Cultural Diversity Training & Consulting

Maria Gitin & Associates designs and presents cultural diversity training for foundations and training centers, schools, and small businesses. We have extensive experience with bilingual, bicultural, and diverse boards and staff. We also offer individual coaching sessions for leaders and employers encountering diversity issues in the workplace or on their boards. Associate Samuel Torres Jr., brings Latino bilingual, bicultural expertise as well as training and professional experience with anti-discrimination practices in the workplace. However, we do not offer legal or human resource consultation.

Maria served as a Coach for CompassPoint's Fundraising Academy for Communities of Color for four years and is a trained leader of the National Coalition Building Institute's Welcoming Diversity prejudice reduction model. As a college freshman, she volunteered as a student civil rights worker in Alabama with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) where she learned cross-cultural voter registration, nonviolent communication and community organizing. She has led training and convened panel discussions on diversity in nonprofit leadership and fundraising for over fifteen years.

Thank you for sharing your time and knowledge. The information you shared is very helpful to me as we continue to diversify my Girl Scout Council in all areas by change in actions and thoughts. - Etta Moore, Girl Scouts Lone Star Council, Texas, AFP International Conference, San Diego

You were one of a very small circle of folks who planted the seeds, and you were first to bring the term "cultural competency" to the Alliance lexicon. Your contributions will not be forgotten. - Brigette Rouson, JD, former program director Alliance for Nonprofit Management.     http://www.allianceonline.org

Maria is a rare soul who truly understands and communicates effective diversity fundraising strategies. It has been a tremendous pleasure to co-train with her and her team. - Charles R. Stephens, former Chairman Association of Fundraising Professionals and Partner, Skystone Ryan Consulting

Again thank you for delivering your message of compassion and understanding that the third sector needs so badly. -Jacquelyn B. Ostrom, CFRE, Third Sector Consulting, AFP Chapter, Seattle, WA

Associate Samuel Torres Jr., brings Latino bilingual, bicultural expertise as well as training and professional experience with anti-discrimination practices in the workplace.

Cultural Diversity Training
The following are some of Maria Gitin & Associates most frequently requested training titles. Available to foundations and training centers as well as individuals and groups. Maria Gitin, CFRE, principal of Maria Gitin & Associates, provides appropriately diverse co-trainers.

Embracing Diversity: The Search for Common Ground
This session can be adapted for volunteer or professional fundraisers, executive directors and board members for organizations and training groups of any size. The training can emphasize volunteer or professional fund development teams, and culturally competent board recruitment. Length varies from half to full day sessions. Maria Gitin CFRE co-leads with appropriately diverse associates.

This experiential training delves into, rather than glosses over, the genuine differences between gender, sexual orientation, ethnic, age, ability, class and economic backgrounds in order to create genuine common ground for furthering common goals. Values based strategies to build bridges with potential donors, board members and colleagues are shared.

The Cultivation Conversation: Introduction to Cross Cultural Fund Development
Developed for coaching clients from the Compass Point Fundraising Academy for Communities of Color to focus on addressing same group and cross-identity fundraising issues and acquiring new donors and pleasing the ones you have.

Good Cause! Great Board! Building Effective and Diverse Boards
Training for those responsible for recruiting boards covers composition, identification, recruitment, training and retention of diverse boards. Areas of focus vary to include board staff roles and relations, meeting planning and facilitation, and other governance topics. Presented in various formats and titles for the Management Assistance Programs of the Community Foundations for Monterey and Santa Cruz counties over five years.

Cultural Diversity Consulting
Diversity Committee, Board and Staff Consultation
We provide consultation and facilitate training for Diversity Committees, Boards, Staff and Volunteers in nonprofit agencies, foundations, educational and health care institutions, and for businesses and organizations of any size. These consultations are tailored to suit the needs and interests of each group.

Diversity Team Building
For Management or Employees, Board or Staff we offer diversity training based on a tested problem solving and team building model specifically tailored for your group in a day long or multi-session format. The process includes an overview as well as examination of your specific diversity issues, and results in a Diversity Power plan which has measurable objectives for achieving staff and/or board goals of inclusiveness, respect and results. This training is copyright and only available through Maria Gitin & Associates.

Typical Results:
  1. Recruit and retain diverse board and staff
  2. Expand donor base to include culture specific or cross-group segments not previously committed to your cause
  3. Learn a proven problem solving method that can resolve workplace and board diversity issues effectively
  4. Develop inclusive, multi-cultural messages and communication materials that attract diverse market segments
  5. Learn to embrace and deal with diversity as a force for positive change throughout your organization and in your life
Diversity & Cultural Competency Presentations
Maria Gitin, CFRE is a frequent presenter at regional, national and international conferences and training organizations on the topic of cultural diversity, particularly within the arena of fundraising and board development. Most sessions are co-facilitated with one or more appropriately diverse associates.

Embracing Diversity: The Search for Common Ground
This is our most popular interactive experiential workshop exploring diversity and cultural competency issues in fund and board development. Co-presented with Charles Stephens, Samuel Torres Jr., Brigette Rouson and Alfredo Vergara Lobo and other nationally recognized trainers for more than ten years.

Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) International Conferences 1997-2002, 2005
AFP Golden Gate (SF) Chapter, Monterey Bay Chapter, Seattle Chapter, Detroit Chapter 1998-2007
Center for Nonprofit Management, Nashville, TN Spring and Summer 2002

Beyond Diversity: Cultural Competency in Capacity Building
Co-developed and presented with Brigette Rouson, Alliance for Nonprofit Management Conference 2004

Market Segments of the Future: Marketing to Ethnic Communities and Families
Developed and co-led with Donna Walker-Kuhne, VP Development Joseph Papp Theater,  National Arts Marketing Conference, San Francisco, 2001

Embracing our Differences: Celebrating Diversity
Developed and co-led with Sylvia Rico and Lynne White-Dixon, bilingual workshops for Communities 2000 Conference, Community Foundation for Monterey County, Salinas, CA

Welcoming Diversity Workshops
Volunteer co-leader with diverse teams leading day-long workshops in schools, agencies and the community. National Coalition Building Institute - Monterey Chapter 1998 -2004.