Skill Builders 2010

Benefits

• Free courses to help you have more project success.
• Led by high-quality local instructors at the Holiday Inn-Cherokee, with free buffet lunch included.
• When you complete courses, you get priority consideration for grant funding!

Key Information

• We encourage two or more representatives from an organization to come to each workshop (a board/staff team is best).
• Courses run from 9 a.m. to noon, followed by a one-hour networking lunch at Holiday Inn-Cherokee.
• Contact Dan Martin at 828-497-5550 or dan.martin@cpfdn.org to reserve your space.

Expanded Skills Training Descriptions

Three new courses have been added to strengthen the ability of organizations to carry out successful projects. These and the three “Essential Skills” workshops will be offered on an ongoing basis, with dates announced on this web site. It may be helpful to take these courses in the sequence in which they are offered, but participants may sign up for any dates.

Project Fundraising – Learn how to effectively seek funding from individuals, community sources, and granting entities.

Project Communications – Understand the essential elements of a communications plan, including your key message, audience, and outreach tools and strategies.

Project Leadership and Relationships – Gain skills that will maximize the way relationships and leaders work so your projects will be more successful.

Essential Skills Training Descriptions

Three core Essential Skill Builder courses help grantees increase their abilities in key areas that improve effectiveness. These three courses should be taken in the following sequence when possible: 

Project Planning – Understand the big picture, from developing a concept to planning the details and realizing results.

Financial Management – You have a special responsibility to handle financial resources according to high legal and ethical standards. Learn the basics of accountability.

Project Management – Once the project concept is decided and the funding is in place, how do you adapt to changes, and keep within a timeline and budget? When is a project complete?

Essential Skills Training Schedule

Project Management, March 10th or 17th

Additional Essential Skills courses will be scheduled soon

Incentives

Grantees on or near the Qualla Boundary that have at least two members of their project team attend all three Essential Skill Builder courses within a 12-month period will receive priority for grant funding.

Other grantees (residing in the 7-county service area) can complete at least five hours of organizational development training every 12-month period that is comparable to the Skill Builder courses (example: WNC Nonprofit Pathways or Duke Nonprofit Management courses) in order to receive priority for grant funding.

Documentation of Training (in order to receive priority for grant funding)

As part of the grant application form, grant applicants have the opportunity to document their prior year’s attendance in the Skill Builder courses and/or their plans to attend training in the coming year. This step does not guarantee funding; all grants must still meet the CPFdn guidelines and priorities and be reviewed through a competitive process.

Special Note to Grantees that Receive No-Cost Extensions

You are now required to attend the Grantee Skills courses. It is our hope this will help you complete projects on time in the future.

Each course will be very practical so that you can directly apply what you learn in your day-to-day work. The format will be interactive so you can ask questions and spend time with colleagues who are also carrying out Foundation-funded projects. There will be an emphasis on best practices in each area covered.

In the future, our plan is to add new skills courses in future years; grantees will be required to take three courses per year for as long as the grant continues or if your organization applies for new funding.

If you have questions or want more information about this program, contact Shannon Swimmer at the Foundation, phone: 828-497-5550. 

Skill Builders Overview
Grantee Orientation
Essential Skills Training
Follow-up Support