a chicago cultural alliance webinar series
for A Strategic Future
Meeting the Moment Webinars: A Free Professional Development Series for Cultural Nonprofits
The Chicago Cultural Alliance presents Meeting the Moment, a dynamic free workshop series designed to equip cultural and heritage nonprofits with practical tools and strategic insights to navigate today’s challenging landscape for arts and community organizations. You can view the full schedule of sessions HERE. In an era of shifting funding environments, policy uncertainties, and evolving audience expectations, Meeting the Moment supports leaders and teams with focused sessions on essential nonprofit functions — from marketing and communications to fundraising, finance, operations, and collections.
Each free webinar session is led by experienced sector professionals who blend real-world expertise with actionable guidance. Participants will gain frameworks, best practices, and tactical approaches to strengthen their organizations and build resilience. Beyond the workshops, Meeting the Moment offers one-on-one consultation opportunities with session leaders, giving partner organizations individualized support tailored to their unique challenges and goals.
Whether you’re refining your fundraising strategy, telling your story more effectively, or improving organizational systems, Meeting the Moment provides the knowledge, community, and support cultural nonprofits need to adapt, thrive, and move forward with confidence.
Advisors
NEXT SESSION
The Meeting the Moment free webinar series continues on July 16th with “Using a Simple Grant Strategy,” featuring John Bateman, Founder of Nonprofit Sanity.
Do you apply for grants as you find them, or do you plan your submissions ahead of time? This session will help you move beyond viewing grants as individual opportunities and instead manage them as a strategic, collective portfolio. By identifying funding opportunities 12–18 months in advance, you can better allocate your time and energy to increase your chances of success.
By the end of the session, you will:
– Learn to view grants as a holistic portfolio.
– Understand how to identify funding opportunities 12–18 months in advance.
– Develop a basic strategy for managing grants as a collective pool of funds.
John Bateman is an award-winning writer with over 20 years of experience advising U.S.-based nonprofits, family offices, and estate planners.
Meeting the Moment is Proudly Sponsored by
Upcoming Sessions
Creating Cash Flows and Budgets
Thursday, July 30th at 10:00 AM CT
Yvonne P. Afable, Managing Partner & Jill Villanueva, Senior Team Lead, Afable Consulting LLC
Register HERE
Media Relations for Mission-Driven Organizations
Thursday, August 13th at 10:00 AM CT
Laura Herrera, Chief Marketing & Revenue Officer, Griffin Museum of Science and Industry
Register HERE
Diversifying Revenue (WEBINAR)
Thursday, August 27th at 10:00 AM CT
Facilitator Name & Title: Brandi Adams, MBA, MLD, CFRE, Chief External Affairs Officer, Envision Unlimited
Register HERE
PAST SESSIONS
The Illinois Arts & Culture Policy Landscape
(ACTIVATING HERITAGE CONFERENCE)
Andrew Schneider, Senior Director of Government Affairs, Arts Alliance Illinois Sasha Ongtenco, Program Director over Creative Workers, Arts Alliance Illinois
In-Person Session – No Recording Available
View the Slides HERE
Know Your Rights Sessions
Led by the Chicago Culture Alliance & Presented by Fred Tsao, Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
View the Session HERE
Within “Meeting the Moment”, we are offering special support programs along with a $5,000 microgrant that is available only to Core Members of the Chicago Cultural Alliance with budgets below $300,000 per year. This program within the Meeting the Moment series is titled Building for Impact. Organizations admitted to Building for Impact will benefit from one-on-one consultations and receive a grant at the end of the program. Please complete the following application for consideration.
Applications are now closed. Thank you to all who applied.
Staff & Board Talking Points
To equip internal stakeholders with consistent, clear messaging in the event of inquiries or uncertainty.
General Press Statement Template
Use this template when issuing a statement to the media following an incident or external concern involving immigration enforcement, safety threats, or misinformation.
Social Media Message Template
Use this format for Facebook, Instagram, or X/Twitter posts in the immediate aftermath of an incident, while more information is being gathered.
Safe Spaces, Strong Voices
This toolkit provides practical resources to help member organizations protect their communities, communicate effectively, and respond with confidence and care.
About Us
The Chicago Cultural Alliance’s mission is to connect, promote, and support centers of cultural heritage for a more inclusive Chicago. We are an active consortium of 50 cultural heritage museums, centers, and historical societies that span 23 neighborhoods and 11 suburbs in the Chicago area and represent over 30 different cultures. Our vision is a city where all communities have a voice, and cross-cultural dialogue and collaboration are an integral part of Chicago’s civic fabric.