Upcoming Events
LZF Weekly Office Hours
Is your organization in immediate need of someone who can help you in answering a burning question or serving as a sounding board?
Each Friday, LZF volunteer, Deborah Seidel, a lawyer and seasoned non-profit professional with a 40 year career in the non-profit sector, will offer virtual office hours to LZF grantee partners. She has served as an Executive Director in various national, state, and local volunteer organizations, and has served as a board member, board president, advisor, and direct service volunteer with a variety of organizations. Deborah has counseled non-profits in a range of management areas including board roles and responsibilities, planning, fundraising and volunteer recruitment, retention and supervision. Currently, she volunteers her time and expertise with Wildflower, Temple Israel of Boston and The Lenny Zakim Fund.
Office hours will be on Zoom from 10 am to 12 noon in 30-minute increments. LZF is happy to arrange Spanish and ASL interpretation with sufficient advanced notice. All conversations between Deborah and the grantee partner organization are and will remain confidential. Sign up here by every Thursday at 12:00 pm.
Spring Seminar Series
Event Fundraising in a Post-Pandemic World
March 15, 2023, 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Presenter: Allison Picott, Executive Director, The Lenny Zakim Fund
After more than two years of virtual and socially distanced fundraising events, nonprofits are eager to get back to the business of in-person fundraising events. Many organizations, however, have experienced challenges in planning and hosting cost-efficient, successful fundraising events that not only meet their fundraising goals, but also help to grow the visibility of their organization by attracting new people who have the capacity to make impactful gifts. This seminar will offer suggestions on ways in which small organizations with limited budgets can host a successful fundraising event.
Event Fundraising in a Post-Pandemic World will be held in person at The Lenny Zakim Fund Office, 33 Arch Street, 26th Floor, Boston. LZF is happy to make special accommodations for those grantee partners who wish to participate, but for whom traveling to Boston would be a hardship. Spanish, ASL, and CDI interpretation will be provided.
Fun with Finances: A Hands-On Introduction to Nonprofit Financial Management
Co-Presenters: Meredith Smith, Streamlined Accounting Strategies and Robin Carton, Kayak Consulting Group
This three session series is based on the premise that while your programming is critical – without sound financial policies and procedures you may have no funds to carry out your work. Over the course of this series, participants will learn about the basics of financial management while embracing concepts like the chart of accounts, budgeting, forecasting reasonable personnel and program costs. Each session will include several supporting articles for reference, a hands-on activity and an assignment that reinforces the session’s key concepts.
Session 1 (Thursday, April 13, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.) will review the key components of financial management that every organization should be using. Participants will take a deep dive into the Chart of Accounts, which is the system for organizing your financial management and the foundation upon which all other components are built.
Session 2 (Thursday, May 4, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.) focuses on all aspects of budgeting. Topics will include a look at the core elements of an annual budget, strategies for addressing potential shortfalls, and ways to include new programming or aspirations.
Session 3 (Thursday, May 18, 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.) includes a combination of forecasting personnel costs for the coming year along with best practices for creating a detailed program budget.
Fun with Finances will be held in person at The Lenny Zakim Fund Office, 33 Arch Street, 26th Floor, Boston. Each session with involve small group work and direct, one-on-one interaction with Robin and Meredith. There will also be opportunities for attendees to meet and get to know one another. LZF is happy to make special accommodations for those grantee partners who wish to participate, but for whom traveling to Boston would be a hardship.
In order to get the most benefit out of Fun with Finances, it is strongly encouraged that participants attend all three sessions.
Sign up is available on a first come, first serve basis. Space is limited to 40 people. Spanish, ASL, and CDI interpretation will be provided.
Passing the Baton: Peer Non-Profit Leaders Share Their Advice for a Successful Leadership Transition
Presenters: Toni Elka, Founder and Executive Director of Future Chefs
Alphonse Litz, Founder and Executive Director of Boston Explorers
Date: TBD
A successful leadership transition at a nonprofit organization is similar to running and winning an Olympic 4x 100 meter relay race: it is all about the baton pass. It must be clean and precise and requires a lot of practice – or in the case of a nonprofit organization planning – to get it right. Otherwise bobbles – including dropping – of the baton are most likely to happen resulting in a loss of momentum for your organization.
Come listen and learn from a panel of former LZF grantee partner organization leaders who recently completed, are in the process of, or are planning leadership transitions within the next couple of years. Each panelist will talk about their respective experiences, including what they wish they had known before starting the leadership transition process.
Come listen and learn from a panel of former LZF grantee partner organization leaders who recently, are in the process of, or are planning leadership transitions within the next couple of years. Each panelist will talk about their respective experience, including what they wish they knew before starting the leadership transition process.
Passing the Baton will be held in person at The Lenny Zakim Fund Office, 33 Arch Street, 26thFloor, Boston. LZF is happy to make special accommodations for those grantee partners who wish to participate, but for whom traveling to Boston would be a hardship. Spanish, ASL, and CDI interpretation will be provided.
Past Events
2023 Annual Awards Ceremony
February 16, 2023, 6:00pm
The Lenny Zakim Fund was proud to honor our grant recipients each year at a stellar event, celebrating their achievement and supporting their exciting potential. Each organization was recognized and welcomed as part of the LZF community.