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The Massachusetts Service Alliance offers a variety of retreats, management meetings, networking workshops, conferences, on-site technical assistance, public education sessions, community outreach forums, and conference scholarships that support the Massachusetts service and volunteer network.
The following list is a quick look at some of the trainings offered by the Alliance. Advance registration is required as space is limited. Some trainings are specific to national service program staff, supervisors or program officers, while others are open to the general public. For more information, please contact Beth Fleurant at 617-542-2544 ext. 226 or [email protected]. You may also register for a course or workshop on-line.
Training workshops offered by other organizations are listed at the bottom of this page.
If your organization would like to borrow training and technical assistance literature, please be sure to visit our Lending Library. Once you have completed a loan agreement form, you will be able to request resource material from this site.
Alliance Training Opportunities
March 2003
| Course Title | Basics of Program Driven Fundraising |
| When | Thursday, March 13 – 9:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. |
| Where | 95 Berkeley Street, Boston |
| Who | All interested individuals |
| Cost | $30 – Fee includes continental breakfast |
| Register By | February 28 |
| Description | Smart fundraising needs to be driven by your organization’s programmatic needs, not just “chasing the money.” Learn the basics of nonprofit fundraising, with strategies to incorporate the programmatic priorities of your organization. This interactive workshop will include discussion of case examples and opportunities for participants to discuss issues that arise in their own programs. Anuradha Desai, Director of Organizational Development for Citizen Schools, will provide the training. |
| Course Title | Advising, Mentoring, And Coaching: Building Powerful Relationships With Youth |
| When | Monday, March 17 – 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. |
| Where | Dynamy, Worcester |
| Who | All interested individuals |
| Cost | $30 – Fee includes continental breakfast and a light lunch |
| Register By | March 6 |
| Description | One-to-one relationships between youth and adults are the central context for youth development. Using discussion, simulations, and reflection we will explore the behaviors and skills that build effective relationships. Working together we will practice techniques that foster membership, learning, and achievement. Dynamy staff will facilitate this workshop. Dynamy is an experientially-based educational organization whose mission is to challenge, support, and empower young people to discover their purpose and practice their values. |
| Course Title | In-Kind And Matching Funds: Making The Most Of Your Agency’s Resources |
| When | Tuesday, March 25 – 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. |
| Where | Hoagland-Pincus Conference Center, Shrewsbury |
| Who | All interested individuals |
| Cost | $30 – Fee includes continental breakfast |
| Register By | March 12 |
| Description | A proper understanding of in-kind contributions can help your agency make the best use of its resources to meet matching funds requirements. Learn what we mean by in-kind contributions; alternative ways to make decisions about allocating in-kind and matching funds; and how to document those contributions through proper accounting and reporting practices. Eliot H. Sherman, CPA, a member of the finance faculties at Northeastern University and the Corporate Education Department of Suffolk University, will provide this training. |
April 2003
| Course Title | Weathering the Storm: Asking For Money In Difficult (And Not So Difficult) Times |
| When | Tuesday, April 1 – 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. |
| Where | Courtyard Marriott, Woburn/Stoneham |
| Who | All interested individuals |
| Cost | $30 – Fee includes continental breakfast |
| Register By | March 20 |
| Description | Economic downturns and the changing winds of grant and government funding are always challenges for nonprofits. Through problem-solving sessions built around a case study, you will learn why cultivating individual donors should be the centerpiece of a healthy fund development plan, and how to develop and strengthen relationships that can stabilize your organization in good times or bad. Handouts and take home materials will also be provided. Mary Doorley, CFRE, an independent fundraising consultant specializing in capital and endowment campaigns, strategic planning, and board development, will provide this training. |
| Course Title | Basic Steps For Developing A Successful Volunteer Program |
| When | Thursday, April 3 – 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. |
| Where | Old Colony YMCA, Brockton |
| Who | All interested individuals |
| Cost | $30 – Fee includes continental breakfast |
| Register By | March 25 |
| Description | Whether you are a novice in volunteer management or looking for new tips on working with volunteers, this basic workshop can help you. Using a case study, this session will provide an overview of the established criteria for a successful volunteer program. We will review the profile of today’s volunteer, brainstorm the advantages and challenges of volunteer involvement, examine volunteer motivation, design volunteer positions and problem solve around supervision issues. This packed three hour interactive workshop will provide you the opportunity to share concerns, ideas, and experiences. Merle Jones Lindsay, Manager of Agency Volunteer Development for the United Way of Massachusetts Bay in Boston, will provide the training. |
| Course Title | Networking For Boards And Staff |
| When | Wednesday, April 9 – 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. |
| Where | Holiday Inn, Brookline |
| Who | All interested individuals |
| Cost | $30 – Fee includes refreshments |
| Register By | March 28 |
| Description | Organizations thrive when board members and staff work as a team. This workshop examines the role of networking to build connections and promote visibility. Does your leadership tell your story well? Do board members consult with staff? Do your volunteers and professionals maximize their relationships? Develop a new, integrated plan of action. Nancy Korman, chair of the board of the Massachusetts Service Alliance and founder of 760 Associates and the Women’s Lunch Group, will provide the training. |
| Course Title | Program Evaluation Made Easy |
| When | Wednesday, April 30 – 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. |
| Where | Best Western TLC, Waltham |
| Who | All interested individuals |
| Cost | $30 – Fee includes continental breakfast |
| Register By | April 21 |
| Description | This interactive session will provide an overview of evaluation ABCs, addressing key areas for decision-making including: clarifying the purpose of the evaluation, focusing evaluation questions, choosing a methodology, and determining costs; how to select and work effectively with an outside evaluator; and evaluation activities you can conduct in-house, especially if your budget for evaluation is limited. The session will be centered around specific issues, problems, and challenges brought forward by participants and will include opportunities to learn from other participants as well as the presenter. This training will be provided by Dr. Lawrence N. Bailis, an Associate Professor at Brandeis University, who has been teaching evaluation at the graduate level and conducting evaluations of community service, service-learning, and related programs for several decades. |
Training Offered Through Other Organizations
The Massachusetts Intergenerational Network is a statewide coalition of diverse and cultural groups who believe that interaction and cooperation among generations contributes vitally to the good of individuals, families, and communities. Various workshops are being offered this spring to support this network. Nuts & Bolts of Intergenerational Programming and The Role of Icebreakers in Intergenerational Programs are among the workshops being offered. For more information, contact [email protected] or call 978-682-8685.
The United Way of Massachusetts Bay has various training workshops available for managers of volunteers and program directors in October and November. For more information, contact Ligia Pena at 617-624-8128.
TDC, a Boston-based nonprofit consulting and training firm, provides low-cost, high-impact management and computer training through its year-round program of workshops open to all nonprofits. Management workshops address such topics as strategic planning, supervision, teamwork, workplace conflict, fundraising, financial management, and marketing. Computer classes include Access, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word. To learn more visit www.tdcorp.org or call 617-728-9151.
The Western Massachusetts Funding Resource Center offers a wide-range of workshops. To see a complete listing, visit www.diospringfield.org/wmfrc.html.
Northeastern University offers a graduate certificate in Nonprofit Management. This six-course certificate program can be earned in less than a year. For more information, visit www.ace.neu.edu/npm or call 617-373-2425, TTY 617-373-4216.
The Mass Mentoring Partnership‘s Mentoring Institute was created to address the growing need to provide efficient and effective volunteer mentor training and technical assistance to organizations seeking to develop, expand, or enhance mentor programs. Visit www.massmentoring.org to learn more about upcoming training opportunities.
The Greater Springfield Mentoring Partnership (GSMP) is now providing mentoring training workshops and technical assistance sessions for organizations, businesses, and schools throughout the four counties of Western Massachusetts. Please contact GSMP for more information.
The Greater Worcester Community Foundation’s Non-Profit Support Center offers a wide range of workshops. To see a current listing of upcoming workshops, please visit their web site at www.greaterworcester.org or call Gail Randall at 508-755-0980.
