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Capacity Building Resource Library

A Black woman gestures while speaking during a meeting.
Cave Canem, 2017 Brooklyn Org Spark Prize Winner

Explore our library below for a range of capacity building resources, tools, databases, and workshops that cover communications and marketing, consulting and sector research, vendor referrals, meeting spaces, and more.

Please note:
  • We strive to feature free and low-cost resources for nonprofits on this page.
  • No implications can be made through written material or media relations that Brooklyn Org (BKO) is sponsoring the resources listed on this page, unless otherwise noted as coming from Brooklyn Org.
  • Being listed does not reflect endorsement by Brooklyn Org of any particular program, position, or purpose of any person or organization.
  • We share information on additional nonprofit resources, jobs, and funding through our monthly nonprofit newsletter; sign up below.

Boards

Strategic Board Recruitment
Kanban board with columns labeled "Immediate," "Soon," and "Later," covered in yellow sticky notes.

Facilitator: PENN Creative Strategy [03/28/2024]

Learn how to use the Nonprofit Lifecycle Model to anticipate future board needs, including how to build and utilize a board matrix to strategically identify and prioritize candidates.

View Recording

Transitioning to a Fundraising Board

Facilitator: Lou Micelli [04/02/2024]

Learn how to identify major differences between a Governance and Fundraising Board, how to implement a Give/Get policy for the first time, and gain tips for releasing inactive Board members.

View Recording

Getting Your Board on Board with Peer-to-Peer Fundraising
Two women embracing in a warm hug.

Facilitator: Bonterra Tech [04/04/2024]

In this workshop and tutorial, participants will learn strategies and best practices for using Peer-to-peer fundraising on Brooklyn Org’s free platform, Brooklyn Gives Nonprofit Connection.

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Running Effective Board Meetings
A man sits in a lecture hall, listening attentively, surrounded by other attendees. Some are using electronic devices.

Facilitator: David Rhode, Deputy Director of PennPAC [4/10/2025] | Watch With Passcode: b#K!B4B@

Learn practical strategies and tools to run efficient and productive board meetings.

View Recording

BKO Nonprofit Conference 2025: Building Resilient Boards

Speakers: Dr. Jocelynne Rainey, Brooklyn Org; Tim Simons, Forethought Advisors; David Rhode, PennPac; James Sheehan, NYS Charities Bureau [9/26/2025]

A discussion on the importance of building and maintaining resilient, responsive boards, especially in times of hardship.

View Recording

BKO Nonprofit Conference 2025: Meeting The Moment - Nonprofit Boards

Speakers: Michael Gillespie, Brooklyn Org Board Co-Chair and Megan Allen, BoardStrong [9/26/2025]

Learn how board members and nonprofit leaders can navigate the evolving landscape together.

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Nonprofit Board Matching Portal by BoardStrong

BoardStrong brings together diverse, qualified board candidates and mission-driven nonprofits to build a better community for all through their free board matching and education platform.

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Fundraising

The Donor Lifecycle: Creating Intentional Connections

Facilitator: Judy Reissman, The Growth Point [9/11/2025]

This session equips participants to align their activities around a donor calendar that reduces stress, improves donor retention, and creates a strong foundation for year-round engagement.

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Creating Donor Personas with Generative AI
A person speaks into a microphone in front of an audience seated in a modern conference room with large windows.

Facilitator: Bianca Jackon, founder of BrickRose Exchange [10/10/2024] | Best For: Executive Directors and Development Staff

The training is a continuation of discussions from recent events, including a conference and various online trainings. The primary goal is to provide practical, actionable strategies for nonprofits to utilize AI in improving their fundraising capabilities.

View Recording

Capital Grants Funding - Part 1
A group of people sitting in a lecture hall, taking notes and listening attentively to a presentation.

Facilitator: Nonprofit Help Desk [10/29/2024] | Best For: Executive Directors, Development Staff and Board Members on Fundraising Committees

Gain a better understanding of expected outcomes, eligibility requirements, roadmaps for future applicants, and New York City’s Capital Grants program.

View Recording

Capital Grants Funding - Part 2
People sitting at tables in a classroom, attentively listening. A sign with text is visible on the wall in the background.

Facilitator: Nonprofit Help Desk [11/12/2024] | Best For: Executive Directors, Development Staff and Board Members on Fundraising Committees

Gain a better understanding of expected outcomes, eligibility requirements, roadmaps for future applicants, and New York City’s Capital Grants program.

View Recording

Leveling Up Your LOI
A woman wearing a name tag is engaged in conversation with a man in a purple shirt. They are seated in white chairs at an indoor event with other attendees in the background.

Facilitator: Liz Nellis Consulting [1/15/2025] | Best For: Executive Directors, Development Staff and Board Members on Fundraising Committees

Learn what institutional funders are looking for, what drives their interests, how to draft an LOI and other key materials, and more.

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Growing Donor Advised Fund (DAF) Giving
Two adults engage in conversation in a room full of people. One is holding a pen and the other a notebook. Other attendees can be seen talking and sitting in the background.

Facilitator: Mitch Stein, Chariot [1/28/2025] | Best For: Executive Directors, Development Staff and Board Members on Fundraising Committees

This session led by the makers of DAFpay provides an overview of what DAFs are, how donors use them and strategies to increase DAF giving to your organization.

View Recording

Equity

Adaptive Leadership for Racial Equity
A person is speaking to a seated audience in a room. Another person stands nearby. A vertical sign reads "BROOKLYN.ORG".

Facilitator: Simone Washington [09/12/2024] | Best For: Executive Directors

Using the Adaptive Leadership framework, leaders will learn how to successfully navigate the deep changes required to create and sustain racial equity within their organizations.

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Developing Racially Equitable Strategic & Organizational Work Plans
A speaker addresses a seated audience in a conference room. Attendees listen attentively, some taking notes and others applauding.

Facilitator: Simone Washington [09/26/2024] | Best For: Executive Directors, Program Directors

Develop skills and tools designed to interrogate how different racial and ethnic groups will likely be affected by their organizational strategies, practices, and programs.

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Race Equity Assessment: Building Blocks for Change (BB4C)

From: Building Movement Project

An automated race equity assessment process to help nonprofits develop the foundational capacities needed to foster more race equity in their workplaces.

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Leadership & Planning

Financial Modeling 101
A woman giving a presentation.

Facilitator: Greater NY [06/03/2024]

Learn the basics of an operating budget as well as the elements of financial forecasting in this training to help nonprofits prepare for the unexpected — including potentially financially stressful scenarios — before they happen.

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Demystifying Strategic Planning: Part 1
A woman giving a presentation to a group of people.

Facilitator: Community Resource Exchange [06/06/2024]

Gain a basic understanding of the strategic planning process, learn how a facilitated strategic planning process draws on the collective wisdom of the group, and review the baseline requirements for engaging in a strategic planning process.

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Demystifying Strategic Planning: Part 2
A woman in a "she's so vocal" t-shirt gesturing towards a whiteboard with a schedule for an event titled "uncle swore" behind her.

Facilitator: Community Resource Exchange [06/20/2024]

Explore the steps involved in a strategic planning process, measuring the relevance of these steps to your own organizations, and explore steps for implementing and executing your strategic plan.

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Nonprofits and The City: Navigating Funding + Reducing Barriers
Person wearing a beanie and sweater works at a computer in a cozy, cluttered room with orange curtains and a bulletin board.

Facilitator: Michael Sedillo, Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Nonprofit Services [3/27/2025]

This training provides an overview of the city’s current initiatives to reduce administrative burden and ensure timely payments for nonprofits.

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NYC Discretionary Funding Process Overview

From: NYC Mayor’s Office of Contract Services [February 2025]

This webinar gives an overview of the NYC Council Discretionary Awards and its process, the clearance process that takes place before you can register, and the Procedural Requirements for Discretionary Awards.

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Nonprofit Help Desk

Jewish Community Council of Greater Coney Island’s NonProfit HelpDesk helps staff, board members, and volunteers of small and emerging nonprofits to advance their organizations by solving problems and driving performance in different areas of management and operations.

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Wellness Prompt Library

From: Full Circle Impact Solutions and EIE

These wellness prompts were produced by FCIS and EIE for Brooklyn Org’s North Brooklyn Regional Convening centered on wellness in the workplace.

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Ponce Bank's Nonprofit Grassroots Program

Ponce Bank’s free monthly webinar series helps nonprofit organizations build skills and capacity across areas like partnerships, board development, and fundraising.

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Consulting: Financial Analysis

Greater NY’s Analyst Corps program matches teams of early-career financial professionals to work collaboratively with nonprofit organizations on concrete financial analysis.

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Consulting: UPenn Pro Bono Advising

From: PennPAC

Teams of University of Pennsylvania alumni-volunteers tap their business acumen to help nonprofits address key areas such as strategic growth planning and fundraising; marketing and communications, and more.

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See Past Nonprofit Newsletters

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