Supporting, learning, and growing together is one way nonprofit changemakers can boost their ability to make an impact.
The nonprofit peer learning program is a training and networking program that provides you with opportunities to advance your skills while connecting and learning from your peers. The program covers content that is important to nonprofit leaders while centering the formation of a peer network for ongoing support, mentorship, resource sharing, and collaboration.
Current Offerings – Register by July 11
Visit our landing page for more information on our current offerings and to register.
- Waupaca County
- Taylor County
- Kenosha & Racine Counties
- Registrations from other counties will be reviewed and may be accepted.
Program Outcomes
- Increase your capacity to effectively deliver on your organization’s mission.
- Develop your organization’s capacity for continuous improvement.
- Center equity, inclusion, diversity, and justice in your non-profit organizational practices.
- Engage in an environment of peer learning and networking that can support you and your organization.
- Identify opportunities for joint action to create change at policy, systems, and environment levels.
Who can benefit?
- Early phase non-profit organization leaders.
- Small to midsize non-profit organization leaders.
- Individuals who are new to their non-profit leadership roles.
To get the most out of the program we recommend that your organization:
- Is either a 501c-3 or a fiscally sponsored organization (e.g., beyond the pre-formation stage).
- Has some funding base, whether through grants, donations, program revenue, or corporate sponsorships.
- Has developed a mission statement, a purpose statement, or a theory of change.
Program Format
- Real-time sessions may be conducted in-person or virtually using Zoom. Real-time sessions will be interactive, using a variety of learning strategies including small group exercises, discussion, story-telling, applied improvisation, and storyboarding.
- Self-paced learning is designed to support the concepts explored during real-time sessions. This may include readings, reflections, worksheets, videos, and audio recordings. Self-paced learning includes applying concepts directly to your organization through the development of organizational plans, and suggested conversations to facilitate with your staff or board members.
- Open space may be in-person or virtual and is an unstructured time for participants to come together to network, discuss what is on their minds, and further explore the application of content to their organizations.
The program uses an online learning management system called Canvas. The Canvas ‘course’ site will serve as a central location for resources and agendas, and provides space for participants to engage asynchronously with one another, program facilitators, and guest speakers.
Note: The exact format of the program will depend upon the specific offering.
Why - and how - are we centering peer learning?
- Provide support to one another: peers can provide encouragement, suggestions, and offers of mutual aid.
- Share technical know-how: peers can lean on one another for information regarding how to build more effective organizations, and share information about resources.
- Collaborate for community change: when it comes down to it, people get involved in the non-profit world because they care about working toward positive, equitable, sustainable community change. The peer learning network will hopefully launch partnerships and collaborations, and long-term relationships that lead to support for each others’ change initiatives.
Collaborating Presenters
- Araceli Esparza, Midwest Mujeres
- Kate Harris, Fundraising consultant
- Harry Hawkins, Nehemiah Center & Justified Anger
- Genia Stevens, Rock County Jumpstart & Belwah Media
- Nasra Wehelie, Empathy4Equity
- And more….
Previous offerings of the Nonprofit Peer Learning Program:
Contact the Extension offices in these counties if you are interested in knowing when they are planning to offer the program next.
- Dane County
- Polk & St. Croix Counties
- Crawford County
You might also be interested in the following:
- The Nonprofit Coffee Break – coming soon!
- Community and nonprofit funding and grants, educational offerings, and key resources