Related COA Accreditation standards:

Today, human and social services leaders find themselves in unprecedented times. Workforce challenges, the never-ending increased demands, and shrinking resources require that nonprofit leaders and managers pursue new and innovative strategies for ensuring programmatic and organizational success. Join Dr Dann in this high energy and highly participatory workshop to explore proven strategies to leverage the efficacy of your team and organization. Drawing from the research on trauma-informed practice, the Resiliency Factor provides participants with concrete strategies to reduce turnover, heighten employee engagement, and help the team bounce back from extremely difficult situations. Most importantly, the Resiliency Factor provides a path to ensure the successful pursuit of your organization’s important mission.

During this interactive workshop, participants will have the opportunity to complete an assessment tool that will help them understand the level of resiliency as well as areas for growth that exist within their team and organization. The assessment tool also serves as a springboard for exploring strategies to leverage employees’ developmental assets and their ability to be resilient.

Participants at all levels will have the ability to apply effective strategies at the individual, team, and organizational levels. Supervisors, for example, will benefit from understanding strategies to become resilient, while managers and leaders will have the capacity to apply the conceptual frame and practical strategies from a team and or systems-based perspective.

Learning Objectives

Presenters

Paul Dann
President and CEO of North American Family Institute
North American Family Institute

This session will cover cost-effective strategies for conducting evaluation studies in child and family services that use a co-design approach. It will address:

  1. Quasi-experimental design innovations in program evaluation for public and private child welfare agencies that take less than a year to complete and cost less than $70,000
  2. How to design evaluations so they meet the criteria for acceptance by the Family First Prevention Clearinghouse
  3. How to design and carry out your research in a way that pays attention to equity and authentic involvement of the community

Presenters will also present lessons learned from recent return on investment evaluations of Family Resource Centers in California, Colorado, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Participants will be encouraged to share their experience and wisdom related to the session’s topics.

Learning Objectives

Presenters

Peter Pecora
Managing Director of Research Services, Professor
Casey Family Programs

Brittany Mihalec-Adkins
Research Scientist II
Child Trends

Join a panel of seasoned COA Accreditation volunteer peer reviewers as they guide you through essential aspects of the accreditation and reaccreditation process. This presentation will cover key areas that often challenge organizations and provide practical advice for a smoother experience:

Drawing on their years of experience, the panelists will share simple strategies to reduce stress and improve the COA accreditation process. Whether you’re preparing for a review or organizing the process, these insights will help streamline preparations and make the journey more manageable.

By focusing on these five key areas, this session aims to make the accreditation process less stressful and more rewarding. Join us for an informative discussion that will leave you better equipped to navigate and succeed in the accreditation journey!

Learning Objectives

Presenters

Justin Loehr
Senior Director of Campus Life Services
Omaha Home for Boys

Brandy Gustoff
Chief Operating Officer
Omaha Home for Boys

Darrell Woodliff
Director of Volunteer Engagement
Social Current

In an era where philanthropy is evolving rapidly, executives must equip themselves with the knowledge and tools necessary to navigate the complexities of engaging high net-worth individuals (HNWIs), wealth managers/family offices, family foundations, and impact investors. This workshop aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the modern fundraising landscape, emphasizing innovative strategies that resonate with today’s philanthropists. It will discuss:

  1. Understanding the Philanthropic Landscape
    • Philanthropy in 2025: Learn about the current state of the philanthropic sector and trends in philanthropy
    • Motivations of HNWIs: Gain insights into what drives wealthy individuals to give, including personal values, family legacy, and the desire to create social change
    • Family Foundations: Explore the dynamics of family foundations, including governance structures, decision-making processes, and the importance of aligning philanthropic efforts with family values
    • Incentives: How tax laws are changing impact investing and other forms of giving
  2. Building Effective Relationships:
    • Personalized Engagement: Learn strategies for crafting tailored communication plans with compelling narratives that align with HNWIs’ philanthropic goals and interests
    • Long-Term Relationship Cultivation: Discuss techniques for nurturing relationships over time, focusing on ongoing engagement rather than one-time donations
  3. Impact Investing:
    • Understanding Impact Investing: Defining impact investing and its relevance in today’s fundraising efforts; how these investments prioritize social or environmental impact alongside financial returns
    • Strategies for Engaging Impact Investors: Identify ways to present opportunities to potential impact investors, including project alignment with their values and clearly defined metrics for success
  4. Other Innovative Fundraising Strategies:
    • Leveraging Technology: Explore the role of digital tools and platforms in reaching HNWIs and family foundations; discuss how data can inform fundraising strategies and enhance donor engagement
    • Creating Unique Experiences: Develop ideas for experiential fundraising initiatives that connect donors with the mission in meaningful ways, including policy events, site visits to projects, or tailored volunteer opportunities

In this interactive workshop, participants will analyze successful fundraising campaigns that have effectively engaged HNWIs and family foundations. Discussions will highlight best practices and lessons learned. Participants also will have the opportunity to develop a message for a campaign to practice the skills.

Learning Objectives

Presenters

Sarah Beth Lardie
Chief Development Officer
Social Current

This session will explore the concept of trauma-informed performance management, an innovative approach that shifts the focus from solely client-centered care to prioritizing staff well-being. Participants will learn how to recognize and address the signs of trauma among staff members and understand the importance of creating a supportive work environment that fosters resilience and empowerment.

It will also address the challenges that arise when trauma-informed practices are misapplied, leading to staff burnout and organizational strain due to tolerance of poor performance. We will discuss strategies to maintain high-quality standards, while being sensitive to the personal experiences of employees. This includes setting clear expectations, providing constructive feedback, and ensuring that trauma-informed principles do not excuse unprofessional behavior, but rather guide the path to recovery and excellence.

By the end of this training, participants will be equipped with the tools to implement a balanced trauma-informed performance management system that upholds the organization’s mission and values without compromising on quality and accountability.

Learning Objectives

Presenters

Kiera McGillivray
Chief Program Officer of School Based Initiatives
Co-Director of the Brain Science Training Institute
Children & Families First

Shannon Fisch
Director of Operations & Risk Management
Co-Director of the Brain Science Training Institute
Children & Families First

Would you like to whistle all the way home from work? Do you wish you could fully leverage the power of your organization’s culture? Would you like to have the opportunity to learn about and implement strategies that ensure your services and organization’s success?

If the answer to these questions is a resounding YES, join Dr. Dann for a high-energy, high-impact training on the power of positive organizational culture.

We all operate within an organizational culture. Our social nature and desire to belong shapes membership behavior, and the culture that grows because of this phenomenon can become the defining measure for organizational success or failure. This interactive and engaging session will open the window to understanding your organization’s normative culture, as well as strategies to ensure the presence of positive organizational culture. A rising tide lifts all boats! A positive organizational culture makes the seemingly impossible possible!

Through this session, participants will come away with concrete strategies to ensure that their organization’s culture becomes a powerful source for ensuring success. Participants will explore proven strategies to ensure the presence of a mission-focused, positive organizational culture. Explore the power of WE, learn the connection between your program/organization’s culture and employee resilience and retention. Develop strategies to ensure positive norms that support diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. Learn about the connection between your organization’s systems and a positive organizational culture. Develop strategies to leverage communication and feedback practices.
And don’t forget – during this session we’ll have some fun!

Learning Objectives

Presenters

Paul Dann
President and CEO of North American Family Institute
North American Family Institute

Social Current supports organizations nationwide in embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in their culture and operations. To walk the walk and not just talk the talk, Social Current has made its own commitment, beginning its EDI journey when it was formed in 2021.

This session will offer insight into the work that must be done across an organization at all levels – staff and governance – to truly embrace and build operations, governance, and organizational culture of equity, diversity, inclusion, belonging, and antiracism. While the focus of each may take a different approach, to truly integrate and sustain an EDI culture requires ongoing involvement and investment of both staff and board members. One of Social Current’s staff leads and the chair of the board’s EDI committee will share their experience, including specific strategies and steps to take to move an organization forward on their journey. Candid reflection around barriers will help others to understand and prepare for the inevitable challenges that will be encountered along the way.

Learning Objectives

Moderator

Jody Levison-Johnson
President and CEO
Social Current

Presenters

Turaia Ahsan
Accreditation Coordinator
Social Current

Alexandra L. Cawthorne Gaines
Executive Director for Global Public Policy
JPMorgan Chase & Co
and
EDI Committee Chair
Social Current Board of Directors

This working session will open a space for exploring how narrative and mindset change efforts, which are underway across the sector, could be strengthened with evidence related to economic and concrete supports. In addition, there is a need to infuse the delivery of the economic and concrete support information in alignment with new messages that propel mindset change.

Learning Objectives

Presenters

Gretchen Cusick
Senior Research Fellow
Chapin Hall

A panel of COA Accreditation peer reviewers will offer guidance on the following areas:

The panelists are all seasoned peer reviewers and will be able to help participants break down these areas and make the accreditation or reaccreditation process less stressful and a more rewarding experience. This presentation is for those interested in learning more details about the COA Accreditation process from those that are in the field reviewing organizations.

Through our many years of experience, the panelists have learned simple tips for making the accreditation process easier on the reviewers and organization staff who are responsible for leading the accreditation process. Through four key areas, this session looks to take participants on a path that will make the review process less stressful, easier to organize, and maybe a little fun. The key to the accreditation process is to showcase organizations. In most cases there is a lot of stress and panic that can be avoided. Please join us for what we hope is an exciting look at these topics and allow us to help you get through your site visit a little easier.

Learning Objectives

Presenters

Justin Loehr
Senior Director of Campus Life Services
Omaha Home for Boys

Brandy Gustoff
Chief Operating Officer
Omaha Home for Boys

This is the second session of a two-part advocacy training during SPARK 2023. This training will equip participants with the information and skills to effectively participate in Social Current’s Hill Day, immediately following the conference, Oct. 18. This session is required for those participating in Hill Day, and all SPARK 2023 participants are invited to join.

This second training session will focus on advanced advocacy strategies, equipping participants with the skills to navigate policymaking and advocate for their causes.

The session will cover the following topics:

This training overlaps with Session D Workshops and part of lunch.

View Part 1 of the training.

Presenters

Blair Abelle-Kiser
Senior Director of Government Affairs
Social Current

Derry Kiernan
Field Mobilization & Policy Manager
Social Current