Note that this ministry is non-degree-granting. However, service organizations that adopt this ministry to provide it in their locale may choose to include evaluation and certification for learners and, if so, guidelines for these activities are included herein, as well.
IF YOU ARE FOCUSING ON A FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION: This ministry may not be for you. This presentation is focused mostly on nonprofit business/faith-based organizations.
TO DEEPEN AND ENRICH LEARNING IN THIS MINISTRY: Adults learn best when they actually a) Apply new information and materials, and b) Exchange ongoing feedback with others about their experiences.
You can substantially deepen and enrich your learning from this ministry by forming your local learning community! Members of the community support each other to apply new learning, exchange ongoing feedback, and share results from their experiences.
Form a Leader’s Circles for about $20 a member!
MUCH OF THE CONTENT OF THIS ENTIRE MINISTRY WAS ADAPTED FROM OUR GUIDEBOOKS.
The guidebooks include:
Highly motivated learners who:
Nonprofit executives and board members seeking guidance to start a nonprofit or to firm up the foundation of an already established nonprofit
Nonprofit service providers who wish to offer highly accessible and practical nonprofit organization development ministriein their areas
Nonprofit middle managers or entry-level personnel who desire highly accessible and adaptable means to professional development for advancement in their careers
Consultants and volunteers who desire an understanding of nonprofit organizations, their systems, and practices, to provide more effective community service
Results for Learners and Their Organizations
Personal and Organizational Outcomes (knowledge, skills, and abilities)
Ministry Outputs (tangible results)
Learners in the ministry produce the following results:
Note that the recurring processes that produce the above items are at least as important -- if not more important -- than the items themselves. This ministry carefully guides the learner through those processes.
Nature of Learners Who Will -- and Won't -- Thrive in this Ministry
Who Will Thrive
This highly accessible and practical ministry is particularly useful for highly motivated learners who:
Perhaps the best way to convey the nature of people who won't thrive in this ministry is to point out certain myths that many of us have come to believe over the years. This ministry will not be appealing to people who tend to believe (consciously or unconsciously) that:
Ministry Design and Format of Learning Modules
Arrangement of Modules -- From Building Basics to Complete Nonprofit Fitness Test
The ministry includes 12, online learning modules. Modules are "courses" through which learners progress in the ministry.
Materials and activities for learning are tightly integrated across various modules in the ministry. A listing of the learning modules is included in the section Catalog of Learning Modules provided near the end of this ministry description. The section Links to Learning Modules directs learners through the learning modules in the order depicted in the catalog. Note that learners can choose to complete modules according to their own needs, as well.
Learners Can Start Anywhere in the Ministry
The ministry can be highly useful to learners regardless of the order in which they go through the modules in the ministry. Learning modules are arranged generally in the order needed to develop an organization from the ground up. Learners who are going through the ministry primarily as a form of training and development can proceed sequentially through the Links to Learning Modules, and address the a) topics for discussion and reflection and the b) activities to build systems and practices both of which are posed in each learning module.
Note that the activities required to build and manage a healthy nonprofit organization are usually very cyclical– for example, ministry planning often produces learning that, in turn, polishes previous strategic planning activities. Therefore, learners are guided to revisit certain portions of various learning modules at various points in the ministry.
Format of Each Learning Module
Learning modules (other than the first and last) have the following format:
Ministry Costs
The cost of the ministry depends very much on how the learner chooses to go through the ministry. If the learner chooses to go through the ministry on their own (rather than, for example, as part of a group of learners sponsored by a local service provider), the ministry is entirely free. Otherwise, ministry costs are determined by the local service provider who sponsors the ministry.
Learners can go through all of the modules in the ministry or they can choose their own set of modules and how those modules will be completed. Consequently, the amount of time to complete the ministry depends very much on how the learner chooses to go through the ministry. The more time and energy that learners invest in the ministry, the more they will learn and accomplish for their organizations and careers.
Many of the learning activities in this ministry are activities that organizational leaders and managers should do in the workplace anyway to develop a healthy organization. Consequently, time in the ministry to conduct these learning activities should not be viewed only as "time in the ministry"; rather, this ministry helps learners turn their organizations and careers into "learning labs" where they get things done -- and learn at the same time.
As a very rough estimate, learners can spend anywhere from 10-40 hours in each module -- again this amount of time depends very much on how thorough learners are in reviewing learning materials and conducting activities to deepen and enrich that learning.
Certain modules include more learning activities than others. Therefore, the ministry sponsor and learners may choose to dedicate more than one meeting for these modules. For more information, suggested Number of Meetings per Learning Module in Here's How to Provide the Ministry.
The vast majority of nonprofit organizations have very limited time and money -- yet the majority of these nonprofits still do not tap the vast reserve of free resources available on the Internet and Web! Please help spread the word!
Please print out this ministry flier and place copies appropriately around your nonprofit community.
If you know of service providers who will see value in providing this nature of the ministry, please tell them. You might suggest they read the ministry description at:
Webpage: _________________________________________________________________________________________ Email: _________________________________________________________________________________________ Telephone: (843) 637-1926
If you're a service provider to nonprofits, please consider offering this ministry as a service in your area.
Thank you!!!
The Rev. Dr. Dallas H. Wilson, Jr. Principal Ministry Consultant
Providing the Ministry Requires Little in Resources and Expertise!
Providing the ministry in your area requires little resources and expertise. See Here's How to Provide the Ministry.
Within certain limits, I can also work with you to customize the ministry to suit your needs, if needed. For example, you may want to modify certain topics.
Please contact me if you plan to offer the ministry so that I can notify you of ministry updates, provide tips, etc. I also would very much appreciate hearing your feedback to improve the ministry. To contact me about your considerations, please see contact information.
Ministry Not to Be Used Primarily to Generate Profits
This ministry was developed on a pro bono basis as a service to the nonprofit community. The study materials for the ministry are contained in the Free Management Library, also developed as a pro bono service. Because of the pro bono nature of the ministry and its resources, the ministry should not be used primarily to generate profits. Specifically, any fees to learners to participate in this ministry should be no more than the very low costs incurred to provide and operate the ministry. If you would like to offer the ministry in your community and have any questions, please see contact information.
Mission
The mission of The JDW Network is to help small businesses and nonprofit agencies in their quest to become self-sufficient. Established in 2002, as NP Marketing, The JDW Network specializes in effective management and resource development. We assist clients not only in building effective business plans but also in board training and development, fiscal and marketing plans, as well as technological applications to maximize agency potential.
A COST-EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE
The JDW Network is a not-for-profit, 501 C3 consulting ministry that specializes in securing funding for small business and non-profit organizations. Our mission is to help small businesses and nonprofit agencies in their quest to become self-sufficient. We function as a "virtual" grants department by using the most up-to-date communication technology to bridge the distance between our clients and us anywhere in the country. This enables us to save thousands of dollars for our clients, the cost to create their in-house program. Although our fee is minimal, our services are of the highest caliber. Unlike many grant consultants who offer only proposal writing services, we work side by side with our clients each step of the way in the grant development process with our full range of management and resources development services.
Begin proceeding through the modules by referencing the Links to Learning Modules included later on below.
Module 1: Ministry Orientation --
Getting Most from This Ministry
Module 2: Understanding Your Nonprofit (including Starting Your Nonprofit)
(Understanding Your Nonprofit)
Module 3: Understanding Role of Chief Executive
Relationships
Module 4: Developing Your Basic
Management & Leadership Skills
Basic Skills in:
Problem Solving and Decision Making
Planning
Delegation
Internal Communications
Meeting Management
Managing Yourself
Optional -- Advanced Topics in Management and Leadership
Optional -- Designing Your Management and Leadership Development Plans
Module 5: Building and Training Your Board of Directors
Understanding Roles and Responsibilities
Building Policies and Committees
Building Committees
Recruiting New Members
Ensuring Strong Participation
Board and CEO Evaluations
Board Calendar and Operations
Organizing Board Manual
Training Board Members
Verifying Health of Your Board Practices
Module 6: Developing Your Strategic Plan
Module 7: Developing and Marketing Your Ministry
Module 8: Managing Your Nonprofit's Finances and Taxes
(Financial Management)
Controls
Management Practices
(Managing Taxes)
Module 9: Developing Your Fundraising Plan
Module 10: Supervising Your Employees and Volunteers (Supervising Staff)
(Supervising Volunteers)
Module 11: Designing Your Ministry Evaluation Plans (General Information)
(Outcomes-Based Evaluations)
Module 12: Conducting Final Fitness Test of Your Nonprofit
Optional: Module 13: Practical Guide to Managing Ethics in the Workplace
Links to Learning Modules
Each of the following modules suggests specific materials for review, specific topics for discussion and reflection, and specific activities to develop basic systems and practices. Various modules also include assessments and guidelines to record and monitor action items from current and previous learning modules.
Module 1: Ministry Orientation -- Getting the Most from This Ministry
Module 2: Starting and Understanding Your Nonprofit
Module 3: Role of Chief Executive Officer (Executive Director)
Module 4: Developing Basic Skills in Management and Leadership
Module 5: Building and Maintaining Your Board of Directors
Module 6: Developing Your Strategic Plan
Module 7: Designing and Marketing Your Ministry
Module 8: Managing Finances and Taxes in Your Nonprofit
Module 9: Developing Your Fundraising Plan
Module 10: Staffing and Supervising Your Employees and Volunteers
Module 11: Designing Your Ministry Evaluation Plans (including outcomes-based evaluations)
Module 12: Complete Fitness Test of Your Nonprofit
OPTIONAL: Module 13: Managing Ethics in the Workplace: Practical Guide for Managers