The 2009 Neighborhood Networks RTAWs will offer 18 concurrent sessions. Many sessions are new additions to the RTAW agenda, and all sessions have been customized to meet the unique needs of Networks center staff and stakeholders. Sessions will be led by subject-matter experts, with many sessions co-presented by Neighborhood Networks center staff members. This powerful combination enables participants to see how theory is applied to everyday situations with proven results. During each session, participants will engage in a hands-on learning activity and receive a list of free or low-cost resources that can be used for future reference or implementation.
Are Your Center Programs Hitting Their Mark?
During this session, participants will learn how to collect and communicate the outcomes that best convey to grantmakers a program’s impact on residents and the surrounding community. The session will provide busy participants with methods for streamlining their data collection process to focus on securing the key data needed to effectively report outcomes. The session will also share strategies for integrating tracking and evaluating during the development of center programming, so that outcome reporting is built into program implementation. Participants will then learn how to exceed the requirements of funders and other stakeholders by presenting data clearly, concisely, and convincingly.
Built by Association: Collaborating Within Your Community*
During this session, participants will learn how to establish solid partnerships that enable them to tap into and maximize community resources and donations. The session will begin with a discussion of the benefits of collaborating with community organizations, businesses, and educational institutions, and provide an overview of the different levels of partnerships, from low-intensity cooperation to high-intensity collaboration. Participants will receive guidance on establishing new partnerships, strengthening existing partnerships, and increasing the intensity of a partnership. Examples of successful collaboration will be cited throughout the session.
Cyber Fundraising: Take Your Fundraising Efforts to the Next Domain
During this session, participants will learn about Web-based fundraising and what wealthy wired donors want from nonprofits and their Web sites. The session will discuss various online fundraising tactics, such as becoming a designated recipient of a portion of purchases made by individuals at major stores or a portion of profits earned by eBay vendors; selling center-produced products via online stores; using a philanthropic search engine that donates money to a designated nonprofit organization or charity each time a search is made; and including a “Donate Now” button on the center’s Web site to allow donors to provide direct financial support via a credit card or PayPal account.
[Note: Attendees of the workshop entitled “Money for the Taking—If You Know How to Ask (Basic Fundraising)” and those participants with fundraising experience are encouraged to attend this lab-based, professional fundraiser-led workshop.]
Financial Literacy: Train-the-Trainer
During this session, participants will learn how to conduct successful financial literacy seminars that address credit management (consumer credit, credit cards, credit reports), personal money management (earning, spending, budgeting, and saving for retirement), investor education (responsible investing, stocks, bonds, real estate, and financing a business), and homeownership (buying an affordable home, realtors, lenders, and mortgages). This train-the-trainer session also discusses the importance of financial literacy during a recession.
Free Help Is Not So Hard to Find*
During this session, participants will learn how to effectively recruit and retain volunteers. The session will provide an overview of the volunteer recruitment process, and discuss how centers can provide opportunities for meaningful service and skill development. The session will also explain how centers can collaborate with local institutions of higher education to offer students valuable service-learning opportunities and gain access to enthusiastic, knowledgeable, no-cost staff support. The session will provide examples of how Neighborhood Networks centers have forged mutually beneficial relationships with colleges/universities for the purpose of recruiting volunteers, as well as other successful volunteer recruitment and management programs.
How to Teach Effectively: From Planning to Deliver *
During this session, participants will learn how to plan and teach a program that meets the needs of residents. The session will begin with an overview of the program development process and explain why it is important to tailor programs to the needs of residents. Next, participants will discuss the factors to consider when developing curriculum, as well as the different models of program delivery. Speakers will demonstrate and share teaching techniques, discuss how to incorporate technology, and activities that keep programming interactive. A variety of resources, such as checklists and templates, and examples will be provided to assist with program planning and delivery.
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Resources for Neighborhood Networks Centers
During this session, participants will learn about the various tax credits and resources offered by Neighborhood Networks national partner, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The session will provide information, including eligibility requirements, on the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), Child Tax Credit (CTC), and Credit for the Elderly. Details about the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program will also be provided. In addition, participants will learn about the benefits that go with attaining 501(c) (3) nonprofit status, applying for nonprofit status, and the legal responsibilities of nonprofit status. Presenters will also discuss how Neighborhood Networks consortium membership can provide centers with nonprofit status.
Learn the Fine Art of Negotiation*
During this session, participants will learn a series of negotiation skills that can be applied to a number of situations, including partnership development and expansion. As a result of this session, participants will be able to negotiate with confidence, become better leaders and team builders, create stronger negotiating positions, and adjust their negotiation style for different situations. Participants will have opportunities to apply their newly learned techniques during a series of practice negotiations based on real-life scenarios.
Making a Map to the Money: Sustainability During a Recession
During this session, participants will learn how to better understand, identify, and pursue sources of revenue for their Neighborhood Networks centers during tough financial times. The session will delve beyond just grantseeking, and provide tools for evaluating and securing a variety of viable revenue streams based specifically on center goals and objectives. Presenters will also review the recently passed federal stimulus package for potential funding sources, and share new and non-traditional funding sources that are essential for maintaining sustainability during the economic downturn.
Meeting the Needs of Senior and Disabled Residents
During this session, participants will learn how to customize programs to better serve the specific needs of senior residents and residents with disabilities. The session will discuss how Neighborhood Networks centers can plan and provide programs that help senior residents manage a variety of issues, including Social Security, healthcare, housing, and employment. The session will also discuss technological advancements that are opening doors for people with disabilities. A list of free assistive technology resources designed for these populations will be provided, in addition to examples of how Neighborhood Networks centers are marketing their programs and services to senior residents and residents with disabilities.
Mission Employable: Start Your Own "Job Squad"*
During this session, participants will learn how to motivate and assist residents with obtaining and keeping jobs. The session will teach participants how to help job seekers assess and define their most marketable skills, understand employers and approach them with confidence, and persuasively communicate their value to an employer. Participants will also review the most common mistakes made by job seekers, and learn how to plan a job campaign and generate job leads, create simple job search marketing tools for residents, help job seekers overcome common employment barriers, and motivate frustrated job seekers.
Money for the Taking--If You Know How to Ask (Basic Fundraising)*
During this session, participants will learn about relationship building, the solicitation process, and the psychological dynamics and realities of asking for money. Specifically, participants will learn how to create a fundraising plan, write a compelling fundraising letter, raise money through everyday business activities, conduct a direct mailing, establish a planned giving program, and thank donors and encourage them to contribute again. The session will also discuss innovative methods of raising funds, the importance of a board of directors, and free fundraising tools. A professional fundraiser will lead a roundtable discussion that engages participants in interactive activities to determine which fundraising strategies are appropriate for their centers and how centers can turn common situations into fundraising opportunities. Typical fundraising problems will also be discussed and attendees will be challenged to work as a group to brainstorm solutions.
[Upon completing this session, participants are encouraged to attend, "Cyber Fundraising: Take Your Fundraising Efforts to the Next Domain."]
Neighborhood Networks: What's in It for You?
During this session, participants will learn about the resources and services available to centers from HUD and how they can use them to guide and enhance center operations. The session will begin with an overview of the Neighborhood Networks Initiative, and participants will be invited to share their experience with Neighborhood Networks. The session will also discuss the Strategic Tracking and Reporting Tool (START) and its management resources; the 10 steps to a successful center; the importance of performing resident needs assessments; budgeting, staffing, and organizational development; recommended hardware and software; the role of marketing and outreach; and the benefits of joining a consortium. Participants will also learn about Center Classification and how RTAW topics relate to classification requirements.
Planning Successful Adult Education Programs
During this session, participants will learn about different types of adult education programs, including General Educational Development (GED), English as a Second Language (ESL), and adult literacy, and receive information about starting their own adult education programs. The session will be led by Neighborhood Networks center staff members who have launched successful adult education programs. The session will address program development and setting goals, utilizing community resources and workforce development agencies, developing partnerships with workforce organizations, and overcoming the challenges associated with starting an adult education program.
[Note: Participants may also consider attending, "You’ve Opened the Doors, But Where Are All the People?" for additional information about engaging adults in education programs.]
Podcasts: Placing Your Messages in the Hands of Your Constituents
During this session, participants will learn how to create a podcast that can be used to bolster their marketing efforts. Designed for more experienced Neighborhood Networks center staff, this hands-on, multimedia-based session will provide an overview of podcasting, discuss how centers can use podcasting, and share important steps to creating a podcast. Participants will learn how to produce a podcast using free tools, and the best practices for creating engaging content. The session will include a demonstration of podcasting production tools and show examples of podcasts. Attendees will be invited to bring their iPods to this session (although it is not required).
START: More than a Business Plan Tool
During this session, participants will learn how the Strategic Tracking and Reporting Tool (START) can be used for much more than creating a business plan. The session will discuss how START business plans can be used to secure funding, market the center, apply for 501(c)(3) status, and help centers achieve advanced Center Classification. In addition to demonstrating the main elements of START, the session will share information about the expanded functions of START. Participants will receive examples of completed START business plans and Model Center Classification applications that can be used for future reference.
What's Up with Youth Today? Planning Engaging Teen Programs
During this session, participants will learn how to strengthen their existing teen programs or start high-quality, engaging programs from scratch. The session will discuss the challenges to working with teens and how to overcome these challenges, the importance of tailoring programs to the specific needs of teens, factors that influence teen participation, and successful strategies for recruiting and retaining teen participants. Participants will also learn about successful programs offered for teens at Neighborhood Networks
centers.
You've Opened the Doors, but Where Are All the People?*
During this session, participants will learn how other centers have responded to the challenge of increasing resident involvement. The session will discuss the basic principles of resident involvement, emphasize the importance of including residents in program development, and provide samples of resident surveys. Participants will engage in role playing to strategize how they would respond to common situations and collectively devise innovative solutions. Throughout the session, participants will be invited to share ideas and experiences.
* Sessions with an asterisk indicate rural and senior-specific issues are incorporated into the session.
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