Strengthening nonprofit culture through professional development

How would you characterize your nonprofit’s culture? Do staff work together, or in silos? Are mistakes discussed openly, or are they hidden?

Nonprofits aim for impact but can still develop weak cultures. If you have trouble with hiring or retaining staff, consider reviewing your workplace culture.

As we move from challenges to solutions, let’s explore proven ways to enhance your nonprofit’s work environment, including professional development. In this article, we’ll analyze the significant impact of professional development on nonprofits and offer practical implementation tips.

How Professional Development Improves Nonprofit Culture

Encourages skill development. 

When staff engage in professional development opportunities, their skills grow. However, staff may feel too busy to learn new skills, even those that would streamline their daily responsibilities.

Encouraging staff to pursue professional development helps build a knowledgeable, motivated team and enhances your nonprofit’s culture. Benefits include:

• Improved results. Staff will apply knowledge from professional development directly into their daily work, raising the overall quality of communications, fundraising, administration, service delivery, and other critical functions.

• Deeper motivation. 360MatchPro’s guide to staff engagement explains that intrinsic motivation is often more powerful than extrinsic motivators, like rewards and punishments. Staff who feel competent in their roles are more likely to have intrinsic motivation, and professional development helps improve competence. 
• A learning mindset. Promoting professional development demonstrates your commitment to your staff’s ongoing growth. Your staff will become eager to explore new courses, tools, and educational resources, sharing insights to build a culture of curiosity and innovation.

Whether team members are taking courses to improve their communication skills, attending webinars on nonprofit finances, or researching web design resources, these professional development opportunities can strengthen your team’s overall capabilities, fostering a productive culture. 

Improves staff retention. 

Staff want careers with advancement. Offering skill-building and growth makes them more likely to stay.

Ongoing training shows your nonprofit’s commitment to staff growth, building loyalty, reducing turnover, and creating a more consistent workplace.

How to Promote Professional Development at Your Nonprofit

Courses, Webinars, and Other Training Opportunities

Most professional development happens through formal trainings, such as workshops and webinars. Motivate staff to engage with these by:

• Creating in-house training opportunities. Training at your nonprofit shouldn’t end once new staff members finish onboarding. Consider offering internal development opportunities, such as job rotation programs. 

• Bringing in consultants. Nonprofit consultants have a wide range of specialties, including training staff in specific skills. If there are certain skills you feel a significant number of staff would benefit from developing, consider hiring a consultant to lead team training sessions. 

• Purchasing training courses. Thanks to advances in e-learning, there is a wide range of online training courses and credentialing programs. Research and purchase access to online courses that your entire team can take as they advance at your nonprofit. For example, you might have a basic marketing course that all staff engaged in external communications are required to complete. 
• Facilitating participation in external opportunities. Some motivated staff might find external professional development opportunities they feel will help them advance in their roles. To help them pursue these opportunities, your nonprofit might help cover costs, accommodate scheduling, or make introductions. For example, your nonprofit might pay for conference registration for nonprofit professionals. 

As staff grow their skills and take on new responsibilities, revise their job descriptions to reflect these changes. Astron Solutions recommends updating job descriptions at least every two to  three years, so it’s easier to properly acknowledge team members’ new duties and address them during performance reviews. 

Coaching and Mentoring

Professional development strengthens culture and nurtures a learning mindset. Trained staff are more likely to share knowledge with new team members.

Build on this teaching impulse with a mentorship program. Mentoring preserves knowledge, improves skills, and creates a welcoming environment. Steps include:

• Determine the purpose of the program. The structure and length of your mentorships depend on the program’s goals. For instance, if your objective is to help acclimate new staff members to your nonprofit, you might assign mentors only during their first few weeks. But if mentorships are meant to ease staff into more advanced roles, you might have team members directly request job shadowing and mentorships for specific positions. 

• Offer mentorship incentives. Ensure senior staff who sign up to be mentors receive something for their efforts. These incentives might be bonuses, free lunches for the mentor and their mentee, or formal acknowledgment of their efforts during performance evaluations. 
• Gather staff feedback. Check in with staff participating in your mentorship program to determine whether the initiative is achieving its desired outcomes. For instance, after new staff wrap up their mentorship as part of their onboarding, you might ask them what they learned from their mentor, if they felt comfortable turning to their mentor for help, and if there is anything else they wish their mentor had coached them on. 

Mentorships improve skills for both mentors and mentees. Mentees learn new insights, while mentors reinforce their abilities and grow as leaders.

To conclude, professional development and positive nonprofit cultures often go hand in hand. To encourage your team to continually do their best, improve their skills, and uplift others, consider exploring training and upskilling opportunities tailored to your nonprofit’s unique workplace needs. Get started by surveying your staff to understand their professional development needs and ensure your team is ready to take an active role in their own career advancement. 

About the author: Jennifer C. Loftus is a Founding Partner of and National Director for Astron Solutions, a HR and talent management consulting firm. Jennifer has 23 years of experience garnered at organizations including the Hay Group, Parsons Brinckerhoff, Eagle Electric Manufacturing Company, and Harcourt General.  

Jennifer has held volunteer leadership roles with SHRM, New York City SHRM, and WorldatWork. She serves as a subject-matter expert for the SHRM Learning System and as a SHRM instructor. Jennifer is a sought-after speaker for local & national conferences and media outlets.

Jennifer has an MBA in Human Resource Management with highest honors from Pace University and a BS in Accounting summa cum laude from Rutgers University. Jennifer holds Adjunct Professor roles with Pace University, Long Island University, and LIM College.