20 Nonprofit Webinars and Online Courses to Kick Off the New Year

Entering a new decade makes us nostalgic about many things, but there’s a lot about the Internet that we’re not sorry to leave behind! Case in point: online learning. It’s never been easier to find resources and training on a wide range of subjects—including nonprofit webinars and online courses geared toward the charity sector.

(Wondering what the web was really like in 2010? Buzzfeed can walk you down memory lane.)

To help you enter 2020 with a plan for professional development, we put together a list of 20 courses and webinars for nonprofits that can expand your horizons, teach new skills and dust off your credentials in marketing, fundraising, operations and more.

Suggested Nonprofit Webinars & Courses

Whether you’re looking for nonprofit communications webinars or want to get up to speed on the latest best practices, our list has something for everyone. Most of the webinars and courses below are nonprofit-specific and free or low-cost. You’ll also find that some offer recordings so that you can learn at your own pace.

Marketing & Design

• [Webinar] How to Market Your Impact. January 16, 2020. During this live, online training, you’ll learn exactly how to share your accomplishments and impact and gain more visibility in your community.  We’ll additionally share how a customized marketing strategy can help you decide how to communicate your impact and share your story.
• [Course] The Complete Infographic Toolkit for Nonprofits: From Data to Action. Starting February 6, 2020. See what kinds of data are best translated into infographics and find the stories hidden in the numbers. We’ll walk you through the practical steps of creating and using your infographic and look at examples of how other organizations created successful infographics. And best of all, we’ll help you develop your own infographic that you can begin using right away.
• [Webinar] How To Take The Fear Out Of Public Speaking, Presenting and Asking. February 19, 2020. In this webinar, past-UK & Ireland Public Speaking Champion Simon Scriver will show you what makes a great speaker: through body language and your voice to what you’re actually saying…it all counts!
• [Webinar] Introduction to Google Analytics for Nonprofits. February 25, 2020. Even if a nonprofit has Google Analytics installed, most nonprofit marketers aren’t taking advantage of the advanced features, or worse yet, they aren’t looking at their analytics at all. If you know it’s necessary to dig into your data, but aren’t sure where to start (or don’t think of yourself as a data person), then this webinar is for you.
• [Course] Repurposing Video Content for Different Social Media Platforms. Access anytime. Video is king on social media. But each platform has different recommendations for content, aesthetic, and length, as well as different delivery specs. In this course, learn how to repurpose your videos to best match the suggestions and specifications for each platform and each audience—so that you can save time and optimize your reach and impact. 
• [Course] Selling Sponsorships for Meetings, Events & Nonprofits. Access anytime. Are you tasked with creating and/or selling a sponsorship campaign to raise funds for a meeting, event, or a nonprofit? Whether it’s your first time, or you’re looking to up your game, you’ll learn something new that will make your job easier and maximize your revenue potential.

Fundraising

• [Webinar] Major Gift Fundraising on a Shoestring Budget. January 7, 2020. If you’ve got donors, you’ve got the raw material for a major donor program. There’s no more cost-effective way to ensure your long-term sustainability. This webinar will review where to begin (even if your budget isn’t huge), which prospects to prioritize, how to develop and manage a major donor pipeline and cultivation plan, and how to get and stay organized so you reach your goals. 
• [Webinar] Face-to-Face with a Major Gift Donor for the First Time. January 16, 2020. Face-to-face—the first time—can be scary for both you AND your donor! What makes YOUR first experience the beginning of something wonderful? Learn how to build trust, comfort and confidence, magnify your shared values and interests and cultivate lifelong partnerships.
• [Webinar] Leveraging Data Driven Peer-to-Peer Personas to Drive Engagement. January 16, 2020. In this webinar, we will review personas and show you how to integrate them into your fundraising programs to effectively segment your database, craft compelling campaigns and build call-to-actions that appeal to your supporters.
• [Webinar] 3 Fundraising Trends to Capitalize on in 2020. January 23, 2020. To help nonprofits up-level their annual fundraising strategies, the team at Classy is joining us to share 2020 fundraising trends nonprofits can capitalize on in the new year. You’ll learn how to incorporate these trends into your fundraising strategy and examples from nonprofits who are already ahead of the curve.
• [Webinar] How to Create an Engaging Donor Journey in 2020. January 28, 2020. This is your year. It’s time to take on new terrain by building a targeted multichannel donor journey that ensures every member of your community feels connected to your cause throughout the year. 
• [Webinar] So You Want to Write a Grant? March 10, 2020. In this live, interactive webinar we will discuss how grants can help your organization implement new programs or projects to best achieve its mission. We will also address the common pitfalls encountered by many organizations seeking grants for the first time as well as common challenges for new grant writers.
• [Webinar] Nonprofits—Can You Automate Gratitude? Access anytime. The data shows us that the best way to ensure that donors stay loyal to our organization is through investing in gratitude.In this interactive webinar, we’ll explore why nonprofits are scaling back on resources, how nonprofits can optimize the donor gratitude experience, and when human touch is needed.

Operations & Culture

• [Webinar] Creating a Culture of Volunteer Engagement. January 28, 2020. This webinar will help you identify how your organization’s current culture is shaping or limiting what volunteers do and provide steps you can take to start to create more understanding, respect, and appreciation for engaging volunteers. 
• [Webinar] How to Create and Use Nonprofit Dashboards. January 7 or 15, 2020. During this live nonprofit webinar, we will show you step-by-step how to easily create powerful dashboards to help you communicate your nonprofit’s performance to staff, board members, and donors.
• [Webinar Series] Including People with Disabilities in Nonprofits and Foundations: Accessibility & Equity Webinar Series. Through January 15, 2020. Now is the chance for you and your team to get the tools, skills and knowledge needed to advance disability inclusion in your work. Our free webinars give you and your teams step-by-step guidance, as well as provide resources and contacts to help foundations and nonprofits on their journey.
• [Course] Boards In Gear. Access anytime. Boards in Gear covers the five main areas of strong board practice: Connection to cause, roles and responsibilities, how to build a great board, sustain a great board, and engage board members in fundraising. 
• [Webinar] Getting Ahead of the Curve with Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity. Access anytime. Everyone is talking about “DEI”, but what exactly does it mean? How can nonprofit organizations proactively address the issues of diversity, inclusion and equity within their organization in a way that generates positive and transformative change? Join us for a fascinating and informative conversation.
• [Course] Leading With Vision. Access anytime. In this course, corporate and community leaders learn how to lead with vision, breaking visionary leadership down into steps that anyone can follow. Discover why it’s needed, why it’s lacking, and how you can fill the gap. Then find out how to build your personal vision and gain the skills and tools to build a vision for your organization, division, department, team, community cause, or nonprofit.
• [Webinar] Reinforcing Mission and Purpose Through Technology. Access anytime. While mission remains top priority, nonprofits need to take a step back and consider whether or not they are stretching their staff members too thin. With manual processes, there is a lack of accountability and a lack of visibility into accurate tracking of labor. So how can your nonprofit improve its human capital efficiencies? With technology, of course!

Ready to head into the new year with a plan for new skills? Even if you’re feeling burned out right now, getting something on the calendar in the coming months could be just what you need to build momentum for the year ahead. 

What do you have planned for professional development in 2020? Any recommendations for upcoming nonprofit webinars or online courses? See you in the comments once you shake off some of that holiday haze!