Training Institute: A Resource Built for Deaf Organizations

When was the last time you joined a nonprofit training session that was actually made for you? For deaf organization leaders, the answer is rarely, if ever. 

At least not until now. 

Since we last announced our Training Institute earlier this year, over 580 people have attended our sessions looking for practical information on fundraising, grant writing, and using data to communicate impact. Such topics are already discussed at mainstream nonprofit conferences, trainings, and events. It's a gamble whether captions or interpreters will be provided in those spaces, and still these accommodations aren't equivalent to direct access given that American Sign Language (ASL) is the primary language of many deaf organization leaders. 

The nonprofit climate isn’t getting easier. Deaf organizations, like many other nonprofits, are under strain with ever-changing federal policies that impact funding, leaving fewer resources for the people who need them most. 

For all those reasons, DOF built the Training Institute to support deaf organizations with navigating a multitude of nonprofit challenges. 

About DOF Training Institute

The Training Institute offers fully accessible virtual training sessions for deaf organizations and programs led by nonprofit experts. Recordings with supporting materials are made available on our online library for anyone who did not attend the sessions live. This program gives deaf leaders direct access to the knowledge other nonprofit leaders have, in the language they use to lead. 

One attendee shared what that direct access meant to them: 

"It was great seeing a signing presenter explain this training instead of a hearing speaker with an ASL interpreter. She talked about how collaboration is what our community needs. We have a lot of deaf organizations here, and some are already struggling, so we're already planning to collaborate so we can all survive together." 

What We've Learned So Far

92% of attendees rated the training sessions and materials as extremely or very useful for their deaf organizations. See all past sessions for more details. 

An attendee from our donor development session mentioned: 

"I really appreciated the step-by-step walkthrough of finding donors and soliciting gifts. My organization is new and hasn't asked individuals for larger gifts yet, but we know we need to start soon, and I have a much better understanding of how to approach it strategically now." 

Just three sessions in, and the response is clear: these training opportunities are much needed, and deaf leaders are eager for more sessions. 

Looking Ahead

On October 22 at 12 PM CT, three deaf organization leaders are coming together for a panel on navigating funding challenges: Sherri Collins of Deaf Seniors of America, Patty Liang of Deaf Spotlight, and Dr. Lorne Farovitch of Global Deaf Research Institute. They will touch on themes discussed at our recent sessions: donor development, grant writing, and data collection. Leaders will learn directly from each other, rather than in isolation, and the Institute will grow to address additional nonprofit topics over time. 

If you are a funder or a nonprofit expert who wants to help us scale this work, please reach out to learn how you can support the next chapter of the Training Institute. 

In short: The DOF Training Institute maintains a fully accessible library of nonprofit training sessions built for deaf organizations, launched in April 2026. Over 580 people have attended, across three sessions so far, with an average of 92% of attendees rating them extremely or very relevant. A fourth session with a deaf organization leaders panel will happen on October 22, 2026.