How did I get invited to participate?
You are eligible to participate if you are a grantee of one of Peer Skill Share’s foundation partners. Current Peer Skill Share foundation partners are Advocate Bethany Fund, Alphawood Foundation, Arts Work Fund, Brinson Foundation, The Community Foundation of Macon County, Illinois Humanities, Julian Grace Foundation, Lumpkin Family Foundation, McDougal Family Foundation, Pierce Family Foundation, Prince Charitable Trusts, Siragusa Foundation and the Tracy Family Foundation. Please contact us with any eligibility questions.
What should I use Peer Skill Share for?
Peer Skill Share is designed as micro-professional development, not long-term consulting. Learn a specific skill, kick-start a new project by learning what others have done, or gain knowledge on a broader topic.
What kind of topics are offered?
This is NOT a series of workshops, so there are no “set” topics. What you want to discuss is entirely up to you! You can request assistance, or offer assistance, on any topic, big or small—personnel evaluation, fundraising planning, QuickBooks functions, program metrics, etc. What problem are you having that you wish you could talk to another professional about? What part of your job are you really good at and could help others with? The possibilities are unlimited.
What’s the timeline?
Peer Skill Share is a year-round program. Participants tend to find the program most valuable if they complete their session within two months of a match being made.
Can I send this information to a co-worker?
Yes, please do! But because this is an invitation-only program, please share your invitation with colleagues at your own agency only
How many people have participated?
To date, more than 2,000 individuals have completed 1,300 Peer Skill Share sessions.
How long has Peer Skill Share been around?
Pierce Family Foundation launched Peer Skill Share with a small pilot program in the fall of 2010. Peer Skill Share became a program of Forefront in 2016.
What have participants said about the program?
What’s the Advisor Profile?
Advisors are nonprofit professionals who wish to share their expertise on certain topics. To become an advisor, fill out out a profile that includes a list of skills in your areas of expertise.
Do I need to fill out my Advisor Profile every year?
No. Once you’ve filled it out, you’re done! If you’d like to update your profile with new skills, please contact us.
I no longer have time to be an advisor. What should I do?
Contact Emily Long, Associate Manager, Education, at elong@myforefront.org and we will deactivate your profile.
How do I fill out the Request Form and/or Advisor Profile?
Full instructions are included when you click on either the ‘request’ or ‘advisor profile’ box.
How many sessions can I request?
You may have 2 open requests at any time. Additional sessions can be requested, but those will be “on hold” until one or more of your open requests are completed.
Do I have to make an offer in order to make a request?
No, you can participate as an “advisor” (someone offering expertise), a “requester” (someone requesting help on a topic), or both.
I’m an advisor and don’t have time to participate in my match. What should I do?
Let us know ASAP, so that we can find a new advisor for your match partner. Contact Emily Long at elong@myforefront.org.
I’m made a request and don’t have time to participate in my match. What should I do?
Let your advisor know; he or she may be willing to revisit the topic with you in a month or two. If you want to withdraw the request completely, contact Emily Long at elong@myforefront.org.
Why didn’t my request get matched?
We do our best to match every request, and we’ve successfully matched more than 90 percent of requests. But sometimes we can’t find a peer who has the expertise you need. The good news is we have partners joining the program all the time. We may find a match for you in the future.
Can I look at a list of all of my requests?
Unfortunately, that is not a feature of our website. However, if you need a reminder of all of your sessions, please contact us, and we’ll send you an individualized report.
Why do I get all these email confirmations?
Our software automatically generates an email each time you submit a request or fill out the advisor profile.
Can I see what requests/offers others in my organization have submitted?
Not at this time. However, if you want to know whether any of your coworkers have open requests/offers, please email Emily Long at elong@myforefront.org.
How are matches made?
Your request will be matched with an advisor whose profile matches your topic area. Advisors are not screened or trained in their role, but are nonprofit employees who feel they have expertise to offer.
Who coordinates the Skill Share session?
Once a match is made, both partners (requester and advisor) will receive an email introduction. Then it’s up to them to schedule and complete their session.
How can I get the most out of my session?
A bit of prep from both partners can make a big difference in the session’s success. For advisors, we recommend reviewing your match partner’s website, and asking them for more details about what they want to get out of the session. For requesters, we recommend determining your goal for the session. Peer Skill Share sessions generally fall into one of three types:
Using these types as a guide, determine what you want to get out of your session, and communicate that to your advisor.
What are skill share sessions like?
Match partners meet for 2-3 hours in-person or via Skype, FaceTime, etc. After a match has been made, you’ll receive an email introducing you to your match partner and offering guidelines on making the experience productive for both of you.
Can I do my skill share session over the phone?
If necessary, but Skill Share sessions should be done in person whenever possible, or via Skype/FaceTime/etc. for those match partners at a distance. In addition to the knowledge gained, past participants have told us repeatedly that a primary benefit of the program is meeting their nonprofit colleagues and building relationships between two groups that ordinarily wouldn’t meet.
What if I want to meet for more than one session?
If your match partner and Peer Skill Share experience have been terrific, we hope both of you stay in contact! You can meet again if you both have the availability but you will not receive an honorarium for subsequent meetings.
How do we get our honorarium?
After Skill Share sessions have taken place, the requester completes a brief feedback report online. (Advisors are always welcome to give feedback on the process, but this is not required to receive the honorarium.) For those submitting a request, their organization will receive a $100 honorarium. For those acting as an advisor, their organization will receive a $200 honorarium. The check will be issued by Forefront.
How do I submit my report?
You will receive an email with your request ID number and a link to an online feedback form. Follow that link, enter your ID number, and fill out the short form.
What is the timetable for payments?
Honorariums are processed monthly the month after you submit your report. So if you participate in a Peer Skill Share session in April, for example, and file your report that same month, you will receive your honorarium in May. But if you submit your report in May, you will receive your honorarium in June.
Is the honorarium given to me or my organization?
The honorariums are given to participating organizations only, not individuals.
Which side gets the honorarium, the requester’s organization or the advisor’s organization?
Both! The requestor’s organization gets $100 and the advisor’s organization receives $200.
Do we receive a honorarium for each skill share?
Yes!