Topics



Peter Brinckerhoff has been providing highly rated training to not-for-profit organizations, management support organizations, state and national associations, foundations, and units of government since 1982. Peter offers training customized to your needs. A list of currently offered training topics is shown below. This list is updated regularly.

Training topics can be mixed together depending on the time allotted for the presentation. Most of the topics shown below are available in keynote, half-day and full-day formats. Two half-day sessions on different topics can be combined. In addition, any of these topics can be provided in a webinar format.

All  training sessions come with the PowerPoint file to facilitate the printing of participant handouts.

Current Training Topics

If you are interested in seeing sample agendas simply scroll down to the appropriate topic. Remember, most of these sessions come in keynote, half-day and full day formats.

  •   Best Practices in Nonprofit Governance
  •   Smart Stewardship  (Based on Peter's newest book)
  •   Generations: (based on Peter's most recent McAdam Award-winning book)
  •   Mission-Based Management 3.0 (Based the third edition of the McAdam Award-winning book)
  •   Mission-Based Management in Tough Financial Times
  •   Nonprofit Stewardship
  •   Mission-Based Marketing 3.0 (based on the 3rd Edition, published in 2010)
  •   Social Entrepreneurship
  •   Financial Empowerment
  •   Faith-Based Management
  •   Keynotes (based on any topic above)
  •   Custom Training

Sample Agendas

Best Practices in Nonprofit Governance

  • 9:00 Setting the stage for Governance
  • 9:15 Starting Questions about Governance (small group work)
  • 10:15 Break
  • 10:30 Best Practices In Governance
  • 11:00 Trends in Governance that Boards Are Wrestling With
  • 11:30 Reducing Board Liability
  • 12:00 Lunch
  • 1:00 The Responsibilities of Boards and Staff to Improve Governance
  • 2:00 Building (and Keeping) the Best Board for Your Nonprofit
  • 2:45 Break
  • 3:00 Making the Best Stewardship Decisions: A Decision Tree
  • 3:45 Best Governance in Difficult Times
  • 4:30 Recap and Closing

Smart Stewardship for Nonprofits: Making the Best Decisions in Good Times and Bad (Based on Peter's newest book)

  • 9:00 What's a Smart Steward?
  • 9:30 The Keys to Smart Stewardship in Your Nonprofit
  • 10:00 The Smart Stewardship Decision Tree
  • 10:30 Break
  • 10:45 Mission and Values
  • 11:30 Understanding Competence and Capacity
  • 12:00 Lunch
  • 1:00 The True Cost of Growth
  • 2:00 Innovation as the Norm for Your Nonprofit
  • 2:45 Break
  • 3:00 Going to Scale
  • 3:45 Smart Stewardship in Difficult Times
  • 4:30 Recap and Closing

  Generations: (based on Peter's most recent McAdam Award-winning book)

  • 9:00 Generational Overview
  • 9:30 Six Trends that Matter
  • 10:30 Break
  • 10:45 Generations and...
    • The People You Serve
    • Board and Volunteers
    • Staff
  • 12:00 Lunch
  • 1:00 Generations and...
    • Marketing
    • Technology
    • Finance
  • 2:00 Small Group Work
  • 2:45 Break
  • 3:00 What you Can Do Now: The Six Big Actions
  • 3:45 Questions and Resources
  • 4:00 Adjournment

  Mission-Based Management 3.0 (Based on the 3rd Edition of Peter's award-winning book)

  •     8:30 Introductions
  •     8:35 What is Mission-Based Management?
  •     9:00 Getting More From Your Mission
  •     9:30 Ethics, Accountability and Transparency
  •     10:00 Building a Businesslike Board
  •     10:30  Break
  •     10:45 Mission-Based Staff Management
  •     11:30 Embracing Technology for Mission
  •     12:15 Lunch
  •     1:15  Becoming A Social Entrepreneur  
  •     1:45 Mission-Based Marketing
  •     2:45 Break
  •     3:00 Financial Empowerment
  •     3:30 Planning and Controls
  •     4:00 Adjournment

  Mission-Based Management in Tough Financial Times (only available in 1/2 day format)

  • 8:30 Key Philosophies and Predictions
  • 9:00 What is a Nonprofit Steward?
  • 9:30  Signs of Organizational Trouble
  • 10:15 Break
  • 10:30 Strategic Questions in a Crisis
  • 11:00 Tactical Questions and a Leadership Checklist
  • 11:30 The Stewardship Decision Tree
  • 11:50 Questions and Closing
  • 12:00  Adjournment

        (Note: this training can be done in 3 1/2 hours morning or afternoon.)

  Nonprofit Stewardship

  •     8:30 Introductions, Overview of the Day
  •     8:45 Understanding Stewardship
  •     9:00 How to Think Like a Steward
  •      9:30 How to Decide Like a Steward
  •     10:15 Break
  •     10:30 Implementing Stewardship
    •      Board Stewardship
    •      Staff Stewardship
  •     12:00 Lunch
  •     12:45 Stewardship for Funders
  •     1:15 Financial Stewardship
  •     2:30 Break
  •     2:45 Taking Good Risk
  •     3:15 Stewardship in Good Times and Bad
  •     3:45 Signs of Trouble
  •     4:15 Resources and Wrap-Up
  •     4:30 Adjournment

  Mission-Based Marketing 3.0 (based on the new 3rd Edition)

  •     8:30 Introductions, Overview of the Day
  •     8:45 Marketing-The Key to Better Mission
  •     9:30 The Marketing Cycle and Market Identification
  •     10:15 Break
  •     10:30 Competition and Market Research
  •     11:00 Asking Your Markets
  •     12:00 Lunch
  •     1:00 Tecnology and Marketing
  •     1:45 Better Marketing Materials
  •     2:30 Break
  •     2:45 Incredible Customer Service
  •     3:30 Marketing Planning
  •     4:00 Final Quiz
  •     4:15 Adjournment

  Social Entrepreneurship

  • 9:00 Welcome and Overview
  • 9:15 Why a Social Entrepreneur?
  • 10:00 How Do You Choose the Right Venture?
  • 10:30 Break
  • 10:45 Feasibility Studies
  • 11:15 The Business Plan
  • 12:00 Lunch
  • 1:00 The Business Plan Financials
  • 1:45 The Ten Biggest Mistakes
  • 2:00 Marketing Your Business
  • 2:45 Break
  • 3:00 Corporate Structures
  • 3:30 Related or Unrelated?
  • 4:00 Final Review & Adjournment

  Financial Empowerment

  • 8:30 What is Financial Empowerment?
  • 8:45 Empowerment Criteria
  • 9:15 How Much Money Will You Need?
  • 10:15 Break
  • 10:30 Working Better With Traditional Funders
  • 11:00 Business Development Lunch
  • 1:00 Financial Reporting
  • 1:45 Financing Your Empowerment
  • 2:30 Budgeting
  • 2:45 Break
  • 3:00 Pricing
  • 3:30 Financial Empowerment for Boards and CEOs
  • 4:15 Adjournment

  Faith-Based Management

  •     8:30 Introductions
  •     8:35 The Special Calling of Faith-Based Organizations
  •     9:00 The Different Roles of Staff and Board
  •     9:45 Break
  •     10:00 Staff Management
  •     11:00 Faith-Based Leadership
  •     12:00 Lunch
  •     1:00 Faith-Based Marketing
  •     2:00 Strategic Planning
  •     2:45 Break
  •     3:00 Working With Volunteers
  •     4:00 Final Review & Adjournment