By By Liana Toscanini,John Lazenby

Copyright berkshireeagle

On the heels of the slower month of August filled with family vacations and higher-than-usual “Out-of-Office” responses, nonprofits return after Labor Day ready to dive in to what is historically a busy and critical time of year, especially for fundraising.

Here in the Berkshires, September is littered with special corporate events, festivals and smaller fundraisers. Soon thereafter, 2026 planning and year-end fundraising will be in full swing. Where does professional development fit it?

Over nine years (and 200 workshops later), we have experienced firsthand how difficult it is to pull nonprofit professionals away from their work to learn something new or hone their skills. But in challenging times, we could argue that pursuing professional development is a strategic investment with potentially profound results.

Take my own example. Last fall, I signed up for a three-hour online course called “Asking without Anxiety.” Taught by renowned fundraising coach, Jenn Hayslett, I knew it would be well-worth my time as I sought to build the future of the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires. Using what I learned resulted in over $100,000 in gifts to NPC over the course of the next two years. Talk about a return on my investment!

I was so impressed with Jenn Hayslett’s course, she’s now on NPC’s roster of upcoming workshops. This version of “Asking without Anxiety” will be held Oct. 8 at the Red Lion Inn over the course of five hours.

Interactive, hands-on exercises, including practice conversations, are designed to increase your skills, confidence and outcomes. A customizable training manual provides the tools and scripts you need to participate in meaningful conversations with your donors. Space is limited.

If fundraising needs keep you up at night, you might want to sign up ASAP for “Writing Your Year-End Appeal Letter: A Hands-On Workshop,” which will be held Sept. 25 at the Berkshire Innovation Center. Fundraising consultant Liz Albert loves helping people craft letters that actually raise money, get donors excited and attract new donors.

Many of us are guilty of putting off this annual task and frankly, we sometimes run out of things to say. Learn new skills that could really pay off, fill yourself with inspiration instead of dread, and leave with a strong working draft of an appeal.

Board members are welcome to all of these workshops, in particular this four-part webinar series, Empowering Berkshire Nonprofit Boards for Success. What I love about this training (that takes place over four Fridays in September and October) is the flat fee for unlimited participation by senior staff and board members.

We’ve been getting a lot of requests for board training with the notion that a stronger board will be more effective in meeting the current challenges faced by nonprofits. Sponsored by Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, this series is soup to nuts including: board roles and responsibilities; financial oversight and fiscal accountability, recruitment, nominations and retention; fundraising and development; orientation and training for new board members; alternative governance models and nonprofit lifecycles. Andy Robinson is an excellent trainer and the author of six books, including “Train Your Board (and Everyone Else) to Raise Money.”

And finally, if all this talk of fundraising and boards is bringing on anxiety and Netflix bingeing, put your oxygen mask on first, as they say, and focus on your own wellness with this in-person workshop, “Balancing Your Inner Fire: Prevent Burnout, Sustain Your Energy and Lead with Confidence.”

Bring your water bottle to the Berkshire Innovation Center on Sept. 16 to meet health and wellness coach Samantha Anderson, who will teach you the art of energy management. Through guided journaling and group sharing, you’ll gain insight into unique energy patterns and common obstacles to true rest. Leave with a personal energy balance plan designed to prevent burnout.

If you think about all that lies ahead, workshops are a practical, cost-effective and energizing way to build the skills that allow you to better deliver on your mission. I’ve almost never regretted making time for professional development and find that it’s invigorating to get out of the office, bond with my classmates, and skill-up to give me the confidence and inspiration to better support my organization.

Visit npcberkshires.org to view the fall calendar of educational workshops and register today as many have limited attendance.