This isn't your typical board training.
Your nonprofit serves vulnerable people facing trauma and crisis.
Your board can't rely on good intentions and feel-good buzzwords alone.
It's time to learn the essentials of board governance (stewardship, sustainability, support, supervision, and strategy) through a trauma-sensitive, neuroscience-backed, compassion-driven lens.
This self-paced training honors the weight of your mission, equips your board with clarity and alignment, and creates sustainable impact from the top down.
"This content really nails it.
It is action-based, decision-driven.
Very resonant with the work."
-Nonprofit Executive Director
This self-paced, neuroscience-backed program was intentionally designed for boards leading trauma-facing nonprofits. (If you show up for people who have experienced hard things, this is for you.)
Now more than ever, your board's service is mission-critical.
When the work is heavy, your board can't be left guessing. And the landscape has changed in the last decade--higher rates of trauma and a deeper sense of scarcity with resources.
You need training that will meet you in this new reality and leverage your board's skills to ensure your mission can go forward, regardless of what comes next.
This training isn't for everyone, and that's intentional.
This is not for boards looking to check a box or breeze through another feel-good training full of buzzwords.
It’s definitely not for organizations with minimal exposure to crisis, adversity, or trauma.
If your team is not ready for a challenge to the status-quo, you might not be ready for this.
If you’re hoping for a one-hour training to solve years of disconnect, unfortunately that's a fairy tale. It doesn't exist. But, there is hope.
But, if you resonate with any of these, keep reading:
You serve people navigating trauma, crisis, or chronic stress—and your board carries the weight of that responsibility, whether they realize it yet or not.
You're the kind of organization that shows up when others walk away. You're in schools, shelters, clinics, courtrooms, church basements, or community centers.
You’re doing the kind of work that keeps going, even when it’s hard—and often, without enough.
You know your board needs more than vague advice or leadership clichés. They need tools rooted in neuroscience and with an understanding of how trauma impacts people, systems, and communities.
You need training grounded in compassion and made for this kind of work.
If your board is ready to lead with clarity, strategy, and care—this training was built for you.
What is included with our Board Governance Training?
Led by experts in trauma-sensitive nonprofit leadership, this online training series delivers strategic, board-focused content in an easy-to-access digital portal.
The material is self-paced, allowing your organization to generate a timeline for implementation that fits your schedule, though we generally recommend spacing it out over six months to give space to learn.
(Have you ever attended a conference, loved every minute of it, then walked away and never implemented anything? We structured the program to encourage not only understanding the content, but executing on it.)
You'll get immediate access to these transformational resources:
- On-demand video series with six short, digestible, and practical videos covering frameworks for organizational wellness and the five essential components of board leadership
- Case studies to guide group discussion and reflection
- Notes and reflection guides for the six foundational course videos to assist in implementation and increase material retention
- Two bonus recorded trainings on advancing key strategies for staff and leadership wellness
- Implementation guide, including a sample implementation schedule, an example team email to introduce the content to the board, and discussion guides and questions. Essentially, everything you need to implement this program with minimal work on your part!
Your organization will retain access to the online portal for one full year after purchase. If you want to purchase an extended use license (e.g. to onboard new board members with the material), reach out to our team about our discounted extended licenses (jessica[at]fiveives.com).
If you do nothing, the problems will still persist. And it will cost you.
One year of staff turnover? $50,000+
One missed grant because your board wasn’t aligned?
Could mean shutting the doors on your programming.
And the emotional cost? Even greater.
Burned-out staff.
Frustrated board members.
Lost momentum.
The quiet drift away from your mission’s heart.
With us, you aren't just getting a training.
You’re protecting your team.
You’re aligning your leadership.
You’re building a board that’s equipped to carry the weight of the work.
It’s not just smart. It’s essential.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Will this training work for my organization?
This training is designed specifically for nonprofits on the frontlines of trauma care—organizations that serve individuals facing adversity, chronic hardships, or toxic stress.
If your nonprofit works with vulnerable communities or is in a line of work that causes regular stress or secondary trauma for staff and volunteers, this program will equip your board with the skills to lead effectively, make informed decisions, and prevent burnout.
We are a small nonprofit. Should we wait until we grow to invest in board training?
No. The best time to invest in board training is now—whether you're just starting or already established. A well-trained board helps you grow, avoid common governance pitfalls, and secure funding more effectively. Waiting until you "get bigger" often means missing out on key opportunities and making preventable mistakes.
How much time will this training take?
The course is self-paced, allowing your board to engage with the content at their own convenience. Most organizations complete the training in just a few hours of total time investment broken into small, actionable modules, but the tools and strategies will continue to support your leadership for years to come.
What if my board members are busy?
We designed this training for real-world nonprofit leaders—people juggling tight schedules and big responsibilities. The lessons are concise and actionable, so your board can learn in bite-sized segments and immediately apply what they learn.
What makes this different from other board training programs?
Unlike generic board governance courses, this training is built for nonprofit boards that serve trauma-affected populations. We focus on real-world nonprofit challenges, addressing how stress, burnout, and high-stakes decision-making impact leadership—so your board can lead with resilience, clarity, and confidence.
This training is not a bunch of feel-good buzzwords or fluff. (We can't stand fluff.) Instead, it is packed with actionable insights that will lay a solid foundation for your board's future decision-making.
PAYMENT OPTIONS
We accept most major credit cards through our secure PayPal checkout, and you will receive a payment receipt through that process.
If you need an invoice and prefer to pay by check or direct deposit, simply select "Receive an Invoice" below.
READY TO STRENGTHEN YOUR BOARD?
ABOUT OUR EXPERT TRAINERS
Hey, I'm Lauren!
As someone who knows what it is like to have to give yourself a pep talk to force yourself to walk into the building every day, I know what it feels like to be stressed out, overwhelmed, and frustrated when serving people.
I have spent a decade studying neurobiology and nutrition, and have helped thousands of people who help people to understand the impacts of trauma and how we can enter into caring professions without burning out. I have served nonprofit leaders, school administrators, and medical professionals as we have worked to help organizations retain staff and improve community engagement.
Hey there! I'm Jessica!
I have spent the last decade serving people who have experienced trauma in various capacities: first as a teacher, then foster/adoptive parent, nonprofit volunteer, business owner, and nonprofit leader.
This topic is so personal to me, as I have walked alongside people professionally and personally who have been through really hard things.
I have helped thousands of people who help people all over the world, including nonprofit leaders, medical professionals, and school administrators.
It is my personal mission to make the world a more compassionate place through helping people help people!
IT'S THE PERFECT MATCH!
When we met and started talking about the work we do, we realized that we both had similar thoughts about how to do this better.
We had been working hard with individuals for a long time, trying to train people who were working within systems that were broken.
This was leading to a lot of spinning wheels and frustration--people knew they needed to change their individual practices, but were frustrated by the difficult systems around them.
That's where Five Ives began: with a desire to make change at a systemic level within organizations who help people.
To help people who help people, the organization needs to be healthy and have practices in place that consider the trauma of those they serve.
BUT WHAT DO WE ACTUALLY DO?
Blah blah blah, trauma-informed care. That's how a lot of people hear what people say they do, and we get your hesitation. A lot of people use the right words, but what makes us different is that not only do we have the education and experience to back up the claims that we are experts in trauma care, but we are transparent about how we show up and serve people. Nothing fuzzy or woo-woo around here--we are all about data driven, research-backed practices and practical help that make a difference.
Don't let another board meeting go by without support.
Still thinking?
That's okay. In crisis mode, it can be hard to make big decisions.
But picture what life will be like next year if you don't make a change, if things stay the way they are.
People will still be coming to your organization with significant trauma. You will still have staffing problems. And the mental health crisis isn't going away anytime soon, so hoping things get better isn't going to work.
You need a solution that can meet you in the crisis and not be just one more thing. And you need experts who get it. That's us.
Take a look at the kind of value we provide here.
This set of templates is just a small glimpse into the kinds of simple and yet profoundly helpful resources we provide to make people's lives easier in the midst of the chaos and hamster wheel of life. Use these templates to establish healthy board practice and see a difference!
Need More Support?
If you are looking for more support, like a full-day training intensive or year-long coaching support from our experts, we invite you to jump on a call with us so we can learn more and see if our programming would be a good fit.
We know you hate getting on the phone with companies because the sales pitches are tiring. Heck, we hate most sales calls, too! But at Five Ives, we are different.
We are here to make your life easier and we want to hear how things are going for you.
We promise, no high-pressure tactics or boring sales pitches. We partner exclusively with organizations where we can make a meaningful impact.
With one call, let's see if it is the right fit for you.
Let's set up a time to chat to help your organization reach the next level of compassionate care, retain and empower your amazing staff, and find new ways to engage with the community despite increasing challenges.
