As we near two years of living through a global pandemic, many people are eager to return to in-person formats. On the other hand, the future continues to remain difficult to predict, making it even harder for nonprofit organizations to plan. As the year comes to a close, what might have been hopeful plans for in-person year-end fundraising or volunteering events may end up online.
You may be wondering - how long will this last? Certainly longer than we might expect. However, online trainings, meetings, and events give both participants and organizers unique opportunities they may not have had otherwise. We’ll be looking at some of the great benefits of virtual gatherings to reframe our mindsets and get excited about potential opportunities for later trainings, meetings, and events.
The immense growth in online gathering platforms has given organizations a huge list of gathering setups to choose from. Some platforms allow for bigger groups to connect with whoever they want, allowing for a more customized, personalized experience, more akin to in-person meetings. Alternatively, trainers can use platforms like Zoom to place participants into predefined groups, keeping one person in control of how the meeting will go.
A huge benefit to this is even if someone is out of town, they may still be able to join you, whether at an online silent auction or board meeting. More and more people are traveling the country and by following this flexibility, you may be able to engage a larger audience than you ever could in in-person gatherings.
At the Nonprofit Learning Lab, we are pros at online trainings and events, having started support services for these initiatives even before the pandemic. Looking for program support as you move a training online? We’ve helped create or adjust hundreds of organizations’ programs to directly suit their wants and needs. Try an online fundraiser last year, and just didn’t get it quite how you imagined it would be? Our event services team is ready to help, with new ideas for engagement and informed tactics for raising awareness for your event and funds for your cause. Has your organization gone fully virtual, and you need help with your onboard instructional design for different volunteer trainings? We can customize a training for you, making sure to follow best practices for adult learning and engagement. Questions? Email us at info@nonprofitlearninglab.org and we’d be happy to help.