Training and Networking

NETWORKING: BUILDING STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS FOR BETTER RESULTS

ACAM’s Training and Networking Program promotes best practices, peer learning and information exchange. Peer mentoring relationships are developed among executive directors. This component also helps to build relationships between ACAM members, funders and community partners.

Members have ownership over their networking groups and trainings to ensure that offerings meet their needs. Peer learning and networking are vital to successful organizational development. ACAM empowers its members to learn from each other and grow together to coordinate services, to better plan for services and to allow organizations to focus on their core competencies. To strengthen this network ACAM convenes the following five groups, each with a different focus, for the purpose of networking, training and collaboration:

• Executive Directors

• Volunteer Management

• Program Development

• Resource Development

• Thrift Store Institute

ACAM also hosts events for funders and ministries to develop connections outside of the framework of the “ask/ give” relationship. These networking opportunities provide a venue for community assistance ministry leadership and funders to learn about topics of mutual interest, to exchange information about best practices and to gain perspective about each other’s work in the community.

ACAM helps members utilize their collective strength to accomplish joint projects.  In addition, ACAM members have received exposure in regional and national media, including articles in the Conference of Southwest Foundations newsletter, the Association of Small Foundations newsletter and the Texas Nonprofits Website.

TRAINING: KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

ACAM offers nonprofit training and speakers to its members free of charge. These training sessions have broached various topics that help increase the knowledge-base and skills of ACAM members. Some recent training sessions that were made available by ACAM include:

•  Building Coaching Skills Interactive Workshop

•  Social Media and Volunteer Engagement

•  Evaluating Volunteer Programs

•  Turning Knowledge to Action – Creating an Action Plan and Peer Coaching

•  Getting Started with Social Enterprise