SkillShare

SkillShare is a unique professional development opportunity for your employees. We pair skilled professionals with nonprofits to tackle technical or management challenges. Your team builds consultancy, team-building, communication, and technical skills. Nonprofit organizations gain new perspectives and solutions to some of their most difficult challenges. When nonprofits do better, communities do better. It all starts with you.

How does SkillShare work?

During this 12-week program, we facilitate teams of 3 or 4 employees to solve a well-defined technical or management challenge that a nonprofit organization has defined.

The program kicks off with a half-day training and team-building launch that clarifies the team’s roles and introduces them to their nonprofit organization and proposed assignment. Each team is guided by an experienced project advisor who provides coaching and direction.

After an initial site visit, teams work to complete the defined deliverables. The program concludes with a final presentation to business managers and senior leadership, celebrating the teamwork between both sectors.

Project Examples

Finance
  • Analysis of expenses
  • Development of dashboard and other financial and management reports
  • Planning (long/short-term)
  • Budgeting
  • Cash planning (e.g. cash flow forecasting and control)
  • Developing effective financial management controls, risk management, and other policies
  • Cost/Benefit analysis
Operations
  • Inventory management
  • Purchasing and supply chain audit
  • Quality improvement
  • Facilities management plan
  • Safety planning
  • Emergency readiness
  • Work-flow improvement
  • Enterprise risk management (i.e. create a plan to minimize and then mitigate a possible risk to reputation, finances/facility, or people)
Business Planning
  • Market research
  • Budget development
  • Benchmarking
  • Model development
  • Customer research
Human Resources
  • Employee wellness plans
  • Job description revisions
  • Employee handbook development
  • Policy updates and development
  • Performance management system
  • Competency mapping
  • Recruitment and retention strategies
Information Technology
  • Network audit
  • Phone systems audit
  • Network security assessment
  • Install and configure networking equipment (e.g. routers, backup devices, modems)
  • Hardware/Software audit
  • Set up and configure new computers, install software
  • Assess donated PCs to determine usefulness
  • Create inventory of computer equipment
  • Troubleshoot PCs or laptops
  • Create inventory of software
  • Software training (i.e. one-on-one or small group, depending on lab availability)
  • Website audit
  • Security analysis
  • Build new queries and reports in an Access database; train staff; increase user-friendliness
  • CRM systems
  • Salesforce database
Marketing and Communications
  • Public relations planning
  • Market research or benchmarking
  • Marketing assessment
  • Social media plan and training
  • Branding and positioning
  • Online marketing strategy

 

Interested in learning more for yourself or your company?

Reach out to explore the best option for you and your team. Email ccce@rmu.edu or call 412-397-6366.

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