Grow is a capacity building platform

Introduction to Grantwriting for Faith Leaders
2026-08-06 13:00 - 14:30 (America/Chicago) | Online
Please note, this is a multiday series. The listed date is for the first session only.
Introduction to Grantwriting for Faith Leaders has three basic objectives:

Consider the role that grant funding can play in your organization’s whole approach to resources
Learn about basic fundraising tools from the perspective of grant funding
Receive practical tools and strategies to find and successfully write grants
Bonus: Discover tools and practices for evaluation and keeping track of activities throughout the reporting period

Date and structure of program:

The online learning platform opens Thursday, July 30; the first plenary session is Thursday, August 6.
The class will meet live online one time each week via Zoom:
– Thursdays (August 6-20): Interactive 90 minute plenary session at 2:00-3:30 pm Eastern Time.
– Bonus session on Thursday, August 27 at 2:00 pm Eastern.
Additional resources provided through the learning platform.
In total, you can expect about two hours each week for synchronous and asynchronous lessons.

Cost:

$299
Cancellations made by July 27, 2026 may receive a refund of the amount paid less a $15 processing fee. Cancellations after that date may transfer to another offering. Please submit cancellations in writing to iuconfs@iu.edu and anmbrock@iu.edu.

Financial Management for Nonprofit Leaders and Board Members: A Financial Literacy Series
2026-08-11 08:30 - 11:00, 2026-09-21 10:15 - 12:00, 2026-10-27 08:30 - 11:00, 2026-11-02 10:15 - 12:00 | Welborn Community Room, 20 NW Third St., Suite 1500, Evansville, 47708, United States
This training series on financial management is designed to equip individuals and organizations with the necessary skills to understand, interpret and navigate financial reports and processes. The series covers a wide range of topics including financial statements, budgeting, financial planning, and sustainability. Participants will learn about the roles and responsibilities of board members, executive directors, and other leaders in the budgeting process. The training will also provide insights into financial literacy and how to prevent fiscal fraud, which are critical for any nonprofit organization’s success. With a focus on practical and applicable knowledge, the training series aims to empower nonprofits with the tools they need to make informed financial decisions, ensure financial stability, and maximize their impact. By the end of the series, participants will have a solid foundation in financial management, enabling them to better understand their organization’s financial health, identify areas for improvement, and take appropriate actions to achieve their financial goals. This training series will be presented by Fiscalign.
Series Dates and Locations:

8/11/2026, 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM , In-person at the Welborn Baptist Foundation in the Welborn Community Room
9/21/2026, 10:15 AM – 12:00 PM, Virtual, a Zoom link will be shared
10/27/2026, 8:30 AM – 11:00 AM , In-person at the Welborn Baptist Foundation in the Welborn Community Room
11/2/2026, 10:15 AM – 12:00 PM, Virtual, a Zoom link will be shared

Clergy Tax: Does Anyone Actually Know the Rules?
2026-08-20 10:00 - 11:30 | Camp Reveal, 1042 E Boonville-New Harmony Rd, Evansville, IN, 47725, United States
Clergy tax remains one of the most misunderstood areas of taxation for churches and ministry leaders—but understanding the rules can make a significant difference for clergy.

This introductory session will cover important topics including housing allowance, FICA exemption, clergy tax qualifications, and the opportunities and challenges surrounding implementation. The workshop is designed to be practical, approachable, and helpful for both active and retired clergy as well as church and HR staff.

The session will be led by Kevin M. Bittner, CPA, founder and president of Bittner Tax Service, LLC, a firm specializing in clergy taxation and nonprofit accounting solutions.

Board Champions 101
2026-08-26 08:30 - 12:30 | Welborn Community Room, 20 NW Third St., Suite 1500, Evansville, 47708, United States
The Board Champions ™ 101-level program provides a critical overview of nonprofit leadership and Board governance. Leaders will explore the vital tactical elements of roles of the Board in nonprofit leadership as well as specific responsibilities of governance. The program provides participants with leading practices in Board excellence along with practical application and understanding of the realities of nonprofit governance. Participants leave prepared and inspired to assume a greater leadership role in helping build a flourishing community. Specific topics covered include but are not limited to: 4 vital roles of the Board; The nonprofit lifecycle; Lanes of success – boundaries between Board and staff; Traditional Board leadership structures and decision making; Fiduciary duties of Board members; How to evaluate potential Board service opportunities. This will be offered as an open offering. Seating will be limited. Contracted consultant partner, Greg Nielsen of Nielsen Training & Consulting, LLC.

Evaluation 101
2026-09-09 08:30 - 12:30 | Welborn Community Room, 20 NW Third St., Suite 1500, Evansville, 47708, United States
Overview
This training will review the competencies and elements to introduce participants to evaluation concepts. Our Evaluation 101 training covers implementing systems and a structure to set an organization up for success and embed evaluation into their organizational practices. We will highlight the steps involved in creating an evaluation system and prepare participants to begin similar processes in their own organizations that are aligned to their data management plans. This workshop introduces the concept of logic models, SMART outcomes, and an organizational learning culture. This half-day session will dive into the importance of data systems and procedures and how to develop them. We will share examples of how to develop processes to ensure consistency in how data is collected, stored, and analyzed. We will also cover the implications of when organizations do not have these procedures. Participants will walk about with concrete action steps they can carry out!

Workshop Objectives:

Participants will understand basic evaluation terms and processes, including the four steps of program evaluation.
Participants will gain skills to establish clear outcomes and outputs, collect clean data, analyze data, and implement evaluation procedures.
Participants will understand the goals of process evaluations and outcome evaluations.
Participants will identify successes and challenges with the procedures used to collect, store, and analyze the data.

Who should attend?
Ideal participants are those that are looking to learn how to build a compelling grant narrative using data and relevant information, primarily using or leaning into the Grow/SAVI data tool for data usage.
* Following each session, attendees will be asked to complete a brief survey.
Instructed by: Transform Consulting Group

Grant Writing with Impact: Using Data to Strengthen Your Case
2026-09-30 09:30 - 11:00 | Online
Nonprofit organizations play a critical role in addressing community needs, yet many face challenges in clearly articulating those needs and demonstrating their impact in grant applications. While organizations often collect valuable program data and have access to publicly available data sources, they may lack the tools, confidence, or capacity to effectively translate that information into compelling, data-informed narratives. As a result, strong programs can be overlooked for funding—not due to lack of impact, but due to an inability to clearly communicate needs and outcomes.
This workshop is designed to address that gap by equipping nonprofit leaders with practical, accessible strategies to confidently use data in their grant writing. Participants will leave with guidance on how to identify, gather, and apply both publicly available data and their program data to strengthen grant proposals.
By the end of the session, participants will learn to:

Develop the ability to build clear, compelling grant narratives
Increase confidence in identifying and using publicly available data sources
Gain practical skills in using tools such as the new community dashboard to access community data
Strengthen their ability to communicate program impact using their own data

By building participants’ confidence and capacity to use data effectively, this workshop will help organizations develop stronger, data-informed proposals that more accurately reflect both the urgency of community needs and the impact of their work.
This training will be presented by Transform Consulting Group.
Following the session, attendees will be asked to complete a brief survey.
Please Note: This training was previously titled Using Data in Grant Writing. While the title and description have been updated, the content remains the same and continues to provide the same valuable information and learning experience.

SAVI Super User Data Literacy Series 2026
2026-10-22 08:00 - 16:00 | Welborn Community Room, 20 NW Third St., Suite 1500, Evansville, 47708, United States
Empower yourself to turn data into insight with confidence. In this dynamic workshop, participants will learn how to use SAVI effectively – building the skills needed not only to navigate the platform with ease, but also to support others with basic technical guidance and data questions. You’ll gain practical experience designing measurable questions, avoiding common data pitfalls, uncovering and applying qualitative insights, and creating clear, compelling charts. Through a high-impact mix of hands-on practice and live demonstrations, this workshop equips you with the tools, confidence, and data literacy that can help you to make smarter, data-informed decisions.
Who should attend?
Ideal participants are those that are looking to have a more in-depth understanding of SAVI mechanics, basics of data literacy, pitfalls, sensemaking, storytelling and informed decision making.
What do I need for the training?
We will ask that you bring your own laptop to the training, this will be required. If this is an issue, please reach out to the Grow Team for assistance. Wifi and access to power will be provided.
Lunch will be provided. If you have any dietary restrictions, please indicate these details in the registration form.
Useful knowledge before attending
Some experience working with data and familiarity with SAVI is helpful. If you are interested in scheduling a SAVI 101, please contact us.

2026 Nonprofit Excellence Symposium
2026-10-23 08:00 - 14:30 | University of Southern Indiana, 8600 University Blvd, Evansville, IN, 47712, United States
The Nonprofit Excellence Symposium brings together professionals from local businesses and nonprofits for a half-day of workshops, presentations, idea sharing, and networking open to USI students and anyone who works in or is interested in the nonprofit sector.

Board Champions 201
2026-10-26 08:30 - 12:30 | Welborn Community Room, 20 NW Third St., Suite 1500, Evansville, 47708, United States
201 Level Training: Habits and Practices of Healthy Boards
*Training for those serving as board members who want to expand their understanding*
The Board Champions ™ 201-level program allows Board members to explore the habits and practices of effective governance, reflect on their strengths, and emerge more energized, engaged, and prepared to excel. Board members will explore practical and refreshingly unique ways to establish the habits and practices necessary for effective governance capable of translating bold vision into reality. Moving beyond a simple review of Board roles and responsibilities, members will dive deep into the key practices of dynamic nonprofit Boards and the lines of authority between Board and staff—potential pitfalls to avoid, as well as current trends and hot topics. Board members will sharpen their skills and leave prepared to embody excellence in nonprofit governance. Specific topics covered include but are not limited to: 5 Habits of Healthy Boards; DEI and Governance; Ethics in governance; Reimagining the traditional Board meeting; Cultivating productive committees; Addressing conflict productively. This will be offered as an open offering. Seating will be limited. Contracted consultant partner Greg Nielsen of Nielsen Training & Consulting, LLC.

Community Leadership Program
2026-10-27 - 2026-10-29 | The Barn Abbey, 504 North St, New Harmony, IN, 47631, United States
Servant leadership is ideology upon which Leadership Everyone was built. Each program offered by our staff is specifically designed to develop the servant leader that lies within each of the participants. Offering varying structures of the Community Leadership Program, Leadership Everyone wishes to help you find your servant leadership potential. With the guidance of our staff and the retrospective insight from class members, you will partake in an immersive experience.
The Leadership Everyone staff encourages you to explore the various program options and dates. If any questions arise, please feel free to contact our office.

2027 Nonprofit Excellence Symposium
2027-10-22 08:00 - 14:30 | University of Southern Indiana, 8600 University Blvd, Evansville, IN, 47712, United States
