Fueling Knowledge, Fostering Impact: Unveiling United Way Academy’s Non-Profit Learning Experience!
Get ready to ignite your curiosity and enhance your skills with our diverse and engaging offerings. From interactive workshops to thought-provoking classes, we have something for everyone. Whether you’re passionate about personal development, career advancement, or contributing to community impact, United Way Academy is your go to place for training and development. Join us in creating an environment of learning, growth, and connection.
Browse through our upcoming schedule that is open to all United Way Safety Net partners and secure your spot for an enriching experience that goes beyond the ordinary. Let the journey to knowledge and inspiration begin at United Way Academy – where learning meets purpose.
We are also excited to offer The Volunteer Management Training Series presented by United Way of Greater St. Louis Volunteer Center. This comprehensive, four-session series is appropriate for new staff and seasoned professionals and will give individuals better insight into utilizing your organization’s volunteers more effectively. Click here to learn more about this opportunity!
Tap Into Free, Professional Supoprt for your Nonprofit!
Need help with marketing, strategy, finance, or other key projects? Our partners at the St. Louis Community Foundation offers local nonprofits free access to Catchafire — an online platform that connects you with skilled volunteers who are ready to help. From graphic design to grant writing, you’ll find expert support to strengthen your organization and maximize your impact.
Help WashU Better Support Your Organization’s Training Needs
As part of our ongoing efforts to strengthen nonprofit leadership and capacity, WashU is exploring how to best align their Fundamentals of Nonprofit Management Program with the needs of organizations like yours.
WashU is interested in how they can best support your organization in the Fundamentals of Nonprofit Management Program. Please complete this brief survey to help them determine the best timing and format for future offerings:
Your input is invaluable and will help ensure the program is accessible and relevant to your team’s development goals.
Exciting News: United Way Academy’s Partnership with NRMC!
We are excited to share that United Way Academy has partnered with the Nonprofit Risk Management Center (NRMC) to provide your organization with a fully paid 12-month affiliate membership!
This exclusive membership grants you access to a wealth of risk management resources, including:
✔️ Live risk management webinars (every other month)
✔️ Access to a library of 200+ recorded webinars
✔️ Risk Help™ – Direct access to expert advice on governance, legal risks, employment practices, and more
✔️ Discounts on risk management tools, assessments, and publications
Your membership is active, and you can start utilizing these benefits today! To access your affiliate membership, visit nonprofitrisk.org and follow the registration steps under Membership > Affiliate Registration. Please see the attached flyer for more details.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out to Whitney Thomey at 571-307-4321 or whitney@nonprofitrisk.org.
We hope you take full advantage of these valuable resources!
Brown School’s Summer Institute professional development series
UWA Scholarship Amount $250.00
Agency Cost $99.00
The United Way of St. Louis is proud to partner with the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis for the 7th year in a row to offer staff at United Way member agencies scholarships and advanced registration in the Brown School’s Summer Institute professional development series.
About Summer Institute:
The Brown School’s Summer Institute offers a selection of multi-day courses designed to build capacity and skills in management and leadership, fundraising, clinical skills and more. Taught by Brown faculty and affiliated facilitators, the coursework appeals to professionals in a variety of fields and at various levels of their career.
This year, 9 courses will be offered. Some will be virtual and some will be held in person at the Brown School. Please see the attached flier for complete course descriptions, instructors, dates, and times.
Contact BrownSI@wustl.edu for more information or questions about the courses.
Costs, Scholarship Discounts, and Benefits:
Summer Institute courses are open to the public at $399 (for-profit rate) and $349 (non-profit rate). The United Way scholarship covers $250 of the course fee, so member agencies can access this high-quality training for only $99.
15 Continuing Education Units (CEs) in Social Work are offered for each course (Public Health CPH units are also available for some courses). Participants do not receive grades or college credit. United Way continuing education badges are also issued for these courses.
Apply for the United Way Member Agency Scholarship:
Anyone interested in receiving a scholarship to attend Summer Institute should consult and gain approval from their agency leadership, then fill out this form as soon as possible. 48 scholarships are available. United Way staff will review applications and make determinations for approval on a rolling basis, so, you are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.
If approved for a United Way scholarship, the individual will be contacted by the Brown School and given a discount code to use with registration and check out. Please note that spots in the Brown School Summer Institute are filled on a first come, first served basis only, and cannot be held or reserved. It will be the scholarship recipient’s responsibility to use the scholarship code given to you to register for the course of their choice on the Brown School’s website as soon as possible. Payment of the agency discounted rate of $99 will be due at the time of registration.
If your agency is interested in sending multiple staff members to Summer Institute courses contact the Brown School directly at BrownSI@wustl.edu to learn about group rate discounts. APPLY FOR THE UNITED WAY MEMBER AGENCY SCHOLARSHIP TO ATTEND THE BROWN SCHOOL SUMMER INSTITUTE NOW!
When: Thursday, May 15, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Who: Executive Directors, CFOs, Finance Directors, Budget Managers, and Program Directors
Facilitator: Paul Ellebrecht, Collaborative Strategies, Inc
Location: Virtual
Strengthen financial stability and program sustainability through data-driven projections.
Key Topics:
• How to work with a forecasting model (revenues and expenses)
• Stress-testing different financial scenarios
Outcomes:
• Improved financial insights for better budgeting and resource allocation tools to analyze future funding fluctuations
• Strategies to align finance with mission priorities
Future-Proofing Your Nonprofit: Mastering Scenerio Planning
When: Thursday, May 29, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Who: Executive Directors, CEOs, Chief Operating Officers, Chief Development Officers, and select Board members.
Facilitator: Paul Ellebrecht, Collaborative Strategies, Inc
Location: Virtual
Help organizations begin to think about how their organization can prepare for and respond to different situations that may arise given the current funding landscape.
Objectives:
- Discuss potential scenarios that may play out in the future
- Help the participants start to brainstorm different bets they may make in order to prepare for those situations
- Engaging teams and stakeholders in collaborative scenario exercises
Outcomes:
- An understanding of how to think about different scenarios that may occur
- An initial brainstorming of some potential opportunities that the organizations may pursue in order to prepare for future scenarios
- Increased confidence in making decisions under uncertainty
Strategic Synergy: Unlocking High-Impact Partnerships
When: Thursday, June 5, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Who: Executive Directors, Development Directors, Program Directors, and Partnership Managers
Facilitator: Paul Ellebrecht, Collaborative Strategies, Inc
Location: Virtual
Enhance impact and sustainability through increased collaboration and strategic alliances.
Objectives
• What are the different types of partnerships that an organization could pursue?
• Selecting the right partnership format (and partner), given an organization’s goals
• Techniques for exploring partnerships with other organizations
• Examples of different partnerships
Outcomes:
• Framework for assessing and selecting high-value partnerships
• Increased knowledge of partnership opportunities
Success Planning for Non-Profit Financial Stability
When: Thursday, June 26, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Who: Executive Directors / CEOs, Chief Financial Officers / Finance Directors, COOs / Operations Directors – as they often play a key role in system implementation and internal infrastructure, Board Members (especially those on Finance or Governance Committees
Facilitator: Tosha Anderson, The Charity CFO
Location: Virtual
Leadership transitions are inevitable—but financial disruption doesn’t have to be. This session equips nonprofit leaders with a practical framework to prepare for executive turnover while ensuring uninterrupted financial operations. We’ll explore how to create a succession-ready finance function by implementing resilient systems, documenting essential processes, and building internal leadership pipelines.
Throughout the session, we’ll reference established best practices, including insights from The Charity CFO Financial Blueprint—a guide informed by the collective experience of hundreds of mission-driven organizations navigating financial transformation and leadership change. Participants will gain clarity on what strong financial infrastructure looks like and how to begin implementing these practices immediately within their own organizations.
Objectives
- Identify critical financial systems and responsibilities that must remain stable through leadership transitions
- Understand how process documentation, training, and internal controls protect institutional knowledge
- Develop financial leadership pipelines through cross-training and mentorship
- Create an interim financial oversight plan, including board engagement and short-term leadership solutions
- Begin aligning succession plans with their organization’s long-term financial strategy and sustainability goals