Partnerships That Matter: Building Trust-Driven Collaboration

What does it really take to build partnerships that last? This hands-on, interactive seminar invites you to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with the human side of your work - because at the heart of every great partnership is a great relationship.

Through a blend of solo reflection, lively partner conversations, and group dialogue, you'll explore a four-part framework designed to help you show up more intentionally in your partnerships:

• Purpose — Reconnect with your why and discover what drives the people you work alongside
• Prowess — Celebrate your strengths, uncover your unique gifts, and imagine new ways to bring them to your work
• Communication — Explore your communication values — in collaboration, in conflict, and everything in between
• Play — Rediscover the joy, laughter, and abundance that can make partnerships not just productive, but genuinely energizing

You'll leave with fresh insights about yourself, a deeper appreciation for your colleagues and partners, and practical tools for nurturing partnerships at every stage of the journey — from those just beginning to those you're working to sustain and grow.

Come ready to think, connect, and maybe even laugh a little. You might be surprised by what you discover.

Who Should Attend:

This seminar is ideal for nonprofit professionals who collaborate with colleagues, community members, funders, partners, volunteers, or other stakeholders as part of their work. It may be particularly valuable for program staff, managers, directors, community engagement professionals, partnership leads, and others seeking to strengthen relationship-building, communication, and collaboration practices.

Registration:

• General Admission: $150
• Read CNM's Refund Policy

If you are a CNM Scholarship Recipient, please send an email to [email protected] to receive your discount code.

Facilitator Bio

Tamara McDonald (she/her) - Coach, Educator, and Community-Centered Leader,

Tamara McDonald is a coach, educator, and community-centered leader who brings more than a decade of experience designing learning experiences that strengthen collaboration, leadership, and equity. Her work spans higher education, workforce development, athletics, and nonprofit leadership, with a consistent focus on helping individuals and organizations build meaningful relationships that create lasting impact. Prior to joining the nonprofit sector, Tamara served as the Statewide Administrative Chief for the California Labor Commissioner’s Office, where she led statewide workforce and leadership initiatives focused on access, engagement, and opportunity.

As a facilitator, Tamara combines instructional leadership and coaching to create spaces where people feel seen, heard, and empowered to contribute. Drawing from her experience as an adjunct professor, program manager, and coach, she helps teams reconnect to purpose, communicate with intention, and build trust-driven partnerships that support creativity, joy, and collective growth.