BOONE, N.C. — Nonprofit professionals from across North Carolina gathered at Appalachian State University’s Boone campus on Thursday, April 3, 2025, for the Lab iMPACTLY Nonprofit Workshop, a daylong event focused on practical skills, collaborative learning and inspiring dialogue around nonprofit success. The event brought together nonprofit executives, fundraisers, grant writers and students for a powerful day of knowledge sharing and community building.
The event was organized by Lab iMPACTLY, an initiative in App State's Department of Government and Justice Studies designed to increase college student hands-on experiences while relieving community organizations from the burdens of minor projects.
With sessions ranging from effective grant writing and donor engagement to communicating impact and nonprofit storytelling, attendees left the workshop feeling informed, inspired and energized. One participant shared, “I really enjoyed this; it had the effect of feeling even more informed about the grant choosing process, inspired in how to write the grant and motivated to do more for the community.”
The day kicked off with a dynamic opening panel featuring nonprofit leaders and foundation representatives, followed by targeted sessions led by experts like Mark Bumgarner (Catawba County United Way), Sara Crouch (North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services) and Brandon Zeigler (Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro), who shared strategies on winning and managing large grants. Madeleine Nance (Kind Word) led a compelling session on storytelling, while keynote speaker Carolyn Rhodes (North Carolina Rural Center) inspired with her message on hope and community resilience. Afternoon sessions included Elisha Childers (The Children’s Council of Watauga County) on burnout and wellness, Douglas Hartjes (COR Consulting) on sustainable fundraising and Erich Schlenker (App State's Transportation Insight Center for Entrepreneurship) on building effective boards.
Madeleine Nance, co-founder of Kind Word, leads a session on storytelling at the Lab iMPACTLY Nonprofit Workshop. Photo by Chase Reynolds
Topics such as “Growing Your Donor Garden” and “Keeping It Real with Communication” resonated deeply with participants. As one attendee noted, “Honestly, I learned a lot from all the sessions.”
The workshop not only delivered high-quality, free professional development but also provided a meaningful networking experience. “It was amazing to see nonprofit leaders from across North Carolina join us for this workshop. The information shared and the opportunity to talk with other leaders was helpful to our group,” one participant wrote.
Several attendees compared the event favorably to larger, paid conferences: “I have attended the North Carolina Nonprofit Institute and paid a tremendous amount of money, but feel this was just as good, if not better — and it was FREE!”
Mackenzie Laney '18 '20, of the Mediation and Restorative Justice Center in Boone, asks a question during the Lab iMPACTLY Nonprofit Workshop. Photo by Chase Reynolds
The day also included a student showcase, where undergraduate and graduate students from Dr. Mac-Jane Crayton’s Human Resource and Volunteer Management course presented posters of their nonprofit incubator projects.
“We wanted to create a space where nonprofit leaders and students could learn from each other and leave not just with tools but with hope,” said Dr. Crayton, assistant professor in the Department of Government and Justice Studies and founder of Lab iMPACTLY. “We know how exhausting this work can be. This workshop was about community — sharing real stories, real challenges and real solutions.”
The workshop was hosted in partnership with App State’s Public and Nonprofit Administration programs and Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning for Student Success and emphasized community-driven knowledge and student engagement.
Amy Hu (left) and Brooke Austin (right), students in Dr. Mac-Jane Crayton's Human Resource and Volunteer Management course, present a poster at the Lab iMPACTLY Nonprofit Workshop. Photo by Chase Reynolds
The success of the event reaffirms Lab iMPACTLY’s mission to support nonprofits by fostering collaboration, building capacity and sharing actionable knowledge, shared Crayton. With overwhelmingly positive feedback, Lab iMPACTLY is exploring new ways to expand this workshop series to serve more nonprofit professionals across the state.
For more information about Lab iMPACTLY and upcoming events, please contact Dr. Mac-Jane Crayton at craytonmm@appstate.edu.
Dr. Mac-Jane Crayton, assistant professor in the Department of Government and Justice Studies and founder of Lab iMPACTLY, chats with Lab iMPACTLY Nonprofit Workshop attendees. Photo by Chase Reynolds
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About the Department of Government and Justice Studies
Appalachian State University’s Department of Government and Justice Studies offers undergraduate programs in political science and criminal justice, and graduate programs in political science and public administration. Housed in the College of Arts and Sciences, the department has over 600 undergraduate majors and more than 70 graduate students. Learn more at gjs.appstate.edu.
About the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning for Student Success
Appalachian State University’s Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning for Student Success (formerly known as the Center for Academic Excellence) is dedicated to growing excellence in teaching and learning, online instruction, and mentoring and career support. The center provides professional development to the campus community — in the form of workshops, courses, learning communities, mentoring programs and resources covering a variety of topics — to advance faculty and student success. Learn more at cetlss.appstate.edu.
Written by Dr. Mac-Jane Crayton
Edited by Lauren Gibbs
April 24, 2025
BOONE, N.C.
Dr. Mac-Jane Crayton, assistant professor in the Department of Government and Justice Studies and founder of Lab iMPACTLY, addresses Lab iMPACTLY Nonprofit Workshop attendees. Photo by Chase Reynolds
Dr. Mac-Jane Crayton, assistant professor in the Department of Government and Justice Studies and founder of Lab iMPACTLY, addresses Lab iMPACTLY Nonprofit Workshop attendees. Photo by Chase Reynolds