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Training Institute

The Training Institute offers deaf organizations and programs practical and fully accessible training opportunities designed to strengthen your internal capacity and support long-term sustainability. Here, you can find upcoming training sessions, a library of recorded videos from nonprofit experts, and toolkits to help you apply information to your organization’s specific needs. All sessions and materials are provided at no cost.

Strategic Planning with Purpose

Most strategic plans stall because nobody knows where to start, who belongs in the room, or how to keep the plan alive once it's finished. Whether this is your deaf organization's very first plan or a brand-new one after a few years of winging it, this session is your playbook. Join Shane Feldman and Melissa Yingst with Innivee Strategies, a Deaf-owned, Deaf-led firm, for a 90-minute session on December 10th at 12PM CT to learn why a plan matters and how one comes together, using a sample organization. You will learn to distinguish between three often-confused ideas: sensemaking (seeing where you are), strategic planning (choosing where to go), and governance (ensuring the plan is owned and accountable).

Four tools, each with practical rules:
1. Start smart: decide who to involve, how to gather, and what your community is telling you
2. Build bold: turn input into goals your board and community can rally behind
3. Stay true: use tools and habits so the plan keeps working long after it is written
4. Celebrate: mark milestones and share wins with your board, staff, and community

This training session will be facilitated in ASL with English voice interpreting and captioning services provided. Requests for additional accommodations need to be made by November 23rd.

Register Now
A background split horizontally in navy and teal. Top left corner is a small Training Institute logo. Title text: Strategic Planning with Purpose: Why and How, Dec 10th at 12PM CT. Row of headshots across the bottom with names and titles: Shane Feldman, Innivee Strategies; Melissa Yingest, Innivee Strategies.

Our Library of Training Materials

Two-tone dark blue and teal image with a Training Institute logo on the top left. Below the logo is the following text: From Stories to Evidence: Using Data to Strengthen Funding Requests by Dr. Carrie Lou Bloom. On the right is a circular headshot of Carrie Lou, who is a a smiling white woman with shoulder-length, curly brown hair, is wearing a black blouse and glasses, with a white pillar behind her.

From Stories to Evidence: Using Data to Strengthen Funding Requests

,
Strong funding proposals require more than a compelling mission—they also need clear evidence of community needs, organizational reach, and program impact. Dr. Carrie Lou Bloom helps deaf organizations and programs understand what kinds of data can strengthen a funding request, how to collect that information responsibly and accessibly, and how to combine quantitative data with community stories.
Learn More
Two-tone dark blue and teal image with a Training Institute logo on the top left. Below the logo is the following text: To Apply or Not to Apply: The Realities of Grant Writing with Darian B. Gambrell. On the right is a circular headshot of Darian, who is a Black woman with short hair and glasses, smiling warmly at the camera. She is wearing a bright red blouse with small earrings.

To Apply Or Not To Apply: The Realities of Grant Writing

There are so many different competitive funding opportunities out there, yet many deaf organizations and programs have limited time and resources. It can be tough to decide whether your organization should pursue certain grants. In this session, Darian B. Gambrell will share her years of experience and lessons learned in grant-seeking. You will learn how to vet grants for best fit, and when to pass on opportunities that don't sufficiently align with your organization.
Learn More

Basics of Donor Development

Are you a deaf organization or program that is looking to grow your donor base? In this introductory "Basics of Donor Development" session, Marilyn J. Smith explores why organizations need donors and the different strategies for cultivating donor relationships.
Learn More

The Deaf Nonprofit Crisis

Aracelia Aguilar of DeafHope, Darian B. Gambrell of DEAF, Inc., and Zachary Ennis of Rochester Deaf Kitchen are three leaders from deaf organizations who shared how they have been navigating the current nonprofit crisis and its impact.
Learn More

Federal Actions Impacting Deaf Nonprofits

The presentation was led by Maria Wilson and Bobby Siebert, legal and compliance experts from CSD. Key topics covered: Executive Orders, Texas v. Becerra, and assessing risks to nonprofits.
Learn More

From Stories to Evidence: Using Data to Strengthen Funding Requests

,
Strong funding proposals require more than a compelling mission—they also need clear evidence of community needs, organizational reach, and program impact. Dr. Carrie Lou Bloom helps deaf organizations and programs understand what kinds of data can strengthen a funding request, how to collect that information responsibly and accessibly, and how to combine quantitative data with community stories.
Two-tone dark blue and teal image with a Training Institute logo on the top left. Below the logo is the following text: From Stories to Evidence: Using Data to Strengthen Funding Requests by Dr. Carrie Lou Bloom. On the right is a circular headshot of Carrie Lou, who is a a smiling white woman with shoulder-length, curly brown hair, is wearing a black blouse and glasses, with a white pillar behind her.

To Apply Or Not To Apply: The Realities of Grant Writing

There are so many different competitive funding opportunities out there, yet many deaf organizations and programs have limited time and resources. It can be tough to decide whether your organization should pursue certain grants. In this session, Darian B. Gambrell will share her years of experience and lessons learned in grant-seeking. You will learn how to vet grants for best fit, and when to pass on opportunities that don't sufficiently align with your organization.
Two-tone dark blue and teal image with a Training Institute logo on the top left. Below the logo is the following text: To Apply or Not to Apply: The Realities of Grant Writing with Darian B. Gambrell. On the right is a circular headshot of Darian, who is a Black woman with short hair and glasses, smiling warmly at the camera. She is wearing a bright red blouse with small earrings.

Basics of Donor Development

Are you a deaf organization or program that is looking to grow your donor base? In this introductory "Basics of Donor Development" session, Marilyn J. Smith explores why organizations need donors and the different strategies for cultivating donor relationships.

The Deaf Nonprofit Crisis

Aracelia Aguilar of DeafHope, Darian B. Gambrell of DEAF, Inc., and Zachary Ennis of Rochester Deaf Kitchen are three leaders from deaf organizations who shared how they have been navigating the current nonprofit crisis and its impact.

Federal Actions Impacting Deaf Nonprofits

The presentation was led by Maria Wilson and Bobby Siebert, legal and compliance experts from CSD. Key topics covered: Executive Orders, Texas v. Becerra, and assessing risks to nonprofits.

Special thanks to our partners

Kramer Wealth Managers logo
The Glenn and Martha
Wilson Fund

Are you interested in partnering with us to support the Training Institute?
If applicable, our company sponsorship form may be reviewed here. Otherwise, please reach out to us to discuss further.

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Deaf Organizations Fund is a 501(c)3 public charity, tax ID: 92-3792141.
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