LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT

The Big Five in Financial Management:  A Guide for Community Action Executives and Finance Directors

This impactful training discusses important topics that will improve the partnership and capacity of Community Action’s Executive Leadership and Finance Directors.  The Big Five in Financial Management examines the following concepts:

#1 - Connecting the Dots Between Programs and Finances

#2 - Collaborating in Programmatic and Annual Budgeting

#3 - Developing a High-Performing Finance Department

#4 - Embracing an Engaged Finance Committee with a Qualified Treasurer

#5 - Promoting Intentional Financial Oversight from the Board of Directors

The Perfect 10:  A Leadership Guide for Community Action Executives

This impactful 6-hour training discusses the top skills that community action executives need to thrive that will also help their agencies achieve a higher level of success.  Participants will learn about the uniqueness of community action and how to couple that uniqueness with forward-thinking approaches that will accomplish results. This session examines big picture community action issues such as the CSBG Organizational Standards and how to connect community needs assessments, annual work plans, community action plans, and strategic plans to enhance effectiveness.  Participants will receive information on how to effectively manage internal community action stakeholders, how to provide intentional financial management and oversight, how to implement innovative programming that actually promotes family self-sufficiency, and how to engage in strategic marketing and branding to enhance community awareness.

Next Generation Community Action Emerging Leadership Training

This intentional, unique 6-hour training is designed to equip emerging community action leaders/managers with important tools for success. This impactful training will help emerging community action leaders take their community action knowledge and leadership to a higher level of success. Sessions are as follows:

• Session 1: Introduction to Community Action:  A Nontraditional and Forward-Thinking Perspective
• Session 2: Connecting the Community Action Dots in an Impactful and Innovative Way
• Session 3: Effective Strategies to Supervise Community Action Staff
• Session 4:  Building High-Performing Community Action Teams That Achieve Results and Outcomes

Intentional Strategies to Supervise Community Action and Head Start Staff:  A Guide to Develop a High-Performing and Loyal Workforce

This session examines a high-performing team versus a regular team.  Participants will learn effective tips to recruit and retain a workforce that is sufficient to achieve the agency mission.  The training also highlights how supervisors can provide outstanding customer service to employees to assist with job satisfaction and retention. Participants will learn how effective communication and information sharing provide a practical means to enhance supervisory skills in Community Action and Head Start.  The session discusses how to conduct fair performance evaluations with a focus on opportunities for improvement to enhance capacity.  Additionally, the training highlights how promoting a personal responsibility mindset and an agency-wide culture of accountability at all levels will achieve higher levels of impact and performance for agencies.

Moving the Needle in CSBG: Providing Services, Verifying Outcomes, Entering Good Data, and Reporting Results-A Management and Leadership Conversation

This training provides an important conversation for community action managers and leaders to discuss steps to achieving outstanding outcomes, while also directly discussing weaknesses and shortcomings that are keeping the network for reaching its full potential.  The trainer will provide a detailed examination of the following topics:  1) Innovative services and activities; 2) Process for verifying outcomes; 3) Intentional and effective approach for data entry; and 4) Dedication to robust reporting.  Mangers and leaders will obtain information to improve CSBG programs, while also promoting effective data entry to document and report outcomes (National Performance Indicators).

Rethinking Partnerships and Collaborations: A Focus on New Possibilities and Expectations in Community Action

This workshop challenges community action professionals to change their mindset regarding partnerships and collaborations.  Participants will learn tips to reevaluate and maximize current partnerships, while also receiving a blueprint to seek new collaborations to help them achieve agency, family, and community goals.  The session provides a modern, trendy approach to partnership development that will help agencies establish linkages, address gaps in services, and collaborate with external stakeholders with the goal of helping families become self-sufficient and transforming communities.

A New Day, A Guide to Designing Innovative and Impactful Community Action Programs

The session will examine Berneitha’s 10 Steps to Designing Effective Programs in Community Action.  Participants will learn how to be strategic in program design to be more effective in fighting the War on Poverty and achieving outcomes that have a positive impact on low-income individuals, families, and communities. From assessing community needs to determining potential funding sources, this training will provide practical steps to bring new programs to Community Action. Berneitha will also highlight how National Performance Indicators (NPIs) should be considered when designing new programs.  This 2-hour session should be attended by community action executives, planners, and program directors.

Grant Writing That Works:  Confession of a Nonprofit Chief Executive, The Community Action Edition

The session will provide easy to master grant writing tips that will enhance capacity for community action planners, executives, and program directors.  Berneitha previously completed a $12.7 million grant application for a community action agency that was funded. The training is based on Berneitha’s book that was released in 2021 with added elements for community action. Participants will receive a workbook to assist with mastering learning objectives.

CSBG Program Directors and Executive Leadership:  The Next Generation Approach for Success in Community Action

This worthwhile 6-hour training was developed to help both CSBG Program Directors and Executive Leaders master new innovative approaches to maximize performance and impact in Community Action.  The training includes four sessions that will challenge managers and leaders to develop a forward-thinking way of thinking, while also ensuring that their agency has the capacity to implement a high quality service delivery. This training will assist leaders who are ready to foster a not business as usual approach in Community Action.   The training includes the following four sessions.

Session 1:  The Future of Community Action:  A Holistic Business Strategy with a Whole Family Approach to Service Delivery

Session 2: Moving the Needle in CSBG:  Providing Services, Entering Good Data, Verifying Outcomes, and Reporting Results

Session 3: Rethinking Partnerships and Community Collaborations: A Focus on New Possibilities and Expectations in Community Action

Session 4:  Effective Strategies to Supervise Community Action Staff:  A Guide to Developing a High-Performing and Loyal Workforce

Strategic Marketing and Branding in Nonprofit Agencies

This session will discuss how to develop a strategic marketing and branding plan, highlighting the contents that should be included and a step-by-step process to develop the plan.  Participants will also learn specific branding strategies that will help community action agencies attract new customers, improve community awareness/visibility, and obtain support from external stakeholders. 
The training also examines important differences between nonprofit marketing and branding, as well as teaches agencies how to better tell their stories to elevate, electrify, and enhance their programs.

Program Design is Key:  A Guide for a Winning Family Self-Sufficiency Program

This session provides instruction to community action managers and leaders on how to design innovative family self-sufficiency programs and develop a winning implementation manual to improve their service delivery.  The training discusses tips to ensure that family self –sufficiency programs address national performance indicators, while also achieving outcomes to have a positive impact of  families.

Unapologetically D.O.P.E.:  The New Community Action Leader

The 3-Hour training analyzes reasons why individuals aspire to be leaders in community action. Born versus made leaders will be discussed, highlighting positive aspects of both types.  The session will also highlight why being D.O.P.E. (Determined, Optimistic, Passionate, and Energetic) is desirable for the new community action leader.  Participants will receive a blueprint for steps to take to be a high performing, results-oriented leader. D.O.P.E Leadership is a new leadership concept developed by Berneitha McNair.  McNair wrote her first book in 2020 about this impactful leadership style, D.O.P.E. Leadership: Success is in the Style.