Hello MWNN Community,

November is almost here and there’s a lot happening across the MWNN community! Join us to build practical skills, like developing employee handbooks, making the most of your 1:1s, listening like a mediator, and swapping ideas with fellow small-team leaders at N.E.S.T.

And don’t miss our special event on November 17! Join us for a morning of coffee, conversation, and connection as local nonprofit, civic, and higher education voices explore how we can build communities where everyone feels connected, valued, and able to participate. Please read on for more details and community updates, and reach out if you have any questions.

As we head toward the season of gratitude, thank you for being part of this community. We hope you’ll find something here that supports you and your work!

With appreciation,

Leah

Leah Parker-Moldover

Executive Director

PS - We’re grateful to our early members who are helping shape MWNN’s new membership program. We’d love to have you join them! More details here and below.

Connecting and Learning Together!

MWNN was thrilled to attend this year's Massachusetts Council of Nonprofits' annual conference at the DCU Center in Worcester! The day was filled with learning and connecting with both old and new colleagues and it was truly inspirational to be in a room with hundreds of nonprofit supporters and champions!

The Massachusetts Council of Nonprofits provides a wide array of resources, including a Voter Engagement Guide to help nonprofits engage voters this election season (created in partnership with Nonprofit Vote).

We are now at the halfway point in MWNN's Certificate in Nonprofit Management Program! Weeks 5 and 6 met virtually via Zoom and explored community engagement, mediation, governance, and the roles of the board.

We want to send our appreciation to all our presenters: Margie Rosario (Gems @ The Arts and MWNN Board Member), Seth Izen (MetroWest Mediation) and Susan Nicholl (governance consultant).

Thank you also to our session 6 panel who joined us to discuss Board engagement: Kevin Lopez of Hoops & Homework, James Tresner of Bethany Hill Place, and Anna Cross, former Executive Director of MWNN!

Wednesdays with MWNN

Please note, we will not have Wednesday programming on

11/11 (Veterans Day) or 11/25 (before the Thanksgiving holiday).

Wednesday 11/4

Noon-1 PM via Zoom

Most 1:1s start with good intentions and end as status updates. Join us as Dr. Nadia Butt helps us reclaim and make the most of that time!

We’ll look at what separates a check-in that manages work from one that develops people -- and why the difference is usually structure, not personality. You’ll leave with a simple framework for your next 1:1, a set of questions that open people up instead of closing them down, and one concrete change to make for your next meeting.

Learn more and register

Wednesday 11/18

Noon-1 PM via Zoom

N.E.S.T. is the Nonprofit Exchange for Small Teams (formerly named the “Lone Rangers”), this group brings together nonprofit leaders from a diverse mix of volunteer led, single-staffed, and small-staffed organizations in a casual and supportive environment to share issues and exchange ideas. The result is a unique peer learning experience. It’s a perfect opportunity for you to ask questions, share information and strategies, network and support one another.

Learn more and register

More Upcoming Events & Workshops

We hope you will join us for one of these special events or another upcoming program! Please reach out with any questions and program suggestions.

Best Practices for Developing an Employee Handbook

Monday, November 2nd | 9 AM-12 PM

Greater Worcester Community Foundation

Join us for this FREE workshop! Employee handbooks are dynamic, "living" documents - they evolve over time with changes in the law, best practices and an organization's individual culture and strategic goals. They're also your organization's key communication tool - setting expectations for employees and describing what those employees can expect from your organization. Updating employee handbooks is a continuous process, and if you blink you might miss communicating critical change in the law or your company's policies. This session provides an overview of current handbook best practices, as well as discussion of recent changes in the law and key policies to include. This workshop is led by Kevin Joly of the Employers Association of the NorthEast and in partnership with the Nonprofit Support Center at Greater Worcester Community Foundation.

Learn more and register

Listen Like a Mediator

Thursday, November 12th

Noon-2 PM | Virtual

$45 (free for members)

Conflict is easy to recognize, but helping people move through it is much harder. Mediators do this every day without giving advice, taking sides, or making judgments. So how do they help? They listen in a way that helps people feel heard. They validate emotions, demonstrate understanding, uncover the interests beneath people’s positions, and support parties to identify creative solutions.

In this interactive workshop, you’ll learn the core communication skills mediators use every day and discover how to Listen Like a Mediator in your own work and relationships. Presented by the MetroWest Mediation team.

Learn more and register

SPECIAL EVENT - Join us November 17th

8:30-10:30am at Village Hall in Framingham

How do we build communities where people feel connected, valued, and able to participate? And what role do nonprofits play in making that possible?

Join the MetroWest Nonprofit Network for a morning of coffee, conversation, and connection as we mark America’s 250th anniversary year. A panel of local voices from the nonprofit, civic engagement, and higher education communities will explore what we can learn from the past, what we hope to build for the future, and the everyday actions that can help move our communities forward.

We’ll reflect on what we’ve learned from where we’ve been, consider what we hope to build for the future, and talk about the everyday actions, big and small, that can help move our communities forward.

Learn more and register

MWNN Membership

MWNN's new membership program is designed to make it easier for nonprofits to connect, learn, access resources, and be part of a stronger nonprofit community.

We are so grateful for our early members who are helping us test, learn, and refine the membership experience. We’d love for you to be part of this first group! Visit our membership page for more info or sign up here. And please email us anytime, if you have questions!

And please remember, our commitment to accessibility remains unchanged and MWNN’s core programs (including community Lunch & Learns, meet ups, our newsletter, and annual regional gathering) will continue to be available at no cost. Membership will help us build on that foundation with additional benefits, resources, and discounted programming for members.

Become a MWNN Member Today

Community Events and Updates

We are so lucky to live and work in such a vibrant region! Please check out the list of upcoming events and ways to get involved.

Have an event or resource to share? Please email info@metrowestnonprofit.org

Lawyers Clearinghouse has several upcoming workshops - click the links below to learn more and register.

Nonprofit Incorporation Workshop (Thursday November 5th, 4-6 PM via Zoom Register)
CORI: What Nonprofits Need to Know to Help Their Clients (Monday November 9th, 2-3:30 PM via Zoom Register)

Massachusetts Council of Nonprofits training opportunity: From Roadmap to Reality: Putting Your Nonprofit's Strategic Plan to Work

Thursday, November 5, from 10-11 AM

Adopting a strategic plan is only the beginning. The real work is keeping it on track all year. Using a case study of a nonprofit, Insource Services’ finance and payroll team will show how to turn strategic goals into a working budget, build the payroll internal controls and financial oversight that keep your numbers trustworthy, reforecast when funding changes, and report progress to your board. Register here.

Spark Kindness is excited to invite you to celebrate the 9th Annual Kindness Week in Natick, November 7-14, 2026. We are hoping to have 1000+ participants this year and hope you will take part in the fun!

Kindness Week shines a spotlight on the good that happens every day and inspires people to spread kindness through their own actions and connect with one another.

Learn more and register to participate!

Meeting Your Inner Critic: Cultivating the Superpower of Self-Compassion: An Introduction to Mindful Self-Compassion with Dr. Jorge Armesto

Thursday, November 12, 2026 | 7:00-9:00 PM ET | Live via Zoom

For adults 18+, including parents, caregivers, educators, and community members.

Join a free grants webinar with Page Consulting!

Build a Stronger Grants Program

Strong grants programs don't happen by accident. They are built through thoughtful strategy, focused prospect research, clear communication, and practical systems that can withstand the inevitable changes every nonprofit experiences.

Page Consulting Free Grants Strategy Webinar Series is designed specifically for small nonprofits and explores each phase of building a sustainable grants program.

View the Free Webinar Series

Upcoming Free Webinars

How to Find the Right Funders for Your Small Nonprofit (November 12, 2026 | 12:00–1:00 PM Register)
How to Build a Clear, Fundable Case for Support (January 14, 2027 | 12:00–1:00 PM Register)
How to Build Simple Systems to Sustain Your Grants Work (February 11, 2027 | 12:00–1:00 PM Register)

On Nov 12th from 5:30-8 pm at GEMS @ The Arts, the MW Housing Coalition is hosting a film screening of a documentary titled, Beyond the Bridge, that explores innovative approaches to homelessness across the country (flyer attached, RSVP here).

Our goal is to bring together diverse stakeholders who may be interested in learning more about the housing crisis and exploring ways that we may be able to make impact locally.

The event is free and open to the public, with light refreshments provided. We are also encouraging attendees to bring a warm item to support MetroWest community members this winter.

The Literacy Unlimited program is turning 40 years old this fall. In celebration of this milestone, we are hosting a 40th Anniversary Celebration at Nevins Hall in Framingham's Memorial Building on Thursday, November 19th from 6-8 PM.

This wonderful evening of celebration, connection, and community will feature live music, catered small bites, student and volunteer speakers, official recognitions from state and local representatives, and more.

Tickets are $40 each, and can be purchased at this link