Bold Bison has earned a national reputation for highly engaging facilitation and thought-provoking workshops designed to support organizations, volunteer networks, coalitions, and more.
Our facilitation services and workshops make for a natural pairing, as skills building and professional development are both key reasons for members to engage with a network. Are workshops and facilitation services are all available a-la-carte or as part of a larger engagement.
On-Demand Workshops
Hands-on workshops and skill-building training sessions are critical both to developing the work of individual organizations and their staffs, and also to evolving entire sectors. We are available to lead teams and networks in the previously developed sessions listed below, or we can work with you to create a custom workshop, training, or webinar.
Lights! Camera! Action!
Let’s make a video – literally, in this workshop. Perfect for conferences, coalitions, volunteer-led organizations, or smaller non-profits, this nationally acclaimed workshop is designed to demystify the video production process from storyboarding and scripting, to filming, to editing. (1.5 or 2.5 hours)
Telling Memorable Stories
In our work, we’ve all heard some inspiring stories – and thought, “why can’t we do that?” But what makes a great story? And more importantly, what makes for great storytelling? This workshop equips you with some concrete strategies for engaging listeners with great storytelling. (60 or 90 minutes)
Network Mapping
Understanding the full reach of your organization can be challenging, but seeing the results mapped out can be immensely rewarding. This facilitated workshop helps identify and visualize connections within your organization that can help amplify messages and generate new partnerships (2 hours).
It’s Not Just What You Say, It’s How You Say It
All of us – from program managers to executive directors to PR pros to fundraisers – have faced awkward moments when our well-polished talking points just fall flat in conversation. Effective communication is also how you listen, how you engage, and how you respond to the other person. This highly interactive workshop will provide you with skills to have a dialogue rather than talking past others and to have greater impact in your work. (With Karen Strong/Strong Outcomes, 2 hours)
The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same
Between the impacts of climate change, a focus on equity, and the ongoing pandemic, many organizations have fundamentally evolved how they approach their work. As a result, they’re often left feeling like their 10+ year-old branding just doesn’t quite reflect what they do for communities. Sound familiar? This thought-provoking workshop will unpack the basics of branding, help you assess your own brand, and provide a frame for considering a brand refresh within your organization. (90 minutes)
Making the Most of Video to Tell Your Stories
“We need a video for our fundraiser!” OK, now what? Video is an enormous asset for non-profits, but it can be intimidating. One of our most valuable capacity-building and skills-based workshops, this session first helps participants gain an understanding of everything that needs to be managed as part of video production, from the big picture brainstorming to the fine details during filming, then explores the multitude of ways video content can be repurposed in communications, marketing, and fundraising. (90 minutes)
These are only a few of the many workshops we offer, and we’re always excited to co-develop to your specific needs. Be sure to get in touch and we can help find the right workshop for your needs!
Facilitation Services
Networks, public-private coalitions, and member-based associations require investment in facilitation to unlock their true potential – facilitation is the drive behind the work. From meeting and event facilitation, to network stewardship and conference planning, Bold Bison has worked with networks across the country to build consensus and momentum.
Whether you are a new entity or 20 years old, we understand how to help your network mature, develop strong workflows, define its identity, and equip its members to be powerful storytellers and ambassadors for your movement.
Network Stewardship
Networks and coalitions large and small see their capacity expanded when they invest in facilitation services. This support includes planning and facilitating regular network meetings, strategic advising for the network, and regular support to the network’s steering committee.
Meeting Facilitation
Multi-partner and strategic planning meetings are an art form. Key to a successful meeting of this scale requires cultivating the energy and expertise in the room to build a lasting consensus. This support includes collaborative planning, meeting hosting and facilitation, and note-taking and media capture as needed.
Conference Hosting
Whether in-person or online, the difference between a good conference and a great one is a well-planned and engaging program. This support includes conference planning, hosting/MC services, media capture, and strategic advising to the planning committee on program, speakers, and sponsorship
Recent and Upcoming Workshops and Speaking Engagements
Lights! Camera! Action!: Let’s Make a Video
- Northwest Land Camp, McMinnville, OR, June 2022
- River Rally, Washington, D.C., June 2022
- Land Trust Alliance Rally, October 2020 (virtual)
- Delaware River Watershed Initiative Winter Gathering, Blue Bell, PA, February 2020
- Land Trust Alliance Rally, Raleigh, NC, October 2019
- Land Trust Alliance Rally, Pittsburgh, PA, October 2018
- Vital Lands Illinois Summit, Champaign, IL, January 2018
- Land Trust Alliance Rally, Denver, CO, October 2017
The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same: Thinking Creatively About Branding
- Land Trust Alliance Virtual Workshop, June 2022
It’s Not What You Say, It’s How You Say It: How to Connect with People from All Walks of Life (with Karen Strong of Strong Outcomes)
- Land Trust Alliance Rally, October 2021 (virtual) (with Elizabeth Ward of the Land Trust Alliance
- River Rally, May 2021 (virtual)
- Saving Special Places 2021, New Hampshire, April 2021 (virtual)
- Connecticut Land Conservation Council, September 2020 (virtual)
Tik Tok, YouTube, Instagram Oh My! Making the Most of Videos to Tell Your Stories
- Land Trust Alliance Virtual Workshop, April 2021
Great Nature: A Series on North American Conservation and the National Parks of the United States (Brandon Hayes)
- Amis de la Bibliothèque Américaine/Friends of the American Library, Nancy, France, February-March 2021 (virtual)
Ambassador Training: Better Word-of-Mouth Marketing (with Andy Robinson of Train Your Board)
- The Nonprofit Association of Oregon, March 2021 (virtual)
- Maine Association of Nonprofits, October 2020 (virtual)
At Ease: Art and Nature for Veterans (with Catherine Game of Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods)
- Wild Things Conference, February 2021 (virtual)
- Land Trust Alliance Rally, October 2020 (virtual)
Nature Stories and How to Tell Them
- The Conservation Foundation, December 2020 (virtual)
This Land Is Our Land: Making a Stronger Case for Conservation
- River Rally, May 2020 (virtual)
- Land Trust Alliance Rally, Raleigh, NC, October 2019
- Vital Lands Illinois Summit, Champaign, IL, February 2019
- Land Trust Alliance Rally, Pittsburgh, PA, October 2018
Joining the Party: How to Authentically Build Audiences through Social Media
- Land Trust Alliance Virtual Workshop, March 2020
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Conservation
- Prairie State Conservation Coalition, Starved Rock State Park, IL, February 2020
Sharing Memorable Stories (Plenary Session)
- Delaware River Watershed Initiative Winter Gathering, Blue Bell, PA, February 2020