Professional Development Doesn't Have to Be $$$

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"We have very little in the budget for professional development", is a common statement.
Conversely, we know that professional development helps with employee retention, motivation and employee and organizational success. So, how do we bridge that gap? It may not be a click on the keyboard, but it does not have to be too hard or too expensive.

 There are various ways to work on professional development internally, but we will save that for another time. We will focus on external resources that are easy on the budget.  See below for an extensive list and treat yourself and your team!


TIP: KS Solutions provides customized, interactive professional development sessions and facilitation on a variety of topics.  We will work with your budget. Contact Kate.


 Do you have favorite places for professional development that are not mentioned here? Please share with others on Facebook.





In-Person Professional Development Sessions

  • Maryland Nonprofits – webinars and in-person events (often free for members) 
  • Business Volunteers Maryland – various in-person sessions  (some offered at no charge) 
  • Community Law Center – in-person workshops for community associations  (nominal fee for trainings)
  • Strong City Baltimore – Neighborhood Institute, covers 35 topics with focus on skills and capacity building,  held April of each year on a Saturday ($40 for full day and lunch) 
  • Maryland Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts – in person workshops on topics like  like “Legal and Business Issues for Filmmakers,” “Accounting for Artists,” “The Future of Music Distribution,” and “Protecting Your Work with Copyright.”  (free or low-cost)  

Webinars and Podcasts

Helpful Articles: 

Guide to the Best Free Nonprofit Webinars by Nonprofit Hub
The Top 15 Nonprofit Podcasts by Capterra
30 Great Nonprofit Podcasts by Wild Apricot

TIP: Share some of these resources with your team and encourage them to sign up for a session each month. Plan a time for knowledge-sharing, where staff share what they think  is most relevant from their learning, with the rest of the team. 
"Live as if you are going to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." 
     - Ghandi

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