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Nonprofit bylaws are not only necessary under the California Nonprofit Law, but also essential to obtaining and maintaining tax-exempt status. Aside from the legal and tax requirements, bylaws serve as an important roadmap to guide board governance, operations and decision-making. However, just mention the need to revisit or revise this important document, and most nonprofit board and staff members will shudder! Join us for this engaging discussion with Roy Schneider, Esq. and Jessica Villar, Esq., who will address bylaw basics, required provisions, and the process of taking on bylaw changes, then explore best practice approaches for streamline your governance practices.

Topics will include:

Why Bylaws Matter!
What is required by California law?
Key components of effective bylaws -- what should (and shouldn’t) be in the bylaws
The difference between bylaws and policies
Best practices for revising, amending and/or restating your organization’s bylaws, whether you are a membership or non-membership organization
Resources and checklists to help you navigate this process

Attendees are encouraged to bring a copy of their current bylaws and submit confidential questions for Roy to address during the workshop session.

With Katie Deutschman

Perfect for expanding your grant writing skills, this intermediate workshop dives into the art of proposal writing by exploring the planning phases and each component of a winning proposal. This hands-on workshop will give you the opportunity to learn about how proposals relate to strategic and program planning, grant writing terminology and the basic components of a proposal. You will apply your new knowledge right away as you develop a draft proposal.

Come prepared to write! Please bring copies of your organization’s mission statement, project descriptions, and background materials. Please also bring paper and pen/pencil or a laptop.

Note: This workshop is designed for individuals who have had at least some experience writing and submitting grant proposals. Please register here: https://www.callutheran.edu/centers/nonprofit/workshops/event/2026-01-20-intermediate-proposal-writing-three-module-series

Part I: Tuesday, January 20, 2026 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Part II: Tuesday, January 27, 2026 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Part III: Tuesday, February 3, 2026 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Nonprofit bylaws are not only necessary under the California Nonprofit Law, but also essential to obtaining and maintaining tax-exempt status. Aside from the legal and tax requirements, bylaws serve as an important roadmap to guide board governance, operations and decision-making. However, just mention the need to revisit or revise this important document, and most nonprofit board and staff members will shudder! Join us for this engaging discussion with Roy Schneider, Esq. and Jessica Villar, Esq., who will address bylaw basics, required provisions, and the process of taking on bylaw changes, then explore best practice approaches for streamline your governance practices.

Topics will include:

Why Bylaws Matter!
What is required by California law?
Key components of effective bylaws -- what should (and shouldn’t) be in the bylaws
The difference between bylaws and policies
Best practices for revising, amending and/or restating your organization’s bylaws, whether you are a membership or non-membership organization
Resources and checklists to help you navigate this process

Attendees are encouraged to bring a copy of their current bylaws and submit confidential questions for Roy to address during the workshop session.

Will your organization have enough cash to cover payroll next month? How about an unbudgeted expense or a fabulous new opportunity? Financial statements are important for board members and leadership to analyze the organization’s historical performance, but cash management is critical for day-to-day financial operations. In this class, we will learn how to develop a cash projection spreadsheet that can be updated regularly so you can successfully plan ahead and avoid surprises. Learning about cash projections is also a wonderful method to get familiar and comfortable with financials, because cash projections tend to be a more intuitive way of looking at financial information.

Learning Objectives:
-Discover 3 methods of projecting future cash flows: mind dump, budget conversion, and hybrid
-Analyze common differences between an accrual-based budget and a cash projection
-Identity strategies for handling shortfall and windfalls

Audience: This workshop is great for Executive Directors, fund development professionals, program managers, board members, and anyone else doing budgeting for nonprofit organizations.

This hands-on workshop is designed to help nonprofits strengthen financial resilience and build sustainable funding. In this session, we will guide participants in understanding their funding options, aligning revenue strategies with mission and capacity, and developing a clear, actionable and diversified annual development plan. In addition, attendees will have access to dedicated “office hours” with the instructors in the weeks following the workshop to review their plans, troubleshoot challenges, and strengthen implementation.

During this workshop, participants will:

- Explore the universe of funding sources available to nonprofits and their strategic implications
- Determine the right mix of revenue drivers that align with your mission, staffing, volunteer capacity, and donor fit
- Begin drafting a balanced 12-month development plan that integrates multiple funding sources into a cohesive strategy
- Start on an implementation roadmap that outlines your organization’s goals, activities, role accountability, and timelines
- Access follow-up “office hours” for personalized guidance and problem-solving

Target Audience: Executive directors, development directors and their staff, Board members and development committee volunteers engaged in fundraising and resource acquisition

Sustainably harvested white and red “silver tipped” fir trees from Northern California will be available for pickup on Tuesday, December 2 through December 5 at McGrath Family Farm (1012 West Ventura Blvd., Camarillo). Proceeds from the Christmas tree fundraiser will help support Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) agriculture education and healthy eating programs for kids in Ventura County. Tree pickup time is from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The trees are harvested in the northern Sierra Nevada mountain range to reduce overgrowth and fire risk and then donated to SEEAG. Trees are 6’ to 10’ tall. The cost is $100 per tree. SEEAG is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization so all tree purchases are tax-deductible. Trees can be pre-ordered by going to https://www.seeag.org/christmas. For questions about delivery, call 805-892-8155.

Is it time to develop the budget? The process of building and monitoring a budget is fundamental to an organization’s planning and financial oversight. It results in a useful tool -- one that can be used on an ongoing basis to anticipate problems and provide a baseline against which programmatic and financial performance can be assessed. In this course we will evaluate how to build a sound budget for managing your organization and explore examples on how this budget tool can be used to deal with multiple programs and multiple funding sources.

Learning Objectives:
-How to build a budget for sound nonprofit financial management
-How to utilize your budget to monitor actual performance

Audience: This workshop is great for Executive Directors, fund development professionals, program managers, board members, and anyone else doing budgeting for nonprofit organizations.

Description:

The stories we tell shape the world we live in and the future we’re building. As funding becomes harder to secure and competition for awards grows, the ability to communicate your nonprofit’s impact with clarity, emotion, and purpose is no longer optional — it’s essential. This workshop gives nonprofit leaders the tools and confidence to craft stories that stand out and inspire action.

Learning Objectives:
- Explain the strategic value of storytelling as a tool for advancing their nonprofit mission, building trust, and influencing key audiences — including funders, advocates, and partners.
- Identify and shape compelling narratives that authentically reflect their mission, values, and impact.
- Apply practical storytelling tools and techniques to craft stories that inspire action, deepen engagement, and drive change.
- Design and implement a storytelling process within their organizations, including effective methods for sourcing, curating, and sharing authentic narratives.
- Develop and uphold responsible storytelling practices that ensure respect, dignity, and agency for the people and communities represented.
- Discover and surface powerful stories in unexpected places, expanding their organization’s capacity to capture and communicate impact.

Facilitator: Anne Freiermuth, CPA

Understanding the unique accounting principles and requirements that apply to nonprofits is critical for your mission to succeed. This four module seminar series will introduce students to the basic accounting concepts relevant to nonprofit organizations. Participants will be exposed to foundational accounting principles and their practical applications. This will include understanding cash vs. accrual basis, the matching principle, fund accounting, functional allocations, and how to read and prepare financial statements.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Series participants will be introduced to fundamental accounting rules (generally accepted accounting principles) and financial reports of nonprofit organizations.
Series participants will analyze which transactions get recorded in the accounting system and how.
Series participants will be able to recognize allocation methodologies and how they impact financial statements and external oversight.
Series participants will be able to record common accounting transactions.
MODULE OVERVIEW:

Module I: Introduction and Contributions Accounting
Wednesday, Mar 18 | 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Module II: Internal Controls, Fixed Assets, Reading Financials, Allocating Expenses
Thursday, Mar 19 | 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Module III: Putting it all Together: Case Study Year One
Wednesday, Mar 25 | 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Module IV: Putting It All Together: Case Study Year Two
Thursday, Mar 26| 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.

LEVEL: Intro/Intermediate

TARGET AUDIENCE: Executive directors & CEOs, CFO’s, finance staff, Board treasurers and finance committees

Workshop with Terry Kang and Pamela Perkins-Dwyer.

Effective stewardship demonstrates to donors that you value their individual support and see them as an integral part of your community, growing their loyalty and trust in your nonprofit over time. Securing donors’ long-term support is critical for your nonprofit to continually fund its mission-driven initiatives. This workshop will empower development professionals, nonprofit leaders, and board members to strengthen donor relationships through stewardship strategies.

Participants will learn how to turn stewardship theory into everyday practice, creating personalized, mission-driven experiences that deepen donor engagement year-round. The workshop emphasizes building trust through transparency, gratitude, and storytelling while showcasing meaningful engagement opportunities such as behind-the-scenes access, intimate gatherings, and customized communications that highlight donor impact. Attendees will hear about real-world examples to assist in enhance their own donor relations programs.

By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to craft a stewardship plan that fosters a culture of appreciation, improves donor retention, inspires greater giving, and contributes to long-term organizational success.