Do you struggle to manage and retain your volunteers? Are you unsure of how to best utilize volunteer talent to help grow your organization? Join the Foundation Center for our next Grassroots Networking Night, and learn how to tap into the talent in your community.

Meet and greet, ask questions, make connections, and have fun. Here's how it works:

• 5:30-6:00 - Open networking, introductions, eat & greet
• 6:00-6:30 – Speed geeking
• 6:30-7:00 - Q&A round
• 7:00-7:30 - Open networking

Refreshments will be offered, as well as the chance to win the book, Wise Decision Making in Uncertain Times. Join GrantSpace during the event to receive a free 24-hour gift card to Foundation Directory Online.

So, how do the speed geeking rounds work? They are 10-minute, timed sessions where attendees break into small groups and move around the room attending presentations from invited presenters. (Think “speed-dating”!) When the bell is rung, groups move on to the next presenter until all presenters have been visited. By the end of all the talks, you will have heard the essentials from each presenter. Our presenters will share tips from their successful real-world experiences building a movement around their organization’s mission.

Grassroots Networking Nights provide an opportunity for building relationships with featured presenters and other community change agents. You’re encouraged to spend the evening working the room! You never know who might be a potential partner or useful connection.

Featured presenters:

• Joy Banish, Executive Director of Greater Cleveland Volunteers, a nonprofit organization that promotes volunteerism. Greater Cleveland Volunteers recruits, places and supports 3000 volunteers age 18 and older that help at 200 local organizations. Greater Cleveland Volunteers engages people to serve the community through meaningful volunteer opportunities.
• Jeff Griffiths, Founder and Executive Director of HandsOn Northeast Ohio. HandsOn Neo’s mission is to engage Northeast Ohio individuals and organizations in volunteer opportunities that meet community needs, strengthen community involvement, and build capacity of local non-profit organizations.
• Ann Kent, Vice President, Services to Nonprofits at BVU: The Center for Nonprofit Excellence. BVU is a national model organization that links businesses and nonprofits to foster excellence in the nonprofit sector.

Bring your business card, your elevator speech and your questions, because you’ll be among other grassroots activists and doers who are as passionate as you are about community change.