Our learning experiences will help you build collaborative capacity and make greater impact.

Offered by the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, explore key cultural and generational differences that influence communication styles and learn practical strategies for fostering meaningful connections and learn tools to navigate cross-cultural and intergenerational interactions with confidence and empathy. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by Candid Learning, gain an understanding of the board’s role in fundraising, integrate fundraising into your board’s roles and responsibilities, and identify a range of fundraising activities that can engage your board members. No cost associated.

Offered by LifeLabs Learning, learn how to facilitate deliberate development within your organization, help employees craft learning plans, and scale org-wide learning behaviors, such as learning extraction and feedback norms. No cost associated.

Offered by Propel Nonprofits, gain an understanding of nonprofit finance terminology, financial statements, and staff and board roles and responsibilities. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by Volunteer Fairfax, explore the ways that leaders of volunteer programs can discover, face and fight hidden biases in our volunteer program’s practices, procedures and policies and reflect on the established structures of our sector and the volunteer programs that may unintentionally be less than welcoming. No cost associated.

Offered by Candid Learning, explore the Resilient Fundraising™ model, which features tactics to galvanize donor-advised fund (DAF) revenue, build strategic collaborations, and generate earned income to strengthen organizational resilience and assess your current fundraising strategies to uncover gaps and opportunities where the Resilient Fundraising™ model can boost long-term sustainability. No cost associated.

Offered by Ideo U, this 5 week self-paced, online cohort course will explore how to look at problems through different perspectives, develop actionable and innovative solutions, learn how to de-risk and experiment to build resilient strategies, and balance creative thinking and rigor to get to breakthrough ideas and sustainable solutions. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by Ideo U, this 5 week self-paced, online cohort course will explore how to unlock your team's ability to generate new ideas by tapping into different perspectives, develop alignment, establish the cultural conditions to thrive, and turn tensions into opportunities. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Interested in applying to join the 2025-2026 Leadership Learning Lab (LLL) cohort? This free, one-hour, virtual info session will provide an overview of the program, Q&A with a panel of past participants, and details on how to apply. Questions about this session? Contact lll@rotarycharities.org for more information.

Offered by the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, explore what it takes to cultivate and sustain a distinctive, values-driven culture, gain actionable insights for reinforcing your organization’s core identity, fostering team alignment, and maintaining a strong sense of purpose, and learn how to lead with intention, inspire resilience, and ensure your culture remains a source of strength and differentiation no matter the external pressures. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, gain an understand of belonging, workplace community, and the role of psychological safety, learn how to anticipate conflicts that break trust, cause harms, or allow microaggressions to occur, disproportionality impacting underrepresented identities, practice conscious conflict using real-world scenarios and situations, and explore a new conflict management model that helps navigate power dynamics and support a culture of inclusion & equity. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by the Tamarack Institute, explore a comprehensive overview of impact assessment, with practical tools for identifying, measuring and analyzing the significant results of your initiatives. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by Volunteer Fairfax, the types of planning, strategic thinking, communications vehicles, interviewing procedures, screening techniques and on-boarding rules to recruiting your newest and best volunteer team members. No cost associated.

Offered by the NW MI Arts & Culture Network, this 2-day, multi-venue event is a gathering for our region's creative community and showcase of our art and culture with a primary focus to create space to build meaningful relationships and celebrate our region's cultural landscape with inspiring keynote sessions, hands-on workshops, and art-filled experiences. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by Candid Learning, this 4-week course will explore how to build the key components of a competitive grant proposal to a foundation, develop a well-organized budget, and identify a targeted list of foundation funding prospects. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, learn how to navigate tough conversations with staff, board members, donors, and stakeholders while preserving trust and transparency and how to deliver difficult messages with empathy, manage expectations, and maintain confidence in your mission—even when resources are at risk. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by TSNE, explore the ways that adaptive communication and feedback contribute to supporting, developing, and managing successful employees, understand the dynamic continuum of employee performance, and learn and practice a model of performance management that focuses on adaptive communication and feedback strategies. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by Collective Impact Forum, learn foundational concepts and practices around community engagement and explore a series of tools for planning community engagement to be more purposeful, equitable, transparent, and strategic so that community residents and grassroots leaders are true partners for achieving impact. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by the Asset-Based Community Development Institute, explore the challenge of bringing people together in times of rising polarization and possible solutions using the Asset-based Community Development lens and approach, which develops people power and solutions based on the assets already available in communities. No cost associated.

Offered by the Interaction Institute for Social Change, this quarterly gathering is a space for connection, reflection and action where challenges are explored, progress is celebrated, and strategies to advance racial justice are shared. No cost associated.

Offered by the Chapman Foundation for Caring Communities, this roundtable will explore common places where our messages may be lacking clarity, and will discuss strategies around how to make all the parts of our message more aligned. No cost associated.

Offered by Candid Learning, learn the basic elements of a proposal, the "do's" and "don'ts" of writing and submitting a proposal, and how to follow up whether the answer is yes or no. No cost associated.

Offered by Kalamazoo Public Library and facilitated by the MI League for Public Policy, learn skills on how to interact with your legislators, tell your story, and create a messaging strategy to ignite your base. No cost associated.

Offered by Propel Nonprofits, learn to use budgeting as another tool for you to tell the story of your organization’s plans, priorities, and aspirations and engage your board as well as staff across the organization. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by the Tamarack Institute, explore the paradigm shift needed to embrace collective leadership, offering tools and resources that can help leaders effectively unpack, analyze and challenge assumptions about how leadership and governance operate in modern nonprofit organizations. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Join us for an afternoon at Kalkaska's Railroad Square from 9 -11 am. This event, hosted in partnership with the Village of Kalkaska as part of our Connecting with Changemakers series, offers a unique opportunity to connect with local leaders, social entrepreneurs, and community advocates. Engage in authentic discussions, share your ideas, and explore potential collaborations with like-minded individuals who are passionate about making a positive impact in our community. Rotary Charities is dedicated to fostering connections and providing resources that drive positive change. This event is designed to create a space for genuine dialogue and community building. All are welcome! Registration is not required to attend, but we appreciate an RSVP so we know how many folks to expect. We look forward to seeing you there!

Offered by the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, discover how to uncover hidden opportunities by leveraging the data you already have using internal data to identify trends, align resources, and highlight areas for potential funding. Learn how to turn program outcomes, donor behavior, and organizational metrics into powerful tools for strategic decision-making and resource development—helping you drive impact from the inside out. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by CoCreative, explore a simple, powerful framework and practical tools for getting underneath polarized positions to the values and tensions that underlie them, accessing deeper levels of shared understanding that open up creativity and pathways forward. No cost associated. 

Offered by Kalamazoo Public Library, learn how to research potential funders using valuable resources like the Foundation Directory Online, develop compelling grant proposals that meet requirements and what foundations look for in successful applications, step-by-step writing techniques, and how to prepare your organization for funding opportunities. No cost associated.

Leadership Learning Lab is a 10-month program that combines monthly learning sessions, Q/A sessions, small group learning pods, individual reflection, and ongoing support. The Leadership Learning Lab is designed to help you become a more self-aware, adaptive, collaborative, and resilient leader, develop new skills for communicating and collaborating with others, and manage your time, reduce overwhelm and focus on what is most important. Leadership Learning Lab is made possible by the support of Rotary Charities, the Frey Foundations, and regional community foundations in northern Michigan. Deadline to apply is June 25, 2025. Cohorts begin in September 2025.

Offered by Bolder Advocacy, learn the “fundamentals” of advocacy evaluation theory and practice, practical tips and resources on how to build capacity to evaluate and advocate, and where to find user-friendly advocacy evaluation tools and resources. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by Nonprofit Quarterly, explore proactive measures to support people to contribute well, understanding the value of feedback and how to build a positive feedback culture, and options for how to respond effectively when agreements are broken. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by Nonprofit Quarterly, learn proactive strategies to help team members contribute their best work, the true value of feedback and how to build a positive, affirming feedback culture, clear, compassionate options for responding when agreements are broken, and how to proactively support commitment, creativity, and communication that holds each other with care and rigor. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by Candid Learning, learn the basic components of a project budget including income and expenses, how to estimate the realistic cost of a project, and what other financial documents you may also need to submit with your proposal. No cost associated.

Offered by Ideo U, this 5-week, self-paced online course will explore how to deliver presentations that spark a shift in beliefs, behaviors, and mindsets, sequence your information in a way that will create a meaningful journey for your audience, and apply techniques to help people pay attention and remember the information you share. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by Bolder Advocacy and the Alliance for Justice, learn about the “fundamentals” of advocacy evaluation theory and practice, practical tips and resources on how to build capacity to evaluate and advocate, and where to find user-friendly advocacy evaluation tools and resources. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by Candid Learning, gain an understanding for making your case for support, diversifying your organization's fundraising base, and creating a plan of action. No cost associated.

Offered by Bolder Advocacy and the Alliance for Justice, learn how federal tax law permits lobbying for charities and how lobbying is defined, one easy step most charities can take to maximize the amount they’re allowed to spend on lobbying, yearly lobbying limits for charities, tips for taking advantage of the narrow definitions of lobbying – which will help charities make the most of their lobbying limit, and  how to apply these rules to ballot measure activities.  Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by Unity Effect, explore how to use communication tools for delivering and receiving feedback, methods for feedback one-or-one or in a team, and setting ourselves up for success: conditions for effective feedback. No cost associated. 

Offered by ZingTrain, learn how to recognize and better handle interpersonal workplace conflict and how to engage effectively in courageous conversations. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by ZingTrain, learn about the correlation between effective self-management and personal/organizational success and new tools and techniques to live and lead more intentionally. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by Propel Nonprofits, learn about board responsibilities and explore the nuances of board authority and relationships. Participants will receive Propel’s Nonprofit Board Governance workbook and the workshop is designed for those new to serving on a board or those who are contemplating joining a board. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by ZingTrain, learn the benefits of building an inclusive workplace where everyone thrives, key qualities and traits of an inclusive leader, and how to evaluate your current systems and practices to find opportunities for greater equity and inclusion. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by Candid Learning, learn how to draft SMART objectives for a program, identify the parts of a logic model, and report the impact on your Candid profile. No cost associated.

Offered my Nonprofit Quarterly, learn about the Block, Bridge, Build organizing framework—to interrogate the tensions of current times and explore effective ways to advocate and bridge across difference in divided times. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by the Chronicle of Philanthropy, learn smart ways to map out donor meetings, craft compelling messages, and track key metrics to ensure you make the most of the next six months and hit your goals for the year. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by The Collective Impact Forum, this 2-part workshop will explore tools and strategies to help you more intentionally plan, design, and facilitate meetings that are results-driven and move your collaborative forward. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Join us for a morning at Elk Rapids Rotary Park from 9-11am. This event, hosted in partnership with Paddle Antrim as part of our Connecting with Changemakers series, offers a unique opportunity to connect with local leaders, social entrepreneurs, and community advocates. Engage in authentic discussions, share your ideas, and explore potential collaborations with like-minded individuals who are passionate about making a positive impact in our community. Rotary Charities is dedicated to fostering connections and providing resources that drive positive change. This event is designed to create a space for genuine dialogue and community building. All are welcome! Registration is not required to attend, but we appreciate an RSVP so we know how many folks to expect. We look forward to seeing you there!

Offered by Propel Nonprofits, learn how to create the conditions for a healthy relationship between the board chair and ED/CEO that will increase your nonprofits ability to accomplish its mission and minimize stress of board and staff. It is ideal to have the ED/CEO and board chair attend this session together to explore their critical relationship and to discuss how they will support each other in leading their organization to success. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by Ideo U, this 5-week, self-paced online course will explore how to deliver presentations that spark a shift in beliefs, behaviors, and mindsets, sequence your information in a way that will create a meaningful journey for your audience, and apply techniques to help people pay attention and remember the information you share. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.

Offered by Propel Nonprofits, gain an understanding of nonprofit finance terminology, financial statements, and staff and board roles and responsibilities. Cost associated. Eligible for support through Rotary Charities Learning Fund.