DoGood Academy: Summer Series

Accelerate your nonprofit at the DoGood Academy: 7 weeks of action-oriented, hybrid workshops to master grants, AI, governance & strategy.
About this Event

About the DoGood Academy

The DoGood Academy Summer Series is a practical 7-week bootcamp designed to help Canadian nonprofit and charity leaders move from overwhelm to action. Hosted weekly on Wednesdays, each workshop features three 1-hour action-oriented sessions packed with practical exercises, case studies and peer networking.

Why join the DoGood Academy?

1. Hands-on learning: No boring lectures. Define your problem statement, roll up your sleeves, and walk away with frameworks and actionable takeaways.
2. Peer Circles:Connect with peers, share real-world experiences, and learn from colleagues who understand the pressures of running mission-driven organizations
3. Flexible Access: Join us in person (in Mississauga) or virtually (online) for one workshop, topic tracks comprising multiple workshops, or the entire Summer Series.

In-person capacity is limited to 10 participants. Early registration is recommended.

Week 1: Grant Writing Masterclass

Whether you are a seasoned fundraiser or a founder wearing multiple hats, this bootcamp is designed to transform how you approach grant applications. We will break down the clear roadmap from initial concept to the "submit" button, ensuring your next proposal stands out to funders.

What we will accomplish together:

• 10:00am Session 1- The Strategy to Submission Roadmap: Familiarize yourself with the grant writing process and learn practical tools and time-saving strategies on how to streamline it.
• 11:00am Session 2- The Top 10 Common Mistakes: A candid look at why good proposals get rejected and how to fix them.
• Break, then 12:40pm Session 3- The Peer Circle: Bring a previously declined grant! We will collectively critique, rewrite, and polish it into a stronger, more funder-ready proposal .

Week 2: AI for Nonprofits: Strategy, Tools, & Governance

AI is more than hype. Used well, it can help your team save time, reduce repetitive work, and focus more energy on mission-critical tasks.However, implementing it without a plan leads to privacy, security, and workflow risks. This workshop cuts through the hype to help you strategically integrate AI into your daily nonprofit operations safely and ethically.

What we will accomplish together:

• 10:00am Session 1- Mapping the Bottlenecks: Identify organizational constraints and find exactly where AI can save you hours.
• 11:00am, Session 2- AI Tools in Action: Hands-on exploration of the best AI tools for grant drafting, content creation, and data management.
• Break, then 12:40pm, Session 3- Developing your AI Policy: Draft a framework for your internal AI policy to protect your organization's data and maintain ethical standards.

Week 3: Governance & Board Development: Engagement & Succession

Is your board an active engine driving your mission forward, or are you struggling with disengagement and vacancies around the board table? A high-performing nonprofit requires an active, diverse, and organized board. This session gives you the tools to recruit the right people and keep them passionate.

What we will accomplish together:

• 10:00am, Session 1- Finding the Ideal People: Build a targeted recruitment strategy to attract the specific skills and diverse perspectives your board lacks.
• 11:00am, Session 2- Keeping Your Board Engaged: Move past boring meetings. Learn frameworks that turn passive board members into active ambassadors for your mission into active ambassadors.
• Break, then 12:40pm, Session 3- Succession Planning: Prepare for planned and unexpected transitions. Create a step-by-step transition plan for key board roles and leadership.

Week 4: Needs Assessment & Program Evaluation

Strong programs are built on clear community needs, thoughtful design, and credible evidence. This workshop will help you understand what your community needs, define meaningful outcomes, collect useful data, and tell a stronger story about your impact for funders, partners, boards, and the communities you serve.

What we will accomplish together:

• 10:00am, Session 1-Needs Assessment & Data Collection Tools: Learn how to identify community needs, gather relevant information, and use accessible, low-cost tools to collect and organize program data responsibly.
• 11:00am, Session 2- Outcomes, KPIs, and Metrics: Move beyond tracking activities. Define outcomes, indicators, and learning questions that show what is changing, for whom, and why it matters.
• Break, then 12:40pm, Session 3- Reporting with Clarity and Credibility: Learn how to turn your data into clear, useful reports that support accountability, strengthen funding applications, and help your organization make better decisions.

Week 5: Fundraising Planning & Revenue Diversification

Relying on a single funding stream creates real risk for nonprofit organizations. True sustainability comes from diversification. In this highly actionable session, we will audit your current funding and map out a practical roadmap to tap into new, resilient revenue streams.

What we will accomplish together:

• 10:00am, Session 1- Preparing for Grants : Audit your internal readiness to strengthen your ability to apply for and manage grants you can win grants and successfully manage the funds when you win.
• 11:00am, Session 2- Prospect Research & Pipelines: Learn how to source, qualify and organize funding leads.
• Break, then 12:40pm, Session 3- Diversifying Your Revenue: Map out a customized strategy to blend grants, donations, sponsorships, earned revenue, and fee-for-service opportunities.

Week 6: Strategic Planning: From SWOT to Action Plan

A strategic plan shouldn't sit on a shelf. It should be a practical roadmap for your day-to-day operations. This workshop takes strategic planning out of the clouds and grounds it in practical, weekly execution templates.

• 10:00am, Session 1- Checklist for Gap Assessment: Evaluate where your organization stands today versus where you need to be.
• 11:00am, Session 2- Actionable SWOT Evaluation: Go deeper than a standard bulleted list. Learn how to use organizational strengths to respond to risks, gaps, and opportunities.
• Break, then 12:40pm, Session 3- Building the Action Plan: Translate your big goals into concrete, assigned tasks with deadlines for your team.

Week 7: Compliance, Legal & Financial Fundamentals for Nonprofits and Charities

Staying compliant doesn't have to be overwhelming. Protect your organization's hard work by mastering the operational, governance, and financial regulations required of modern nonprofits and charities, including the latest Ontario Not-for-Profit Corporations Act (ONCA) requirements.

What we will accomplish together:

• 10:00am, Session 1- Operational Compliance & ONCA: Go through a live checklist to ensure your bylaws and operations are fully ONCA-compliant.
• 11:00am, Session 2- Governance & Staff Management: Best practices for HR, managing staff vs. volunteers, and risk mitigation.
• Break, then 12:40pm, Session 3- Financial Management, Budgeting, and CRA Reportings : Demystify nonprofit accounting, fund reporting, and T3010 and CRA filing responsibilities.