Sponsoring a Workshop

If you would like to bring a workshop to your community or organization, please contact someone from the Anti-Racism Program about sponsoring a workshop. All events listed on the workshops page are available for sponsorship, and depend on the initiative and support of local sponsors.

 

Why Sponsor a Workshop?

There are several reasons you might consider sponsoring a training:

• You know that there are individuals interested in attending a training, but there are no trainings scheduled in your area.
• Your organization has a sizeable number of folks (10 or more) who want to attend a training, so that sponsoring a training locally is more cost effective than paying registration fees, travel and lodging for each individual to attend a training some distance away.
• Your organization has a large number of folks (more than 20) who want to attend a training, and it would be more effective to have the training within the specific context of your organization — in other words, an "in house" training just for people connected to your organization (staff, board members, constituents, community stakeholders).

 

Important Prior Considerations

Even if there are some good reasons for you to sponsor a workshop, there are a few things that need to be in place. First and foremost, People of Color must be supportive and all efforts to sponsor a workshop must be accountable to them. It is so easy for white people to hold workshops that are beneficial at one level but fail to make a long term impact. The direction of People of Color is vital in making sure that it is the right time and place and people to sponsor this kind of event.

Second, there should be sufficient groundwork laid for the event with a plan for further antiracism work. Typically, workshops are sponsored by existing antiracism teams. At the very least, a few people from the sponsoring group should have prior experience with Damascus Road training. The event should be one part of a larger plan for long-term antiracism organizing. Another part of the plan should be follow-up with participants after the training. While Damascus Road tries to maintain contact with all participants, local sponsors are in the best position to follow up with personal contact, regular group meetings, one-to-one pairings, social events or other ideas. Participants need a community where they can regularly put into practice what they have learned.

Finally, there needs to be support. You should have a sense that people in your community or organization will want to participate. You will need several people who can share the duties of logistical coordination. And, you will need some financial backing.

 

Details

In addition to the training fee listed below, sponsors are responsible for all logistics and costs associated with the event, including but not limited to publicity, meeting space, catering, and trainer travel and lodging. Sponsors are free to charge individuals a participant fee to help cover some or all costs, but are encouraged to provide some scholarships as well. A well-attended, carefully planned event can have a balanced budget (reducing or eliminating the need to use your organization's funds). Co-sponsoring a training with another organization is a good way to spread out the financial and logistical responsibilities, as well as broaden publicity channels. Information packets are available from the training coordinator or for download (PDF, 968Kb).

 

Antiracism Analysis Training

Participants: 15-45
Training Fee*: Anabaptist: $5000; Non-Anabaptist: add $1500

 

Fire & Clay Retreat

Participants: 10-20; For white people who have attended an Analysis Training.
Training Fee: $3300
This retreat must take place at a retreat center with overnight accommodations.

 

Set Free

Participants: up to 15; for People of Color
Training Fee: $3900 U.S.

 

Antiracism Organizing Training and Antiracism Educating/Communicating Training

Participants: 15-40; for established antiracism teams
Training Fee*: $3500-6000 based on the nature of the event as determined in dialogue with the sponsors.

 

* Because Damascus Road is a program of Mennonite Central Committee U.S. and thereby receives funding from Anabaptist churches and individuals, we offer a lower fee for Anabaptist sponsoring organizations.