How will you carve out time to learn and reflect? Photo: US Army (Flickr/Creative Commons)
Need professional development, but don’t have a budget for travel or tuition? Here are a bunch of free or relatively affordable upcoming trainings we’ve spotted recently – ones you can join from the comfort of your own desk or couch.
Special thanks to Ben Hastil for his contributions to this roundup.
Telling your organization’s story
- Creating Compelling Member Stories as Part of Your Outreach and Recruitment Strategy: A free webinar from the National Service Inclusion Project (NSIP), Jan. 25 from 3-4pm EST.
- The Four Keys to Pitch-Perfect Messaging: Nancy Schwartz brings you this free webinar, Feb. 7 from 1-2pm EST.
- It’s Not You, It’s Your Stories: How Your Fundraising Appeals Can Tell Better Stories: Presenters from M+R will share insight in this free NTEN webinar, Feb. 8 at 2pm EST.
Show me the money
- Grantseeking basics, fundraising planning, nonprofit sustainability…find trainings in these topics and more at your nearest Foundation Center.
Social media
- Social Media for Social Good events: Heather Mansfield of DIOSA Communications and Nonprofit Tech 2.0 has lined up one-day intensive social media trainings in conjunction with the launch of her book. They aren’t free, but they do benefit local nonprofits in the host cities.
- Using Social Media to Build an Active Base of Donors: Another from NTEN. This one is Jan. 26 and costs $35 for NTEN members, $70 for nonmembers. NTEN has several upcoming webinars at this price point; peruse the whole list here.
- Social Media for Nonprofits has events coming up in seven cities.
Become a better manager
- The Management Center’s upcoming “Managing to Change the World” trainings are sold out, but you can access tons of free worksheets to strengthen your delegation skills, hiring practices, organizational culture, and more.
- Management Assistance Group offers several publications, including free-for-download workbooks such as Advancing Your Cause Through the People You Manage.
Dig out of debt
- This might fit better under “personal” than “professional” development, but hey – lots of us have loans to pay, and I’d bet that those take a toll on our overall morale, and thus our work performance. If your new year’s resolution was to conquer your student loans, check out Heather Jarvis and her resources for Public Service Loan Forgiveness in Five Easy Steps.
What else is on your radar?
Of course, attending conferences or more intensive trainings and retreats can also be a way to deepen your skills and knowledge. And after you take advantage of any opportunities like these, it’s important to make space to reflect on how you’ll implement your new skills, as New Organizing Institute pointed out recently.
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What do you plan to do in 2012 to ensure you’re growing as a professional?
