Join Tom Linfield, Vice President Community Impact with the Madison Community Foundation, to learn about grant writing best practices.
Whether you’re new to grant writing or looking to hone your skills, this is the perfect opportunity to get you on your way to writing successful grant proposals. Learn how to take your ideas and put them into a compelling and concise grant format. Before becoming a foundation program officer, Tom raised more than $15 million in grants for various nonprofits. As a program officer, he has worked on local and national grant making programs, including awarding millions in grants for various environmental projects in Dane County. The workshop will thus focus on both sides of the grant writing/grant making equation. From best practices, to tips and tricks, to small group work, this fun and interactive session will take you through how to plan a proposal, present your project convincingly, and communicate constructively with funders. You’ll even write and critique a short proposal.
This session is sponsored by Madison Community Foundation.
Speaker Bio
Tom is the Vice President of Community Impact at Madison Community Foundation (MCF). At MCF since 2004, Tom has more than 30 years of experience in the non-profit world, focusing on arts, higher education, public television and community development. In his current role he directs MCF’s annual grantmaking, offers capacity building, counsel and facilitation to non-profits, and serves on the leadership team for the Foundation. Recent MCF grant projects include food pantry expansion, public library construction, the new Madison Youth Art Center, and expanding online access for K-12 schooling during the Covid-19 pandemic. Previous roles include training and grant writing positions at the National Public Television Center for Outreach, Wisconsin Public Television, Edgewood College, and the Massachusetts College of Art. Tom co-chaired the national community foundation Program Officer’s Network (ProNet) and served on conference committees for Wisconsin Philanthropy Network and CFUnited. His board service has included the Bolz School of Arts Administration at the UW-Madison, Leadership Greater Madison Alumni Association, The Evjue Foundation, The Henry Vilas Zoo, and Operation Fresh Start. He is a fellow of The Funders Network PLACES program. Tom is fluent in French and German and is a practicing fine artist, exhibiting his sculpture, mosaics and drawings regularly. He heartily recommends the art book Moby-Dick in Pictures: One Drawing for Every Page, by Matt Kish, and still wishes that “Bridesmaids” had won an Oscar.
Training Series
This is part of a winter volunteer training series that is open to park Friends groups, watershed groups and other organizations working to improve and protect Dane County land and water resources. These sessions are free and open to all. Please register in advance for planning purposes. Snacks and beverages will be provided by the Foundation for Dane County Parks. For a full list of trainings in this series, visit our Friends Stewardship and Training Resources webpage.
Join Lussier Family Heritage Center Education Staff for pop-up events around our Dane County Parks! These events are for all visitors and families to engage in the outdoors. Join staff to explore in parks all over Dane County, some may be familiar and some may be new to you! Events included in our new pop-up series are Snowshoeing and Owl Walks. Recreational events will vary depending on season and weather.
These are free events that may have a fee depending on recreational gear needed. Feel free to bring your own specific equipment depending on each of the events (ex: snowshoes, headlamp)
*Cancellation of event will happen due to extreme weather. This includes Winter weather advisories and extreme temperatures below 15 degrees Fahrenheit at time of event. Registered individuals will be notified through their email by the morning of the event. Cancellation will also be posted on the Lussier Family event center webpage.
**Please come prepared for event with water and appropriate dress. All events will happen entirely outside, this means being able to stay outside for at least an hour. Waterproof shoes or boots, heavy coats, gloves, warm hat, water, and small snack recommended.
Your preschooler loves to get their hands into everything, run around, and explore! Come help foster that sense of wonder with our Lil’ Explorers program at the Lussier Family Heritage Center. This program will target ages 3 - 6 and provide a space for them to engage with their outdoor environment. Throughout our programs we will use our five senses, be active in the outdoors, learn how to work together, and so much more! Join us on the second Friday of every month from 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. for this engaging outdoor program.
Signing-up in advanced is encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.
This is a free event for participants. Chaperone must attend with their child.
Join Lussier Family Heritage Center Education Staff for pop-up events around our Dane County Parks! These events are for all visitors and families to engage in the outdoors. Join staff to explore in parks all over Dane County, some may be familiar and some may be new to you! Events included in our new pop-up series are Snowshoeing and Owl Walks. Recreational events will vary depending on season and weather.
These are free events that may have a fee depending on recreational gear needed. Feel free to bring your own specific equipment depending on each of the events (ex: snowshoes, headlamp)
*Cancellation of event will happen due to extreme weather. This includes Winter weather advisories and extreme temperatures below 15 degrees Fahrenheit at time of event. Registered individuals will be notified through their email by the morning of the event. Cancellation will also be posted on the Lussier Family event center webpage.
**Please come prepared for event with water and appropriate dress. All events will happen entirely outside, this means being able to stay outside for at least an hour. Waterproof shoes or boots, heavy coats, gloves, warm hat, water, and small snack recommended.
Join the Dane County Parks Volunteer Coordinator to learn more about the Parks volunteer program and some exciting new opportunities. Topics covered in this session will include:
- Volunteer recruitment, retention and management
- How to get involved with Citizen Science activities
- An introduction and overview of a new Dane County Parks volunteer management database
- How to connect with park staff and available resources
Training Series
This is part of a winter volunteer training series that is open to park Friends groups, watershed groups and other organizations working to improve and protect Dane County land and water resources. These sessions are free and open to all. Please register in advance for planning purposes. Snacks and beverages will be provided by the Foundation for Dane County Parks. For a full list of trainings in this series, visit our Friends Stewardship and Training Resources webpage.
Join Lussier Family Heritage Center Education Staff for pop-up events around our Dane County Parks! These events are for all visitors and families to engage in the outdoors. Join staff to explore in parks all over Dane County, some may be familiar and some may be new to you! Events included in our new pop-up series are Snowshoeing and Owl Walks. Recreational events will vary depending on season and weather.
These are free events that may have a fee depending on recreational gear needed. Feel free to bring your own specific equipment depending on each of the events (ex: snowshoes, headlamp)
*Cancellation of event will happen due to extreme weather. This includes Winter weather advisories and extreme temperatures below 15 degrees Fahrenheit at time of event. Registered individuals will be notified through their email by the morning of the event. Cancellation will also be posted on the Lussier Family event center webpage.
**Please come prepared for event with water and appropriate dress. All events will happen entirely outside, this means being able to stay outside for at least an hour. Waterproof shoes or boots, heavy coats, gloves, warm hat, water, and small snack recommended.
Join Lussier Family Heritage Center Education Staff for pop-up events around our Dane County Parks! These events are for all visitors and families to engage in the outdoors. Join staff to explore in parks all over Dane County, some may be familiar and some may be new to you! Events included in our new pop-up series are Snowshoeing and Owl Walks. Recreational events will vary depending on season and weather.
These are free events that may have a fee depending on recreational gear needed. Feel free to bring your own specific equipment depending on each of the events (ex: snowshoes, headlamp)
*Cancellation of event will happen due to extreme weather. This includes Winter weather advisories and extreme temperatures below 15 degrees Fahrenheit at time of event. Registered individuals will be notified through their email by the morning of the event. Cancellation will also be posted on the Lussier Family event center webpage.
**Please come prepared for event with water and appropriate dress. All events will happen entirely outside, this means being able to stay outside for at least an hour. Waterproof shoes or boots, heavy coats, gloves, warm hat, water, and small snack recommended.
Are you and your child looking for a fun activity to do during early release or no school days? Look no further than our fun outdoor adventure program! This program will be offered at select county parks throughout Dane County depending on schools days off and early release schedules. Students and chaperones can come to enjoy a snowshoe walk or hike, scavenger hunts, crafts, and MORE!
*A parent/chaperone is required to attend the activity (the chaperone is a free attendee).
Age: Kindergarten - 8th Grade.
Cost: $5/participant
Join August Ball, founder of Cream City Conservation for a talk addressing diversity and land stewardship needs through the cultivation of inclusive culture and creation of equitable green career and recruitment pipelines. Topics covered in this session could include:
- Reflective Leadership
- Racial Equity and Environmentalism
- Foundations of Internalized Racism
- How to attract and retain diversity for your organization
Speaker Bio
After a decade of working in the environmental field, August Marie Ball, a woman of color, and citizen of the world, noticed a theme: Lack of representation of people of color in leadership positions and a lack of knowledge on how to mitigate existing organizational cultures which lead to workforce homogeneity in the first place. August helps environmental and community-based organizations address diversity and land stewardship needs through the cultivation of inclusive culture and creation of equitable green career pipelines. Any organization can increase engagement of traditionally underrepresented populations and build access through her trainings because she helps them identify (and provides tools) for interrupting unconscious bias and disrupting institutional roadblocks.
https://www.creamcityconservation.org/
Training Series
This is part of a winter volunteer training series that is open to park Friends groups, watershed groups and other organizations working to improve and protect Dane County land and water resources. These sessions are free and open to all. Please register in advance for planning purposes. Snacks and beverages will be provided by the Foundation for Dane County Parks. For a full list of trainings in this series, visit our Friends Stewardship and Training Resources webpage.
Your preschooler loves to get their hands into everything, run around, and explore! Come help foster that sense of wonder with our Lil’ Explorers program at the Lussier Family Heritage Center. This program will target ages 3 - 6 and provide a space for them to engage with their outdoor environment. Throughout our programs we will use our five senses, be active in the outdoors, learn how to work together, and so much more! Join us on the second Friday of every month from 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. for this engaging outdoor program.
Signing-up in advanced is encouraged, drop-ins are welcome.
This is a free event for participants. Chaperone must attend with their child.