Marketing and Communications: Certificate in Nonprofit Management Series

Certificate in Nonprofit Management Program

Marketing & Communications**

Dates: Thursdays, September 4, 11, 18 and 25

Location: Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence (NICNE) at NIU Rockford

Time: 12:30 pm to 3:00 pm

Facilitator: Martesha Brown, MBA, CEO and Lead Consultant of MB Strategic and Director of Community and Economic Development with Midland States Bank

Cost: $225 NICNE Members | $250 General Admission

Course Details: Gain the essential skills, tools, and techniques you need to develop a strategic marketing plan to enhance your organization’s bottom line and mission impact. In this class you will gain an understanding of how to focus your promotional efforts to enhance your organization’s mission, programs, and fundraising,ensuring your organization stands out in a cluttered marketplace.

You will:

• Explore the building blocks of marketing;
• Define your key audiences to focus your efforts;
• Explore the role of branding, strategic marketing, and communications;
• Determine your unique differentiators and brand management consideration;
• Learn how to effectively engage your audiences, including clients, donors, employees, volunteers community stakeholders, funders, and the media;
• Determine the appropriate platforms and strategies for integrated marketing campaigns unique to your mission;
• Understand the importance of metrics performance measurement;
• Learn about key budgeting and strategic considerations;
• Gain an understanding of the role marketing audits, audience analysis, and segmentation;
• Build a beginning marketing plan.

The course will include guest presentations from local marketing experts, and numerous tools, templates, and resources will be shared.

This class is geared towards working professionals. While attendees are expected to engage in activities during class, there is generally no homework required. Expect to spend no more than 30-60 minutes per week outside of class engaging in class activities. In-class activities, discussion, and engagement will enhance your learning and relevance of topics to your work. Resources will be shared on best practices, current laws and trends, and other topics to help you adhere to legal standards and position yourself as a top employer.

Facilitator: Martesha Brown is a Rockford native and MBA Graduate of Rockford University with a passion for economic development, strategic planning, marketing, belonging, and community engagement. She is the Director of Community and Economic Development at Midland States Bank, with previous leadership roles in economic development, public relations, marketing, and operations for Rockford Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and Alpine State Bank.

Martesha has been recognized and awarded as one ofRockford’s “Forty Under 40,” as a Rockford Register Star “People You Should Know,” and is a recipient of the “25 BlackLeaders to Watch” by Soul News Network, Inspiring 815, Channel 13’s - 13 Heroes, Juneteenth Helping Hand Recipient, 2020 YWCA Woman of Achievement, 2021 Rockford Chamber of Commerce Community Hero, and one of the 2022 Northwest Quarterly’s 25 Most Interesting People.

She has volunteered on various boards and committees including Goodwill of Northern Illinois, Think Big, Transform Rockford, Habitat for Humanity, Community Foundation ofNorthern Illinois, Chairman’s Bridge Committee, State of ILGovernor Pritzker’s Capital Development Board, State ofIllinois Association of Park Districts, Rebounding Rockford’s Covid Recovery Committee, RAVE, Leadership Rockford, Coalition of Latino Leaders, Swedish American HealthFoundation, Illinois Trust Board, Rockford Housing Development Corporation (also known as the PlatformGroup), the Swedish American UW Health Foundation, and the NAACP.

In April 2021, she was officially elected as the First Black Woman to serve on the Rockford Park District Board of Commissioners in its 112-year history and now serves as the President of the board.

She is also the proud business owner of MB Strategic Solutions, where she works with non-profit organizations in leadership development, strategic planning, financial efficiencies, visioning, and board development. In addition to her consultancy work, Martesha is an accomplished public speaker. She regularly engages diverse audiences at conferences, panels, and community events, delivering dynamic and insightful keynotes on leadership development, strategic visioning, purpose-driven focus, belonging, and more. Her presentations inspire others to take actionable steps toward positive change in their organizations and communities.

Martesha lives with the belief that true impact begins when we find our purpose and use it to uplift the community around us.

Certificate in Nonprofit Management Program Details: Leading a successful mission-driven nonprofit requires more than goals and plans; it requires concrete knowledge and skills. NICNE’s five-course Certificate in Nonprofit Management program will teach you the skills needed to strengthen your organization and better achieve your mission.

Each course is led by an accomplished expert in their field. Instructors include nonprofit executives, master-level leaders committed to collaboration as a tool to drive social change, and instructors and guest speakers with advanced certifications and decades of experience in nonprofit leadership.

This program is valuable for Nonprofit Leaders seeking to broaden or refresh their skill set, managers seeking leadership positions within their organization, employees seeking to improve leadership skills, board members seeking to serve in a more strategic advisory role, and people seeking to transfer from the for-profit to the nonprofit arena.

**This is one of the five courses in the Certificate in Nonprofit Management Program. Take any of the courses individually or complete the entire series. Courses may be taken in any order and attendance credit does not expire. Upon successful completion of all five courses (90% overall attendance) participants will receive a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from The Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence at Northern Illinois University. Full program details can be found by visiting our website at www.niu.edu/nicne/. Please call 815.753.8793 or email Billie Callahan at bcallahan@niu.edu with questions.

About NICNE: Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence (NICNE) has been providing capacity building, training, technical assistance and resource support to nonprofit organizations within our region since August 2004. We are celebrating our 20th year as the region's primary resource for nonprofit management and leadership development. NICNE strengthens nonprofits and encourages collaboration resulting in a strong, vibrant nonprofit sector critical to a healthy community. NICNE's mission: Promote, model and grow innovation, excellence and social impact.

NICNE is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization affiliated with Northern Illinois University, Division of Outreach, Engagement and Regional Development. Learn more at our website, www.niu.edu/nicne/

Host or Publisher Northern Illinois Center for Nonprofit Excellence (NICNE)