Upcoming Events

Register two or more people from the same organization and receive an additional 10% off the amount for the class. Use Promo Code: Take2

Committees are where the actual work of the board happens. Engaged, productive committees are essential to effective board function and help drive an organization's mission in no small measure. In this training, we will focus on the Governance Committee.

You will learn: 

• The role of the board committees in general
• Committee composition, leadership, and engagement
• The specific roles, responsibilities, and functions of the committee are featured in the particular session.

Current or Future committee members or chairs are encouraged to attend. 

Instructor:

Ed Cortas joined the Center for Nonprofit Excellence in 2013. He comes to CNPE with over 25 years of development, operational and management experience in the nonprofit sector, and has served on various local and regional boards of directors during that time. Prior to that, Ed worked in information systems analysis and development with the General Electric Company and is a graduate of its management program. He holds a Master of Nonprofit Administration degree from the University of Notre Dame. Ed's experience has taught him that sound, strategic systems of governance, management and administration do not merely support nonprofit missions—they drive them. His passion is helping nonprofits evaluate, develop and maintain those systems.

We don't want costs to prevent our members from attending our events. Financial assistance to our programs is available to CNPE members. If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, please submit a request on our online application. If membership fees are also a hardship, financial assistance for that is also available. Please contact Candace Cook at ccook@cnpe.org, Membership Coordinator, to discuss scholarships for membership.

Please see our Policies for Events and Refunds. By registering for this event, you are agreeing to those policies. They cover topics including how we address Covid-19 issues, payment for events, returns, substitutions, cancellations, and details for both virtual and in-person events. One policy stipulates that we can use event-based pictures of you and videos that include you in our marketing materials.

Register two or more people from the same organization and receive an additional 10% off the amount for the class. Use Promo Code: Take2

Committees are where the actual work of the board happens. Engaged, productive committees are essential to effective board function and help drive an organization's mission in no small measure. In this training, we will focus on the Finance Committee.

You will learn:

• The role of the board committees in general
• Committee composition, leadership, and engagement
• The specific roles, responsibilities, and functions of the committee are featured in the particular session.

Current or Future committee members or chairs are encouraged to attend.

Instructor:

Ed Cortas joined the Center for Nonprofit Excellence in 2013. He comes to CNPE with over 25 years of development, operational and management experience in the nonprofit sector, and has served on various local and regional boards of directors during that time. Prior to that, Ed worked in information systems analysis and development with the General Electric Company and is a graduate of its management program. He holds a Master of Nonprofit Administration degree from the University of Notre Dame. Ed's experience has taught him that sound, strategic systems of governance, management and administration do not merely support nonprofit missions—they drive them. His passion is helping nonprofits evaluate, develop and maintain those systems.

We don't want costs to prevent our members from attending our events. Financial assistance to our programs is available to CNPE members. If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, please submit a request on our online application. If membership fees are also a hardship, financial assistance for that is also available. Please contact Candace Cook at ccook@cnpe.org, Membership Coordinator, to discuss scholarships for membership.

Please see our Policies for Events and Refunds. By registering for this event, you are agreeing to those policies. They cover topics including how we address Covid-19 issues, payment for events, returns, substitutions, cancellations, and details for both virtual and in-person events. One policy stipulates that we can use event-based pictures of you and videos that include you in our marketing materials.

Register two or more people from the same organization and receive an additional 10% off the total amount. Use code: Take2

Committees are where the actual work of the board happens. Engaged, productive committees are essential to effective board function and help drive an organization's mission in no small measure. In this training, we will focus on the Fundraising (Development) Committee.

You Will Learn: 

• The role of the board committees in general
• Committee composition, leadership, and engagement
• The specific roles, responsibilities, and functions of the committee are featured in the particular session.

Current or Future committee members or chairs are encouraged to attend. 

Instructor:

Ed Cortas joined the Center for Nonprofit Excellence in 2013. He comes to CNPE with over 25 years of development, operational, and management experience in the nonprofit sector, and has served on various local and regional boards of directors during that time. Prior to that, Ed worked in information systems analysis and development with the General Electric Company and is a graduate of its management program. He holds a Master of Nonprofit Administration degree from the University of Notre Dame. Ed's experience has taught him that sound, strategic systems of governance, management, and administration do not merely support nonprofit missions—they drive them. His passion is helping nonprofits evaluate, develop and maintain those systems.

We don't want costs to prevent our members from attending our events. Financial assistance to our programs is available to CNPE members. If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, please submit a request on our online application. If membership fees are also a hardship, financial assistance for that is also available. Please contact Candace Cook at ccook@cnpe.org, Membership Coordinator, to discuss scholarships for membership.

Please see our Policies for Events and Refunds. By registering for this event, you are agreeing to those policies. They cover topics including how we address Covid-19 issues, payment for events, returns, substitutions, cancellations, and details for both virtual and in-person events. One policy stipulates that we can use event-based pictures of you and videos that include you in our marketing materials.

Through this board leadership training, we can show you how to be the best board member ever!  We will help equip current and future board members with the skills needed to help their nonprofit organizations succeed. A well-trained and effective board of directors is essential to a nonprofit's success. CNPE has offered board leadership training for almost 20 years.

This class is offered on a Saturday to accommodate those who are not able to participate in trainings during the week due to their schedules. Participants will receive six hours of virtual classroom instruction covering the fiduciary, legal, and governance duties that all boards must know.

Lunch will be provided.

Seating is limited, so register early.

2024 COURSE OVERVIEW:

Part 1: Board 101
In this session, we will cover:
• General purpose, structure, and function of nonprofit boards of directors
• Roles and responsibilities of board members, individually and collectively
• Relationship of the board to the chief executive and staff
• Effective committee structure and function
• The importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion in governance

Part 2: Vision, Mission, Values, and Strategy
In this session, we will cover:
• The board's role in articulating and actualizing the organization's vision, mission, and values
• The board's role in developing and executing strategy
• The role of and need for generative thinking in the boardroom

Part 3: Finances and Fundraising
In this session we will cover:
• The board's role as fiduciaries and stewards of the organization's financial resources
• Basic financial reports: their purpose, content, and use
• The board's roles and responsibilities in raising funds
• Practical ways the board can raise funds

Part 4: Building Effective Boards
In this session, we will cover:
• The basics of effective board member recruitment, orientation, and evaluation
• Effective, meaningful, and productive board meetings
• Strategies for keeping board members engaged

Instructor:
Ed Cortas joined the Center for Nonprofit Excellence in 2013. He comes to CNPE with over 25 years of development, operational, and management experience in the nonprofit sector, and has served on various local and regional boards of directors during that time. Prior to that, Ed worked in information systems analysis and development with the General Electric Company and is a graduate of its management program. He holds a Master of Nonprofit Administration degree from the University of Notre Dame. Ed's experience has taught him that sound, strategic systems of governance, management, and administration do not merely support nonprofit missions—they drive them. His passion is helping nonprofits evaluate, develop and maintain those systems.

We don't want costs to prevent our members from attending our events. Financial assistance to our programs is available to CNPE members. If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, please submit a request on our online application. If membership fees are also a hardship, financial assistance for that is also available. Please contact Candace Cook at ccook@cnpe.org, Membership Coordinator, to discuss scholarships for membership.

Please see our Policies for Events and Refunds. By registering for this event, you are agreeing to those policies. They cover topics including how we address Covid-19 issues, payment for events, returns, substitutions, cancellations, and details for both virtual and in-person events. One policy stipulates that we can use event-based pictures of you and videos that include you in our marketing materials.

Most fundraising offices in nonprofits are led by just one or two staff members who must innovate ways to meet ever-increasing program goals. This course is designed to help inform, encourage, and empower staff and volunteers who are working in a "small shop" and want to improve results on a smaller scale. This course is designed for:

• A solo Director of Development who has little or no other staff and depends on volunteers;
• An executive director who has no fundraising staff and "wears all the hats" so needs to work more efficiently;
• A manager of a large development office but who needs to rethink how to get more impact without adding staff.

In this course we will talk about the challenges and solutions for how to achieve big results from small shops. We begin by looking at how to address and evaluate the key elements of your program by looking at making the case for support, choosing the best avenues for finding and retaining donors, and building out simple, effective systems for managing your work. You will learn how to plan (or reset) your development program so that you can achieve realistic goals by focusing on top priorities. Also, because no succeed alone, we will talk about building a culture of philanthropy among other staff and volunteers so that they can help you achieve your goals.

Instructors: 

Paula Campbell, Director of Development at the Lincoln Foundation, is responsible for leading the strategic direction of Lincoln Foundation's fundraising, grant writing, marketing, volunteer, and public relations efforts.

Before joining Lincoln Foundation, she was the Vice President of Advancement for Uspiritus (now Bellewood & Brooklawn). She also served several years as the Assistant Dean for Development at the University of Louisville College of Education and Human Development. Ms. Campbell is currently a member of Charitable Gift Planners of Kentuckian (CGPK) and serves as chair of the Marketing Committee. She is a past board member of the Association for Fundraising Professionals (AFP). Paula is active with her church and has served on numerous nonprofit boards, including Brooklawn Child & Family Services, Kentucky Derby Festival, Leadership Louisville, and the Louisville Orchestra. She is also a member of the Junior League of Louisville and served as president in 2010-2011. Ms. Campbell holds a B.A. in Journalism and Political Science from Indiana University and an M.A. in Management from Webster University.

Shannon Kisselbaugh CFRE, Executive Director, Park Community Credit Union Foundation, joined the Park Community Credit Union Foundation as Executive Director in 2023. She is responsible for activating the strategic plan, overseeing community grant programs, securing revenue and establishing a strong framework for long-term success. She is passionate about connecting people who care with the causes that matter most to them. Shannon has worked with several nonprofit organizations in Louisville, including Heuser Hearing Institute, Actors Theatre of Louisville, and the Community Foundation of Louisville. Shannon was recognized as a 40 Under 40 by the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy and holds the Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) credential. She is an active member of Charitable Gift Planners of Kentuckiana and served as Board Treasurer from 2017 – 2023. Shannon is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati and Transylvania University.

We don't want costs to prevent our members from attending our events. Financial assistance to our programs is available to CNPE members. If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, please submit a request on our online application. If membership fees are also a hardship, financial assistance for that is also available. Please contact Candace Cook at ccook@cnpe.org, Membership Manager, to discuss scholarships for membership.

Please see our Policies for Events and Refunds. By registering for this event, you are agreeing to those policies. They cover topics including how we address Covid-19 issues, payment for events, returns, substitutions, cancellations, and details for both virtual and in-person events. One policy stipulates that we can use event-based pictures of you and videos that include you in our marketing materials.

The Emerging Leaders program is for both (a) experienced, mid-level nonprofit leaders/managers who may have a formal degree and (b) professionals with several years of direct experience instead of a formal degree. This six-month program builds on current strengths and talents, then provides skills to become effective, transformational nonprofit leaders. It equips participants to pursue executive-level leadership positions at a nonprofit organization.

Competencies we’ll explore include:

• Self-Awareness (DISC Leadership Assessment)
• Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (Foundations, Bias)
• Board Governance (Roles and Responsibilities)
• Fund Raising (Resource Planning and Development)
• Financial Management (Risk Management, Asset Management)
• Communications (Social media, Storytelling)

In addition to the program sessions, a DISC leadership self-assessment and debrief will be provided to help participants develop insight into their personal and leadership styles.

Session Dates. Participants will meet every third Friday of each month starting on June 21. 

• June 21: Self-Awareness (DISC Assessment)
• July  19: Leadership and Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
• August 16: Board Governance
• September 20: Fund Development
• October 18: Financial Management
• November 15: Communications, Personal Leadership Development Plan  and Wrap Up

The first and last sessions are full days (9:00am-4:00pm) and the rest of the sessions are half days (9:00am-12:00pm). All sessions are in-person.

Group rates are available for organizations that wish to register three or more of their staff members. Contact Merv Antonio at learning@cnpe.org for more information.

​We don't want cost to prevent our members from attending our events. Financial assistance to attend our in-house trainings is available to CNPE members. Nonprofit professionals who have historically had less access to wealth, disproportionately Black, Indigenous, Latino/a/x, Asian/Asian Pacific Islander folks are encouraged to submit a request for a scholarship. If membership fees are also a hardship, financial assistance for that is also available. Please contact Candace Cook (ccook@cnpe.org), Membership Manager, to discuss scholarships for membership. 

Please see our Policies for Events and Refunds. By registering for this event, you are agreeing to those policies. They cover topics including how we address Covid-19 issues, payment for events, returns, substitutions, cancellations, and details for both virtual and in-person events. One policy stipulates that we can use event-based pictures of you and videos that include you in our marketing materials.

You a newly appointed board chair, vice-chair, board officer, president-elect? Have you been doing the job for awhile and want to brush up on your skills? Do you aspire to lead a board one day? If so, this learning experience is for you!

Successful nonprofits rely heavily on competent, well-governing boards. Those boards don’t evolve and maintain themselves without exemplary leadership that radiates from the key board leader, the board chair.

The Center for Nonprofit Excellence can give you insights into performing this key leadership role well. Participants will leave this virtual session with a solid grasp of skills and behaviors they need to become highly effective board chairs.

Please note: as the relationship between the board chair and the chief executive is critical to both the chair's and the board's success, we encourage you to bring along your CEO or executive director to the sessions at no additional cost. Just select the "Additional Board Member or ED/CEO" when completing the registration. 

Instructor: 

Ed Cortas joined the Center for Nonprofit Excellence in 2013. He comes to CNPE with over 25 years of development, operational and management experience in the nonprofit sector, and has served on various local and regional boards of directors during that time. Prior to that, Ed worked in information systems analysis and development with the General Electric Company and is a graduate of its management program. He holds a Master of Nonprofit Administration degree from the University of Notre Dame. Ed's experience has taught him that sound, strategic systems of governance, management and administration do not merely support nonprofit missions—they drive them. His passion is helping nonprofits evaluate, develop and maintain those systems.

We don't want costs to prevent our members from attending our events. Financial assistance to our programs is available to CNPE members. If you are interested in applying for a scholarship, please submit a request on our online application. If membership fees are also a hardship, financial assistance for that is also available. Please contact Candace Cook at ccook@cnpe.org, Membership Coordinator, to discuss scholarships for membership.

Please see our Policies for Events and Refunds. By registering for this event, you are agreeing to those policies. They cover topics including how we address Covid-19 issues, payment for events, returns, substitutions, cancellations, and details for both virtual and in-person events. One policy stipulates that we can use event-based pictures of you and videos that include you in our marketing materials.