Mastering public speaking is a critical skill in today’s world and can greatly enhance your ability to communicate effectively and influence others. Communicating the impact of district programs to different stakeholders is a critical skill to boost participation among landowners, collaboration with partners, and decision-maker influence among local or state representatives.

In this half-day in-person training workshop, participants will learn essential principles and techniques for planning and delivering confident and compelling speeches, presentations, and pitches. The workshop will be held at the Ramada Conference Center State College on Wednesday, March 12, 2025, from 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

Registration is required. The cost is $30 per attendee, and includes lunch, refreshments, and workshop materials.

The workshop will be facilitated by Stacey Piper & Cindi Johnson of Piper Strategies. All district staff are encouraged to attend, but space is limited, so don’t miss out on this valuable training. Click here to register.

Financial and other support for the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. Guidance for the Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership’s Leadership Development Committee.

There’s still time to register for a 2025 Employment Law Seminar, presented by Adam Long of McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC. Seminars will take place on Tuesday, February 18, in Cranberry Township; Wednesday, February 19, in State College; and Thursday, February 20, in Allentown. This year’s seminar will review the basics of legally compliant employee policy, cover important updates on wage rules and leave policies, and look ahead to changes we might see in the near future. All interested district personnel and partners are welcome to attend. Seminar registration is $35 per attendee. Lunch and refreshments are provided, and all attendees will receive a bound reference document summarizing the presentation and policy recommendations. Visit Building for Tomorrow for more information and to register.

Financial and other support for the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. Guidance for the Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership’s Leadership Development Committee.

The 2025 Winter Staff Training Initiative kicks off this week with a Wednesday webinar presenting an overview of the PA Agricultural Ombudsman Program on January 29. Other upcoming programming includes a PACD webinar on Understanding the Legislative Process, the 5th Annual Conservation District Video Awards presentation, and a pair of virtual roundtable meetings focusing on administration and budgeting resources.

This year’s initiative also includes the Inspiring Action with Public Speaking workshop on March 12 in State College, PA. The workshop will provide attendees with an audience-driven approach to crafting and delivering compelling messages, and an opportunity for practice and feedback to help overcome speaking anxiety and build confidence as a presenter. Programs are open to all interested district personnel and partners. Visit Building for Tomorrow for registration information.

Financial and other support for the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. Guidance for the Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership’s Leadership Development Committee.

Every year, we recognize and celebrate the hard work of talented conservation staff from across the state who produce and share video content for their districts. The 2024 video entries are in, and our judges are hard at work scoring them to determine the winners of the 5th Annual Conservation District Video Awards. This year’s awards presentation will feature clips from ten different video submissions, and we will also hear from some of the content creators as they compete for the fabulous and coveted CONDIVA trophy for the highest-scoring video. Who will bring home the trophy (and bragging rights) for their district this year? Register and tune in on Thursday, February 13, from Noon – 1:00 p.m. to find out!

Financial and other support for the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. Guidance for the Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership’s Leadership Development Committee.

January Board Development Video: Policy Audits & Employment Law

New for 2025, Leadership Development will post a monthly series of short videos to share information, promote programming, and encourage discussion on board development topics. The January installment of this series includes an overview of the importance of employee policy audits, review reminders about our online sample policy catalog and some of the focus topics for the upcoming Employment Law Seminars scheduled for February.

Register Now for 2025 Staff Training Initiative

All district personnel are encouraged to register for the upcoming 2025 Staff Training Initiative, which runs online and in-person from January through March. This year’s program features a variety of topics, with a focus on communications and admin roles. Webinar topics include the PA Agricultural Ombudsman Program and Understanding PA’s Legislative Process, and interactive roundtables for sharing admin and budgeting tips and best practices. An in-person training workshop on public speaking will present an audience-driven approach to super-charging any district presentation. It will provide a valuable opportunity for practice and confidence-building for all staff members in public-facing communications roles. Lastly, don’t forget the 5th Annual Conservation District Video Awards, where we will award the coveted CONDIVA trophy to the highest-scoring district video entry from 2024. Visit Building for Tomorrow for information & registration links.

Fall Leadership Webinar Series Videos Available

The 2024 Fall Leadership Video Series is posted at Building for Tomorrow, along with references and other supporting documents. The series focused on “Back to Basics” topics appropriate for all new district personnel, but particularly for new directors and managers, including an overview of Act 217, Other Applicable Laws for Districts, and a 2-part presentation on Board Function and Engagement.

Financial and other support for the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. Guidance for the Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership’s Leadership Development Committee.

2025 Staff Training Initiative Announced

Registration is now open for the 2025 Winter Staff Training Initiative. This year’s program features focus topics for district staff with communications and administrative roles. The webinar schedule includes:

• Presentations on agricultural outreach through the PA Ombudsman program
• Understanding the legislative process
• Roundtable sharing sessions on administrative resources and district budgeting
• The 5th Annual Conservation District Video Awards

The initiative is capped off by a training workshop, Inspiring Action with Public Speaking, on March 12 in State College, PA. Programs are open to all district and partner personnel. Visit Building for Tomorrow for registration and session descriptions.

Register Now for 2025 Employment Law Seminars

Adam Long of McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC will present Employment Law for Conservation Districts this February. The presentation will provide a comprehensive overview of practice and policy for lawfully and effectively managing conservation district staff, as well as updates on recent and significant employment law developments.

There will be three opportunities to attend: February 18 in Cranberry Township, February 19 in State College, and February 20 in the Allentown area. All conservation district directors, associate directors, management staff, and partners are encouraged to attend. Networking will begin at 9:30 a.m., and seminars will run from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Seminar registration is $35 per attendee. Lunch and refreshments are provided, and all attendees will receive a bound reference document summarizing the presentation and policy recommendations. Visit Building for Tomorrow to register.

Reminder: Submit your 2024 Video Content for CDVA’s

Attention all district video creators! It’s time to submit your best work for this year’s Conservation District Video Awards. Our 5th Annual CDVA presentation is scheduled for February 13, when we will screen the entries and award the coveted CONDIVA trophy to the top-scoring video for 2024. To submit your video, complete and return the 2024 Entry Form before January 3.

Financial and other support for the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. Guidance for the Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership’s Leadership Development Committee.

 

Adam Long of McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC will present a series of seminars on Employment Law for Conservation Districts in February. The presentation will provide a comprehensive overview of practice and policy for lawfully and effectively managing conservation district staff, as well as updates on a number of significant recent employment law developments.

Seminars are scheduled for February 18 in Cranberry Township, February 19 in State College, and February 20 in Allentown. All conservation district directors, associate directors, management staff, and partners are encouraged to attend. Networking begins at 9:30 a.m., and seminars will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Seminar registration is $35 per attendee. Lunch and refreshments are provided, and all attendees will receive a bound reference document summarizing the presentation and policy recommendations. Visit Building for Tomorrow to register.

Financial and other support for the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. Guidance for the Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership’s Leadership Development Committee.

Managers – there’s still time to register for Team Management & Strengths-Based Leadership, a one-day training on Wednesday, October 23, at the Ramada Conference Center in State College, PA. The training is open to all district managers and executive directors who have completed a CliftonStrengths assessment. There is no charge to attend, but registration is required. Visit Building for Tomorrow for more information. The registration deadline is Thursday, October 17.

Financial and other support for the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. Guidance for the Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership’s Leadership Development Committee.

October 23 Training Open to All District Managers Participating in CliftonStrengths

New Manager Training sessions on Team Management and Strength-Based Leadership scheduled for Wednesday, October 23, are now open to all district managers who have participated in the CliftonStrengths Initiative. The training will be held at the Ramada Conference Center State College, is free, includes lunch, and registration is required. Visit Building for Tomorrow for more information.

“Back to Basics” Fall Leadership Webinar Series

The 2024 Fall Leadership webinar series includes presentations on Act 217 and Conservation History, Applicable Laws & Policies for Districts, and District Board Function and Engagement. These webinars are open to all district personnel and partners.

Strategic Planning Grants

Reminder: Conservation District Strategic Planning Grants are available for 2025. Visit Building for Tomorrow for more information.

Financial and other support for the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. Guidance for the Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership’s Leadership Development Committee.

Sixty-four managers, management staff, and partners attended the 2024 Summit at the Wyndham State College from September 17-19, 2024. Christopher Ridenhour delivered an energizing keynote on Day 1; new managers were introduced and participated in table discussions on capacity building, Carl Deluca presented a PA Department of Environmental Protection update, and Suzanna Windon, Assistant Professor, Youth and Adult Leadership, Penn State Extension spoke on volunteer motivation and engagement. Day 2 featured an Ethics in the Workplace workshop facilitated by Mary Kay Williams. Ten new district managers and 9 partner staff participated in New Manager Training sessions on Tuesday and Thursday.

Financial and other support for the Building for Tomorrow Leadership Development Program is provided through a grant from the Pennsylvania State Conservation Commission. Guidance for the Program is provided through the Pennsylvania Conservation Partnership’s Leadership Development Committee.