WHAT IT IS:

Creative Sonoma seeks nonprofit arts and culture partners to present professional development workshops or trainings for their members or local stakeholders. Our intention is to reach and impact a wide range – geographically, culturally, and demographically – of arts and culture workers throughout Sonoma County with access to professional skills training. By inviting partners to plan and produce these workshops and trainings, Creative Sonoma benefits from partners’ knowledge of the customized professional development needs of their own audiences.

Creative Sonoma provides:

• $1000-$5,000 per contract ($1000 to produce a single workshop, up to $5,000 for a series or multiple events)

Nonprofit Partner provides and manages:

• Selection and hiring of the presenter(s) or facilitator(s), scheduling the event(s), and providing space and supplies for the workshops or trainings, to take place by June 30, 2024. Staff of partners organizations are eligible to be utilized as presenters or facilitators. Partners will also be required to provide a written recap of the services provided.

Together we provide:

• Co-branding, as well as co-promotion of the workshops or trainings, as appropriate.

THE DETAILS:

Funding may be utilized for the following expenses:

• TOP PRIORITY:  Hiring or contracting with professional development presenters or facilitators. (If an in-house staff member is presenting or facilitating the workshop, this funding may be utilized to offset a portion of their salary or hours.)
• Facility or venue rental, and event insurance (if needed)
• Training or workshop supplies, including refreshments (NOTE: this funding may NOT be utilized to purchase or provide alcohol)
• Promotional and marketing costs for the workshop/training

Funding may be utilized for the following professional development topics* that support arts and cultural workers, whether as entrepreneurs, sole proprietors, small businesses owners and staff, educators, or nonprofits founders, boards and staff:

• Business planning, strategy, or management
• Branding, marketing, digital content, communication strategies
• Community engagement, community organizing, advocacy
• Curriculum development, design thinking
• Diversity, equity, inclusion
• Finances, budgeting, fundraising, grant writing, sponsor development
• Human resources, insurance and liability
• Leadership development
• Legal strategy, copyright, licensing, contracts
• Pitching, portfolio development
• Teaching artist training
• Time management, wellness, stress management

*This funding is NOT intended to support artistic skills, techniques workshops or trainings.

Workshops may be targeted to a specific population, such as Folklorico groups, artistic disciplines, or members of a specific arts center.

The partner may charge a registration or materials fees and retain the profits – no portion of the fee will benefit Creative Sonoma. 

HOW TO SUBMIT A PROPOSAL

To propose a workshop or training, please email Samantha Kimpel, Creative Sonoma Program Officer, Samantha.Kimpel@sonoma-county.org, to schedule a brief meeting to discuss your idea(s), after which potential contractors will fill out a simple form on Submittable. This will include a description of the program, including when and where it will likely occur, a description of your intended participants, presenter/facilitator bios and resumes, and how many participants it can serve. After an organization is selected as a partner, Creative Sonoma will initiate a contract. Funding will be released once the specific date(s) and presenter(s) or facilitator(s) are secured.