Workshops There are four tracks for this conference: Corporate Partners, Social Media, Communications and Human Resources. The morning and afternoon sessions for a given track are designed to complement one another; however, you may select any morning session and afternoon session you would like provided they are not filled. Note, sessions are available first-come, first-served, based on the date your registration is received. Morning Workshops   Morning Workshop - Corporate Partners Track Corporate Philanthropy and Volunteer Engagement Speaker: Kate Debold, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, BNY Mellon Time: 10:00 am - 11:45am Whether your nonprofit currently has corporate partners/supporters or is seeking to identify and approach a corporation, it is wise to equip yourself with a solid understanding of the core areas that comprise a corporate philanthropy department. This workshop will share why and how corporations conduct philanthropy, basic framework of a corporate philanthropy department, and the various types of volunteer program opportunities that are run in these departments. Participants will learn how businesses align their philanthropy program goals with company principles and mission, which in turn largely determines the types of nonprofits and volunteer efforts they will ultimately choose to support. This workshop covers varied examples of how corporate foundations, volunteer initiatives and giving programs have set up their missions, guidelines and volunteerism/grantmaking policies.  Participants will learn how to (1) identify a corporation’s philanthropic mission to determine if it could be a good fit for partnering; (2) identify volunteer program and grant guidelines; (3) identify focus areas and various types of programming; (4) recognize departmental infrastructures, and (5) assess corporations to decide which ones to approach and for what types of engagement and/or support. Participants are invited to bring their laptops to visit the websites of the corporations that will be covered during this session. Morning Workshop - Social Media Track   Exploring Web 2.0 Tools for Recruitment and Retention Speaker: Marianna Moneymaker, Online Outreach and Production, WITNESS Time: 10:00 am - 11:45am Any volunteer program that is not maximizing its Web presence is missing a golden opportunity to recruit and retain volunteers.  When discussing Web 2.0, what we are talking about is an era where websites are more interactive, engaging, and interesting than before. They are not static, as they were, say, 10 years ago, where all you could do was read. Instead, a Web 2.0 site is one where visitors can engage with you, your nonprofit, and your site by Posting comments on your blog, or articles, or chatting in a forum Re-tweeting your content, sharing it on Facebook, or Digging it  Watching a video, listening to a podcast, or participating in a webinar  Taking a quiz or responding to a poll During this interactive workshop, we'll teach you the basics of some of the most popular Web 2.0/social media tools that can improve your volunteer program and nonprofit brand. When you register, we will ask a few questions about your own Web 2.0 background, so that the workshop is focused at the right level Participants are encouraged to bring a WiFi-enabled laptop and/or smartphone, and be ready for a hands-on, entry-level practical workshop   Morning Workshop - Communications Track The Power of Stories and Volunteer Management Speaker: Mary Anne Flanagan, Project Director, Voluntary Initiatives, Retired & Senior Volunteer Program, Community Service Society Time: 10:00 am - 11:45am As more nonprofits integrate volunteers, there is one technique that creates connections, promotes volunteerism, and serves as a compelling marketing tool in volunteer management – the power of stories. In this interactive and lively workshop, participants will learn effective ways to use artful stories to inspire and guide their organizations. Share your knowledge and wisdom through compelling stories and learn powerful ways of branding your volunteer program through effective storytelling. Participants will learn specific techniques for drawing audiences into their programs. You will walk away with a clear understanding of stories as one of the most powerful marketing tools for non-profits. In this interactive workshop, you will: Learn the art of storytelling as a volunteer branding technique Create rich stories to share with various targets Understand why stories are an effective tool in volunteer management Learn specific storytelling techniques to utilize in volunteer programs Create your own personal brand with your story Utilize your stories as marketing techniques Morning Workshop - Human Resources Track   Human Resources for Volunteer Managers Speaker: Valerie Crane, Human Resources Consultant, Crane Resources Time: 10:00 am - 11:45am To be successful and effective, Volunteer Managers must acquire skills to recruit, interview, screen and train volunteers. You should have a grasp of performance management, applicable laws, harassment, and termination as they apply to volunteers, and you should understand the differences between paid staff and volunteers. This workshop session will cover four key areas as they apply to human resources for volunteer managers:  Recruitment and On-boarding: The Recruitment Process Recruitment: The First Step Recuiting “Right” How to Find Good Candidates Recruitment/Interviewing Process Once you find the potential Volunteer Orientation (On-Boarding) Volunteer Files Meeting Volunteer Needs: Meeting Volunteers Needs Volunteer Handbook Compensation Volunteer Benefits Training Types of Training Internship Programs Delegating Authority Performance Management: What is Performance Management Why is Performance Management So Important? Where to Start Why do Managers and Employees both dislike doing Performance Management What are the positive results of doing Performance Management? Formal Evaluation Setting Goals Informal Feedback Performance issues Managing Up Succession Planning Applicable Laws/Harassment/Termination		Conference Sponsor Opportunities Reach volunteer managers and nonprofit leaders at the Volunteer Management for Nonprofits Conference. Email VMG, or click here for more info. Media Inquiries For media-related inquiries, email VMG. Speaking Opportunities Speaking opportunities are by invitation only. Speaker suggestions can be forwarded to Julie Marks via Email VMG.
Afternoon Workshops   Afternoon Workshop - Corporate Partners Track Corporate Volunteer Partners: Developing a Win-Win Speaker: Rick Akin, Director of Volunteers, Bowery Residents' Committee Time: 1:45 pm - 3:00 pm   Your organization is wonderful, yes, but unfortunately your corporate prospect has received proposals from twenty other wonderful organizations in the last week. It is critical, therefore, that you have done your homework and can prove to this prospect that you are the best non-profit partner for their support. Companies are becoming increasingly focused on ensuring that their philanthropic support is achieving impact and that they are effectively communicating their involvement in the community. Thus, the trend in corporate philanthropy is more narrowly-focused, strategic grantmaking. The companies that top your prospect list, therefore, should be those with which your organization has multiple points of alignment. During this workshop, participants will learn to: Understand why corporations give and why they volunteer Identify the unique characteristics of corporate funders Pinpoint the do’s and don’ts in building corporate partnerships Recognize ethical dilemmas in corporate partnerships   Afternoon Workshop - Social Media Track   Using Twitter to Recognize Volunteers and Build a Following Speakers: Amy Sample Ward, Social Media Consultant, and Katherine Snider, Executive Director, Baby Buggy Time: 1:45 pm - 3:00 pm Creating a Twitter account is only the first step in creating a communication channel to recognize your volunteers. Ongoing communication with members of your volunteer community and building personal relationships takes time, effort, and intelligence. During this hands-on interactive workshop, Amy will make a presentation on how to get started with Twitter, the platform's opportunities and functionality, how you can establish and use a Twitter account and Katherine will share Baby Buggy’s volunteer retention and connection strategies using Twitter. You'll learn how this social media tool has the potential to impact a volunteer program. Through Baby Buggy's case study as presented by Katherine, you'll learn what’s working well and what didn’t work for Baby Buggy, and how Baby Buggy is using Twitter to keep current supporters, volunteers, and stakeholders informed and updated, as well as how doing so provides opportunities for attracting new volunteers and supporters. Participants are encouraged to bring laptops and/or smart phones for this interactive session. If possible, try and set up a Twitter account prior to attending the event (if you don’t already have one) P.S. Twitter is FREE! Start following us on Twitter! Follow Baby Buggy @LoveRecycled, follow Amy Sample Ward @amyrsward and follow Julie K. Marks @juliekmarks Amy and Katherine will provide answers to all of your questions, with helpful examples, great advice, and clear explanations guaranteed to turn you into a Twitter power user. Let the tweeting begin! Afternoon Workshop - Communications Track Volunteer Communications Speaker: Alexandrea Ravenelle, Marketing & Communications Consultant, AJR Communications Time: 1:45 pm - 3:00 pm This workshop is designed to provide participants with an introduction to effective communications in order to properly interface with volunteers, volunteer prospects and various stakeholders. Learn how to perfect your pitch to recruit, retain and engage volunteers.  Discuss developing the right mix of volunteer communications, including methods and frequency. Goals and outcomes for session participants: Understand the communications process and identify common communication errors Identify various types of communication methods and the pros and cons of each type Practice ACTIVE LISTENTING and recognize various types of non-verbal communication Learn how to construct an “elevator speech” and practice being able to do one Afternoon Workshop - Human Resources Track   Designing Quality Surveys Speaker: Julie Marks, Founder & President, Volunteer Management Group Time: 1:45 pm - 3:00 pm Volunteer surveys can be a catalyst for organizational improvement, innovation, and even transformation. Effective volunteer surveys give your leadership team the opportunity to listen accurately, objectively, fairly, and quickly to dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of volunteers at the same time – to learn about their experience while volunteering, their ideas and, perhaps most important, their opinion about the quality of your leadership team. The learning – and the action that flows from learning- justifies the time and expense that goes into designing, implementing and analyzing the survey. This workshop will cover four key phases of the survey process: developing the survey, collecting data, communicating results and taking action.   Participants will learn how to implement a thoroughly professional, quality volunteer survey at low to no-cost. Web-based platforms for conducting volunteer surveys will also be covered. Participants are encouraged to bring their laptops for accessing online survey web-based tools.
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