clients achieve their goals through grant proposals she prepares to foundations, corporations, and government agencies ranging from $5,000 to $5.0 million. She is a member of the faculty at The Fund Raising School at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University and a charter member of the American Association of Grant Professionals.

 

Session Sixteen - Making the Most of Logic Models

Session Overview:

This workshop will be an introductory presentation on ‘logic models’, including the concept, the basis for their popularity, their uses and benefits, and how they can be developed and applied. Participants will learn how to organize logic models from information that is for the most part already known to them as well as the kinds of questions that one might need to ask to complete the model. They will become conversant in some of the vocabulary frequently connected with logic models and their application. They will understand the benefits and uses of logic models in program planning, strategy development, business plans/models, case statements, marketing, performance assessment & diagnosis, and evaluation. References from classical philosophy, whimsical invention and modern science fiction will be used as memory aids. 

About the Presenter:

Dr. Ross has more than 30 years experience working in, with and for New Jersey’s non-profit sector. He has been with the Center for Non-Profits since 2005. He previously served as a program officer with the Prudential Foundation and as a staff member or interim executive with several non-profit organizations. He has been a volunteer trainer and was board president of the Board Member Institute of New Jersey, a fundraising consultant with the Partnership in Philanthropy and an adjunct professor at the Seton Hall University Center for Public Service.