Workshops, webinars offered free of charge

Community Development Works, a program of The Rapides Foundation, offers free, skill-building trainings intended to help people improve their communities. Spring trainings begin in March and cover a variety of topics including fund development, budgeting, financial management, marketing and grant writing. 

The trainings and other CDW offerings are part of The Rapides Foundation’s Community Development Initiative, which addresses the importance of the social environment to the health status of a community. “CDW provides resources and opportunities designed to strengthen local nonprofits, with the goal of giving people and nonprofits the resources they need to build a healthier community,” said Joe Rosier, President and CEO of The Rapides Foundation.

CDW offers trainings each spring and fall. Workshops are held in The Rapides Foundation Building in Alexandria. In addition, CDW offers webinars that allow participants to take courses from the convenience of their computers or devices.

The trainings are geared toward nonprofit staff, board members and volunteers, and also for people interested in starting a nonprofit, said Akeshia Singleton, a Foundation program officer with responsibility for CDW’s programs.

Spring training offerings are presented within five topic areas: the Start-up Series for Nonprofits; the Grant Writing Series; the Budgeting Series; the Fundraising Series; and the Financial Management Series, which is a special webinar series presented in partnership with Nonprofit Finance Fund®, a leading community development financial institution.

“This year we are offering a lot of support to help nonprofits manage their finances, so we have the Financial Series and the Budgeting Series,” Singleton said. “The workshops and webinars in these two areas are designed to help nonprofits learn how to monitor their financial situations and assess the economic outlook for their organizations’ future.”

Participants are not required to attend all of the workshops in a series. Individuals can customize their learning by choosing the workshops that interest them.

Workshops and webinars under each series include:

• Start-up Series for Nonprofits: To Be or Not To Be a 501©(3); Introduction to Finding Funders; Promoting Your Volunteer Program.
• Grant Writing Series: Basic Grant Writing; Advanced Grant Writing.
• Fundraising Series: Developing an Annual Public Relations and Marketing Plan; Fundraising Strategy: Take Your Fundraising to New Heights.
• Budgeting Series: How to Build a Successful Budget; Steps to Building a Successful Budget; Cash Flow Management.
• Financial Management Series: Cash Flow: What you Need to Know; Growth, Earned Income Ventures and Endowments; Facility Projects: Planning for Success.

All of these trainings are free of charge, but registration is required. You can see dates and times for the individual workshops and webinars on the CDW website. Workshops take place at The Rapides Foundation Building, 1101 Fourth St., Alexandria. Webinars are one hour long and can be accessed from most devices using the GoToWebinar app.

To register or for a complete list of training offerings, call Community Development Works at 318-443-7880, toll-free at 800-803-8075, or visit the CDW website.