Foundation Expands Virtual Training and Consulting for Non-Profits

Gulf Coast Community Foundation Reimagines Invest in Incredible Nonprofit Capacity-Building Initiative in Response to COVID-19 Crisis

Gulf Coast Community Foundation has produced a variety of digital training and information resources, including pre-recorded webcasts and a series of interactive webinars, to support nonprofit organizations through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Branded I³Digital, the suite of offerings stems from a transformation of the foundation’s highly popular Invest in Incredible (I³) nonprofit capacity-building initiative. The I³Digital resources can be accessed online at GulfCoastCF.org/i3digital.

“With COVID-19, we had to quickly reimagine our capacity-building offerings for our nonprofit partners,” said Veronica Thames, Gulf Coast Community Foundation’s Chief Operating Officer and staff lead on the I³ initiative. “We focused on addressing their most urgent needs and on delivering training and knowledge in an easily accessible way. Our I³ consultants have done an amazing job of transforming what they do to meet our nonprofit partners where they are right now.”

Gulf Coast has organized its I³Digital content into three main subject areas:

·         Operations and staff support, including guidance on organizational leadership and communications technology

·         Finance and fundraising best practices and opportunities

·         COVID-19 legislation and government resources

To date, Gulf Coast’s I³ team has produced 15 videos on topics ranging from remote governance and fundraising strategies for board members and executives to resilience training and mental-health self-care for nonprofit staffs and volunteers.

“The webinar on HR policies with COVID-19 impact delivered very valuable, pertinent information in a timely manner,” said one webinar participant. “[Presenter] Laurie Huebner was outstanding, knowledgeable, and insightful on each topic—HIPAA, I-9, furloughs, layoffs, reductions in force, and OSHA.”

Gulf Coast Community also has streamlined access to the professional consulting services it provides through I³. Rather than require nonprofits to complete the traditional application used for intensive consulting engagements, according to Thames, the foundation is providing almost immediate access to its I³ consultants for challenges that can be addressed in a short amount of time. To learn more about nonprofit consulting services provided through I³, email i3Director@gulfcoastcf.org.