Webinars & Workshops

Want to make your website easier to find in search without getting lost in SEO theory? In this hands-on session, you’ll run a page speed test on your site, and work through a simple set of on-page improvements that directly impact how search engines read and rank your pages. We’ll focus on practical changes you can make immediately, including headings, page structure, and title tags.

Be sure to bring your laptop to actively participate in this workshop. Before class, download the free version of Screaming Frog SEO Spider so you’re ready to work during the session: https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/#download

Host Provider: Bounce Innovation Hub
Date: Wednesday, May 6, 2026
Time: 1:00-2:30 pm
Location: Bounce Innovation Hub (526 South Main Street, Akron, OH 44311)
Cost: Free for Bounce clients; $5 for non-Bounce clients

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Corporate sponsorship is often misunderstood in the nonprofit world. Many organizations assume companies fund causes simply because they align with their mission. In reality, corporate sponsorship decisions are driven by a combination of brand positioning, employee engagement priorities, philanthropic priorities and corporate social responsibility strategies.

In this practical and engaging session, Lori Zoss Kraska, MBA, CFRE --Founder and CEO of Growth Owl, LLC and a nationally recognized corporate sponsorship strategist, will break down how corporate sponsorship really works from the corporate perspective.

Participants will gain a clear understanding of the current landscape of corporate partnerships, the most common misconceptions nonprofits have about sponsorship, and what companies are actually looking for when evaluating nonprofit partnerships. The session will also explore the types of decision-makers involved in corporate giving and sponsorship decisions, where nonprofits should begin when building a sponsorship strategy, and practical tips for initiating meaningful outreach to corporate partners. Attendees will leave with a clearer framework for approaching corporate sponsorship as a strategic relationship rather than a funding request.

This event is specifically for Nonprofit CEOs. 

Host Provider: Greater Akron Chamber and BVU
Date: Thursday, May 7, 2026
Time: 8:00 am -10:00 pm
Location: Greater Akron Chamber - Event Space (388 S Main St., Ste. 205)
Cost: $15

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Come meet local grantmakers and hear about changes in the northeast Ohio funding world!  This free, interactive program will start with a warm-up activity to enhance connections. There will then be an overview of the current nonprofit funding world and the changes expected in the near future.  This will be followed by a moderated panel discussion of the current state of private organizational funding by representatives of a selection of local grantmakers, including private and community foundations and corporate funders. Those in the audience will have plenty of time to ask the panel questions, and we will have time set aside at the beginning and end for open networking.

Complete list of local grantmaker panelists coming soon!

This program is the third in the Grant Readiness Series offered in partnership with The Cleveland Foundation.  This series of three trainings will provide new grantseekers with the realistic insights and skills they need to be clear about their funding needs and to seek grants and make connections with the most appropriate funders for their programs.  The classes will introduce fundraising planning and program accountability; key grantseeking and relationship building skills; and a broad acquaintance with private, community, and corporate funding processes.  

Host Provider: Candid & Cleveland Foundation
Date: Friday, May 8, 2026
Time: 10:00 am -12:00 pm
Location: Cleveland Foundation (6601 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44103)
Cost: Free

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As nonprofits face growing complexities and challenges, getting the governance right has never been more important. This highly acclaimed seminar features an expert panel that will share their experience, discuss the roles and responsibilities of nonprofit board members, and consider challenges and opportunities facing nonprofits. The session includes presentations, a panel discussion, dialogue with the audience, and case study analysis.

Learning Objectives:
After attending, you will have guidelines for effective and meaningful nonprofit board service and a clear understanding of your role and the expectations of a nonprofit board member.

Host Provider: Business Volunteers Unlimited (BVU)
Date: Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Time: 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free-$50

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Not quite loan-ready? That’s exactly why we’re here.
Every small business and nonprofit reaches a point where growth requires capital. But the path from “we need funding” to “we qualify for funding” isn’t always clear and traditional lenders rarely meet you halfway. The Western Reserve Community Fund does things differently. We meet you where you are.

Join us for The Road to Ready, a free introductory webinar designed for small business owners, nonprofit leaders, and community partners who want to understand what lending readiness actually looks like and how WRCF can help you get there.

What you’ll learn

• Who WRCF serves and the types of businesses and organizations we work with
• What WRCF look for when evaluating a loan application
• Common readiness gaps and how to close them
• How our education-first model works — from where you are today to where you need to be
• The financing options available through WRCF

Who should attend
This webinar is for you if you’re:

• A small business owner exploring financing options
• A nonprofit leader considering a capital project or expanding your impact
• An entrepreneur who’s been turned away by traditional lenders
• A community partner or referral source who wants to better understand WRCF’s work
• No prior lending experience required. Come with questions.

Host Provider: Western Reserve Community Fund
Date: Wednesday, May 13, 2026
Time: 7:00 pm
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free

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Hosted four times per year, Ask the Expert connects nonprofits with BVU’s network of skills-based volunteers to help you make a bigger difference! Choose from over 20 hour-long virtual sessions where you will connect one-on-one with a subject matter expert in marketing, fundraising, HR, technology, or another specialty. Get advice, answers and recommendations that you can implement right away. Ask the Expert is FREE to attend for all nonprofit organizations. Once live, sessions can be found at the registration link below.

Host Provider: Business Volunteers Unlimited (BVU)
Date: May 18-21, 2026
Time: Various
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free

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Workshop participants will hear a 10-15 description of the Theory of Change methodology, and then engage in a 10-15 exercise of mapping that will allow them to explore (via a Whiteboard) how looking at the issues on which they work through the lens of a Theory of Change can expand their understanding of how change is created and different ways to perceive their role in that effort.

Host Provider: Nonprofit Learning Lab
Date: Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Time: 11:00 am
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free

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The purpose of this session will be to offer an alternative to traditional strategic planning that can help drive stability (and even optimism!) in your nonprofit even amidst our chaotic context. We’ll look at what stability planning means organizationally, financially, and programmatically, and then walk through how to lead this process in your own organization.

Host Provider: Nonprofit Learning Lab
Date: Tuesday, May 26, 2026
Time: 11:00 am
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free

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For small businesses and nonprofits, your contact list could be your most valuable asset—but only if your contacts are active and engaged. If your marketing feels like you’re shouting into the void, the problem may not be your content, but the health of your list.

Join us as we break down the elements of a successful email list. From the moment a subscriber joins to the long-term maintenance of your database, we’ll show you how to turn your contact list into a powerful engine for growth.

In this webinar, you will learn how to:

• Capture quality leads: Use high-converting forms and "must-have" incentives to attract subscribers who actually care.
• Stop blasting and start connecting: Leverage data and segmentation to deliver personalized content that drives clicks.
• Master the inbox: Proactively maintain your list to reach your most active subscribers.

Host Provider: Constant Contact
Date: Thursday, May 28, 2026
Time: 2:00 pm
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free

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This practical webinar will walk through foundational Excel strategies that help managers structure their data for clarity, reduce common mistakes, and quickly surface key insights. Participants will learn essential formulas and tools that make reporting faster, cleaner, and more decision-ready — without requiring advanced technical expertise.

Host Provider: Nonprofit Learning Lab
Date: Monday, June 8, 2026
Time: 11:00 am
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free

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This free virtual roundtable will explore how nonprofit board service can propel skill development, leadership opportunities, and community impact for professionals of color. 

Host Provider: Business Volunteers Unlimited (BVU)
Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Time: 12:00-1:00 pm
Location: Virtual
Cost: Free

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BVU's nonprofit seminars invite our region's nonprofit leaders to come together for educational and insightful discussions. 

Host Provider: Business Volunteers Unlimited (BVU)
Date: Tuesday, June 23, 2026
Time: 8:30-10:00 am
Location: MAGNET (1800 E 63rd St, Cleveland, OH 44103)
Cost: $50-$100

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Linking New Leaders is a fun, fast paced "speed dating" style event that brings together community-minded young professionals with local nonprofit organizations.

Host Provider: Business Volunteers Unlimited (BVU)
Date: Thursday, June 25, 2026
Time: 6:00-8:30 pm
Location: Bop Stop (2920 Detroit Ave, Cleveland, OH 44113)
Cost: TBA

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