-
AMPT Crisis Management Consulting
- Valerie F. Leonard, Dec 13, 2020
Nonprofit Utopia has just completed a 6-week engagement, participating in a pool of highly experienced consultants to nonprofits to provide coaching services through AMPT’s Crisis Management Consulting Services. In this capacity, the company provided a total of 21.5 consulting hours to 6 organizations, helping them to address some of their most pressing capacity building issues within the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
-
Nonprofit Utopia Wraps Up Two of Three Workshop Series On Lever for Change, Bold Solutions Network
- Valerie F. Leonard, Oct 25, 2020
Nonprofit Utopia has just completed the facilitation of two of three workshop series for members of the Bold Solutions Network, sponsored by Lever for Change, an affiliate of the MacArthur Foundation. Participants included finalists from the $100 million 100&Change Contest. 100&Change is a competition for a $100 million grant to fund a single proposal that promises real and measurable progress in solving a critical problem of our time.
-
Nonprofit Utopia Takes To YouTube to Provide Free Fundraising Help for Nonprofits
- Valerie F. Leonard, Oct 25, 2020
Successful fundraising includes more than developing a strong case for support and writing the "perfect" grant proposal. The depth and quality of your relationships with funders can make the difference between getting funded or not. Most importantly, in this day and age, the relationships your organization has can make the difference in your organization's ability to keep its doors open. With this in mind, Valerie F. Leonard, the Founder of Nonprofit Utopia, LLC, will host an interactive, livestreamed presentation to take viewers through the entire cycle of donor cultivation, from prospect research to stewarding their gifts. The presentation will be aired on Nonprofit Utopia Live, on Thursday, October 29, from 10:00 am until 11:00 am CDT.
-
Complete the Nonprofit Utopia Survey for a Chance to Win
- Valerie F. Leonard, Sep 30, 2019
With a year of data and experience under its belt, the Nonprofit Utopia community is poised to go to the next level of its development. In so doing, the community is surveying its members and stakeholders to create better value for the nonprofit sector. Nonprofit Utopia is is asking nonprofit stakeholders to complete a survey to get a sense for what a typical work day is like; their aspirations and challenges. The results will be kept confidential. Respondents will get free admission to an upcoming paid webinar of their choice and a chance to win a $50.00 Amazon gift card.
-
100&Change, Lever for Change
- Valerie F. Leonard, Jul 3, 2019
Cecilia Conrad, Managing Director of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation’s Awards and Fellows Program, and CEO of Lever for Change, and Cindy Moelis, President of the Pritzker Traubert Foundation, will be guests on the Nonprofit Utopia Podcast on Monday, July 8, 2019, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. CST. The Nonprofit Utopia Podcast is an extension of the online community, and provides a forum in which nonprofit stakeholders can discuss the latest developments in the sector and increase their capacity to serve their clients and build sustainable communities. Valerie F. Leonard, Founder of Nonprofit Utopia, LLC, is the host. The show will stream live from BlogTalkRadio.com/nonprofitutopia. The archived podcast will be available on BlogTalkRadio iTunes and Stitcher and on the Nonprofit Utopia website.
-
Demystifying Census.gov
- Valerie F. Leonard, Dec 27, 2018
Nonprofit Utopia is happy to team up with the U.S. Census Bureau and the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago to present Demystifying Census.gov, a hands-on, interactive workshop to help you better navigate the Census.govwebsite. Ileana Serrano, Data Dissemination Specialist with the U.S. Census Bureau, will be our guest presenter.
-
Lessons Learned from Email Marketing
- Valerie F. Leonard, Dec 27, 2018
As we wind down 2018 in preparation for 2019, there is no doubt in my mind that you are in the process of thanking donors, identifying new prospects, reaching out to your clients and community. As you solidify your marketing and outreach strategies for 2019, I thought you might find Alexie Ward’s article, Our 9 Biggest Email Marketing Pet Peeves for 2019, to be of interest. Alexie lists 9 email pet peeves and alternatives, that I think are relevant to everyone, including professionals in the nonprofit and for-profit arenas.
-
Justice Informed
- Valerie F. Leonard, Oct 4, 2018
Xavier Ramey, the CEO and Lead Strategist for Justice Informed, LLC, will be a guest on the Nonprofit Utopia podcast on Monday, October 8, 2018, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., CST. The Nonprofit Utopia podcast is an online forum where nonprofit stakeholders can discuss the latest developments in the sector and increase their capacity to serve their clients and build sustainable communities. Valerie F. Leonard, the Founder of Nonprofit Utopia, is the host.
-
Look Before You Leap: 5 Things You Must Do Before Joining That Board
- Valerie F. Leonard, Oct 4, 2018
You have just been invited to join a board of directors of one of the hottest local nonprofits in the city. What should you do before accepting?
-
Making the Case for Support in Times of Change
- Valerie F. Leonard, Oct 4, 2018
Writing a compelling case for support is not always as easy as it seems. In Case Development 201, Communications Consultant Andrew Brommel writes “an organization’s case for support is ultimately ‘your message to your donors—why should they give to your organization?’” In this day and age of increased competition for fewer dollars, a nonprofit’s answer to the funders’ question must be stronger than ever before.
-
Build the Backdrop for Your #GivingTuesday Story by Refining Your Community Needs Assessment Skills
- Valerie F. Leonard, Aug 15, 2018
The Nonprofit Utopia community will be hosting 2 free webinars to help nonprofit professionals strengthen their community assessment skills. Facilitated by Valerie F. Leonard, the community's founder, the webinars will provide an overview of the community assessment process and help participants demonstrate need, even in communities that seem to be over-resourced.
-
Thought Leadership: The Often Overlooked Strategy To Build Organizational Capacity
- Valerie F. Leonard, Aug 15, 2018
When we talk about nonprofit capacity building, we typically refer to ways we can strengthen our organizations’ leaders and internal systems so that we can make a stronger impact to our clients and communities. We usually look at factors like board development, human resource development, financial management, networking ability, impact, and program management.
-
What You Should Be Doing Right Now to Prepare for #GivingTuesday and #ILGive
- Valerie F. Leonard, Aug 9, 2018
It’s August, 2018, and #GivingTuesday is November 27th. What should you be doing right now to ensure that your campaign is successful? Here is a timeline of recommended activities from the Complete Toolkit published by #GivingTuesday. Visit www.givingtuesday.org to register for #GivingTuesday and to download the toolkit and other valuable resources. If you are an Illinois nonprofit, also register at #ILGive at https://www.ilgive.com. You should also review their timeline and download their resources.
-
Nonprofit Utopia Launches on Mighty Networks to Develop the Next Generation of Ethical Leaders
- Valerie F. Leonard, May 31, 2018
(Chicago, Illinois, May 31, 2018) Nonprofit Utopia, LLC informally launched yesterday as a community of emerging nonprofit leaders, designed to provide a safe environment in which members can innovate, speak candidly about the issues and concerns they face on a daily basis, and share ideas and resources. Mighty Networks is a professional networking platform that provides a safe alternative to Facebook and LinkedIn groups.
-
In Search of the Ideal Nonprofit Community
- Valerie F. Leonard, Mar 7, 2018
Valerie F. Leonard, a local expert in community and organizational development, will be launching the Nonprofit Utopia community in June of this year. Nonprofit Utopia is a community of emerging nonprofit leaders, designed to provide a safe environment in which members can innovate, speak candidly about the issues and concerns they face on a daily basis, and share ideas and resources.
-
Building Organizational Capacity On the Ground
- Valerie F. Leonard, May 8, 2017
Otis Monroe, President and CEO of the Monroe Foundation, was a recent guest on the Nonprofit “U” radio blog talk show. Nonprofit "U" is an online forum where nonprofit stakeholders can discuss the latest developments in the sector and increase their capacity to serve their clients and build sustainable communities.
-
Building Organizations That Stand the Test of Time
- Valerie F. Leonard, May 8, 2017
Valerie F. Leonard, a local expert in community and organizational development, is partnering with Chicago State University to host "Lasting Impact: Building Sustainable Organizations". The information-packed workshop promises to show participants how to build nonprofit organizations that stand the test of time. The free workshop will be held on Saturday, June 10, 2017, from 11:00 am until 12:30 pm, at the Chicago State University New Academic Library Auditorium, on the 4th Floor. Chicago State University is located at 9501 South Dr. Martin Luther King Drive in Chicago.
-
4 Steps 2 College
- Valerie F. Leonard, Apr 21, 2017
JP Paulus, President of Do-Gooder Consulting, will be a guest on the Nonprofit “U” radio blog talk show on Monday, April 24, 2017, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Nonprofit "U" is an online forum where nonprofit stakeholders can discuss the latest developments in the sector and increase their capacity to serve their clients and build sustainable communities. Valerie F. Leonard, an expert in community and organizational development is the host. The show will stream live from BlogTalkRadio.com/nonprofit_u. There will be opportunities for listeners to call in with questions and participate in live chats. Nonprofit professionals, community advocates, developers and other community stakeholders are especially encouraged to call in and share their stories. The live call in number is (347) 884-8121. The archived podcast will be available on BlogTalkRadio, Valeriefleonard.com/NonprofitU, iTunes Podcast Chart, Blubrry and Stitcher.
-
The People's OPL (Obama Presidential Library)
- Valerie F. Leonard, Mar 31, 2017
Members of the Obama Library CBA Coalition will be guests on the Nonprofit “U” radio blog talk show on Monday, April 3, 2017, from 2:00 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. Guests include Allegra Cira-Fischer, Staff Attorney with The Law Project; Jawanza Malone, Executive Director, KOCO and Dominic Surya, Organizer, Prayer and Action Collective of the Obama-library CBA Coalition. Nonprofit "U" is an online forum where nonprofit stakeholders can discuss the latest developments in the sector and increase their capacity to serve their clients and build sustainable communities.
-
"Nonprofits Are Messy" on Nonprofit "U"
- Valerie F. Leonard, Feb 16, 2017
Joan Garry, Principal of Joan Garry Consulting, will be a guest on the Nonprofit “U” radio blog talk show on Monday, February 20, 2017, from 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Nonprofit "U" is an online forum where nonprofit stakeholders can discuss the latest developments in the sector and increase their capacity to serve their clients and build sustainable communities. Valerie F. Leonard, an expert in community and organizational development, is the host.
-
Using Social Innovation to Drive Community Revitalization
- Valerie F. Leonard, Dec 16, 2016
Attorney Marc J. Lane, Vice Chairman of the Cook County Commission on Social Innovation, will be a guest on the Nonprofit “U” radio blog talk show on Monday, December 19, 2016, from 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
-
Where Sustainability Meets Environmental Justice
- Valerie F. Leonard, Dec 6, 2016
Naomi Denise Davis, Founder of Blacks in Green TM, will be a guest on the Nonprofit “U” radio blog talk show on Monday, December 12, 2016, from 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
-
Developing Effective Grant Writing Strategies
- Valerie F. Leonard, Dec 2, 2016
Noah Temaner Jenkins will be a guest on the Nonprofit “U” radio blog talk show on Monday, December 5, 2016, from 2:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
-
Settling for Misconduct: An Exploration of the Chicago Reporter’s Interactive Database of Police Misconduct Cases
- Valerie F. Leonard, Nov 23, 2016
Susan Smith Richardson, the Editor and Publisher of The Chicago Reporter, was a recent guest on the Nonprofit “U” radio blog talk show, providing an overview of the news outlet's new police misconduct database.
-
Settling for Misconduct: An Exploration of the Chicago Reporter’s Interactive Database of Police Misconduct Cases
- Valerie F. Leonard, Nov 23, 2016
Susan Smith Richardson, the Editor and Publisher of The Chicago Reporter, was a recent guest on the Nonprofit “U” radio blog talk show, providing an overview of the news outlet's new police misconduct database.