When events that had traditionally been held in person moved online at the start of the COVID pandemic, most organizers assumed it would be a temporary arrangement until large group gatherings were again possible. For Princeton Community Works (PCW) — the long-running annual conference focused on all things nonprofit — it became an unexpected opportunity for growth.
When PCW returns for 2023 from Monday through Wednesday, January 30 through February 1, it will again be online. Not because it public health concerns demand it, but because the virtual venue has allowed the event to become a bigger, more inclusive, and wider-reaching gathering.
“Moving Princeton Community Works online in response to the pandemic enabled us to grow it in size to over 700 attendees and expand our reach beyond our local geography,” explains Marge Smith, the founder of Princeton Community Works.
The conference is designed to provide nonprofit boards, staff, and volunteers with opportunities to learn more about nonprofit management, develop practical skills, and network with other nonprofits. The $20 registration fee gives attendees the option to attend as many workshops as they wish across the three days. Many of the workshops will reflect the 2023 PCW theme: “Empowering Community: Inspire. Learn. Connect.”
“The heart of the conference is based on that each person has the capacity to help build their community. Princeton Community Works is committed to building skills and enable all people who want to make a difference to engage and connect,” Smith adds. “The workshops are designed to address the increased needs organizations are facing in 2023. More importantly, our top-level speakers offer practical and proven strategies for empowering nonprofits of all sizes and potential.”
“Affordability is essential to empowering individuals, especially during these inflationary times. That’s why we have been very deliberate about keeping the registration fee low at $20 per person and offering scholarships,” Smith continues. “Volunteers, board, and staff are building a better world. They deserve the opportunity to hear from top speakers and receive the quality training to support their support important work.”
The conference keynote, “Working Together in Harmony,” will be delivered by the Trenton Central High School Band, which will perform musical concepts to demonstrate different techniques for leadership, coaching, right skills, wrong person, and conflict resolution. The performance will demonstrate what happens when teams are not in harmony, then show what can be accomplished when teams are in tune and performing in harmony.
In addition to its core sessions on nonprofit and community building, PCW 2023 features 25 new workshops as well as 30-minute Engage & Connect sessions that anyone can duplicate online or in-person to foster team building within their own groups.
Workshops this year include:
Advanced Technology and Innovation for NonprofitsBoosting Meeting Engagement: Stop wasting people’s time – Tools and TechniquesBuilding and Managing a Budget in Uncertain TimesBuilding Resiliency in YouthBuilding TrustConnecting ResourcesCreative Ways to FundraiseDEI – Implementing for ImpactDeveloping High Functioning CommitteesDriven to CollaborateFueling Up with Positive EnergyFundraising Family FeudIntentional Collaboration and Shared ResourcesInternal Communications Are we all on the same page?Marketing: Analytics, Social Media, and Public Relations – Getting Your Message AcrossNonprofit Job HuntingOperating in a Hybrid EnvironmentStrategic Planning, Implementation and Execution: Making it HappenSuccession Planning: A FrameworkThe Art of DelegationThe Art of Making People Feel ValuedTips for County, State and Federal Government Grants: Learning the nuances of the application processTools and Techniques for Recruiting and Retaining the Talent that Moves Your Organization Forward in a post-pandemic worldTrends in FundraisingWhooo Are You?Work/Life BalanceYou CAN Take It with You!
For full workshop descriptions, speaker biographies, and registration information visit princetoncommunityworks.org.
