Nonprofit Practices Institute (NPI)

Capacity-Building for Nonprofits

At the Icicle Fund, we believe that true collaboration includes deep and on-going organizational support. By building the capacity of our partners, we help them achieve sustainability, enhance their work, and further our mission.

The Nonprofit Practices Institute (NPI) is a partnership between the Icicle Fund and the Community Foundation of NCW. Established to provide capacity-building and professional development opportunities for nonprofit organizations across North Central Washington, NPI offers training, workshops, seminars, and other learning and networking opportunities tailored specifically to the needs of our regional nonprofits.

Through regular and consistent offerings, we are thrilled to help build a stronger and more resilient non-profit sector in North Central Washington.

current events:

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

5:00pm - 7:30pm

YWCA Empowerment Center

212 First St, Wenatchee

 The Nonprofit Practices Institute and YWCA NCW are partnering to bring you quarterly Board Social & Networking events! Join us for light refreshments and an opportunity to meet and network with board members from across the Wenatchee Valley.

 Is your organization interested in partnering with us to host a Board Gathering in another community in NCW? Please reach out to Claire Oatey, Director of Community Engagement, at claire@cfncw.org.

STARTING MARCH 20-22, 2024

The Nonprofit Practices Institute and Thriving Together NCW are bringing the Grant Writing Road Trip Summit to North Central Washington this spring! This series has been created to offer professional grant writing training to nonprofits across North Central Washington.

The 101, 201, and 301 courses must be taken sequentially. You may sign up for the entire series at once if you plan to take them all (although you will register for each class/location individually). You can also sign up for just 101 if you do not plan to take the others, but you cannot take 301 without 201 or 201 without 101.

 Cost: $25 per class (email claire@cfncw.org to inquire about scholarships)

Capacity: 25 participants per course (no more than 1 participant from a single organization)

101 Grant Writing Essentials

Choose a location:

·    March 20, 2024 - 10am-3pm, Omak

·    March 21, 2024 - 10am-3pm, Wenatchee

·    March 22, 2024 - 10am-3pm, Moses Lake

Begin your journey into learning the skills of grantwriting. This one-day session will get you up to speed on the five sections of a grant proposal and teach you to navigate through common roadblocks. You will begin writing a grant proposal with step-by-step guidance, identifying essential waypoints to develop a compelling and concise proposal.

201 Advanced Grant Writing

Choose a location:

·    April 23, 2024 - 10am-3pm, Pateros

·    April 24, 2024 - 10am-3pm, Quincy

Building from your work in the first session, cruise into advanced strategies of grant writing such as incorporating storytelling, empowering language, framing theory, powerful statistics, and powerful impact.

301 Government Grants

One location:

·    April 25, 2024 - 10am-3pm, Wenatchee

In this final session, learn how to find federal grant opportunities, understand requests for proposal (RFPs), and write federal grant proposals.

Learn more and register: Grant Writing Road Trip Summit - Community Foundation of North Central Washington (cfncw.org)

past events:

FEBRUARY 10, 2023 9 AM to 1130 AM via ZOOM

Getting Good Guidance is a free 2.5-hour workshop that will prepare nonprofit leaders to undertake organizational development projects with their staff, board, and outside consultants.

Featuring nonprofit leadership, strategy, and governance consultants Andy Fife and Craig Howard, this workshop will provide an overview of common capacity-building topics such as strategic planning, board development, fundraising, strategic communications planning, diversity and equity, succession planning, and more. 

In the presentation, Fife and Howard will review the standard process for planning and change management, providing examples from other organizations, and defining the roles and responsibilities between staff, board, and consultants. Finally, the workshop will dig into best practices in searching for, hiring, and working with consultants that help with strategy and planning.

This presentation will cover:

• What is Organizational Development?

• Process for Organizational Development

• Roles and Responsibilities

• Case Study Examples

• Working with a Consultant

• Q&A

This workshop will be recorded - if you're unable to attend, please still register so you can receive the recorded link.

FEBRUARY 1, 2023

Strategic Consulting Grant Opens February 1st

The Community Foundation of NCW, Icicle Fund, and North Central Accountable Community of Health (NCACH) are partnering together to offer Strategic Consulting Grants for NCW nonprofits in 2023 and 2024. These $5,000 grants are designed for local nonprofits to collaborate directly with a consultant of their choice on a project to strengthen the organization’s ability to fulfill its mission and build towards long-term organizational resiliency. The application opens February 1st and 13 grants are available for 2023. Learn more here.

APRIL - JUNE 2022

icicle fund sponsors central washington nonprofit network’s

2022 Conference for the Greater Good DECONSTRUCTED

The Central Washington Conference for the Greater Good is the annual gathering of nonprofit and philanthropic people from across the region.

Each year the Conference is shaped around what our nonprofits need now. After conversations with colleagues across the region, CWNN has designed a “deconstructed” conference in which the threads of this annual event will be delivered separately, with opportunities to weave together ideas and actions in both regional and peer gatherings online and in person.

The main threads of the Conference are:

• Two keynotes designed to inspire us to reimagine how to do our work

• Two workshops on topics linked to burnout, staffing, equity, and the leadership pipeline

• Three ways to connect with colleagues

• Celebration and connection

The cost is $80 per participant for the Conference All Access Pass or $72 with the NPI Discount (see below)

• Includes all of the Conference activities, emails to help you get ready and stay connected, and the Conference program

• The Nonprofit Practices Institute is offering a 10% discount for this conference - be sure to use the code 22NPILEARN when registering.

Groups are welcome as a great way to increase accountability, action, and shared understanding. However, please purchase a "Conference All Access Pass" for each individual in your group for the Conference so they receive their own Zoom links and experience tailored to their role. An administrator can register up to 5 people at a time by clicking "Register" and selecting "5". You will then be asked to provide your info plus registration details for all 5 attendees.

Conference Calendar

April 13 – KEYNOTE – “Reimagining the Nonprofit” with Shari Dunn
April 19 – KEYNOTE – “Shared Work: Working Across Difference Over Time” with Tuesday Ryan-Hart
May – PEER CONVERSATIONS (to be scheduled in April)
May 3 – COMMUNITY CONVERSATION – Ellensburg
May 4 – COMMUNITY CONVERSATION – Twisp
May 5 – COMMUNITY CONVERSATION – Wenatchee
May 6 – CONVERSATION – “Nonprofit Radio Show LIVE” with Nancy Bacon & Sarah Brooks
May 10 – COMMUNITY CONVERSATION – Yakima
May 10 – WORKSHOP – “The Power of Allocations: True Program Cost Accounting” with Diverge Finance Cooperative
May 11 – COMMUNITY CONVERSATION – Kennewick
May 12 – COMMUNITY CONVERSATION – Online
May 24 – WORKSHOP – “Your People Strategy: Leadership, Succession, and Solutions” with Melanie Montgomery & Skye Mercer
June 9 – CELEBRATION in Yakima (we encourage celebrations in other communities as well)

For more information click here