Keynote Speaker Floyd Jones Inspires at TCC’s Nonprofit Summit

Tidewater Community College’s Academy for Nonprofit Excellence hosted the 2025 Nonprofit Summit: The Power to Thrive on Tuesday, March 11, in the Virginia Beach Campus Student Center. The Summit included two speeches by keynote speaker Floyd Jones and multiple workshop discussions to help local changemakers expand their nonprofit organization impact and help repower them to succeed in their future work. TCC staff and local nonprofit organization leaders from the Hampton Roads area presented their fundraising advice and experience in the concurrent sessions in the morning and afternoon.

Jones, a renowned coach and community builder, shared his insight on engagement and nonprofit leadership for fundraising campaigns. The New York City native is the founder of Floyd Jones Enterprises and BackBlack—an initiative that has raised over $2 million for Black-led nonprofits.

Jones has a mission to provide leaders of nonprofit organizations with tools and confidence to succeed with their fundraising campaigns, specifically actionable strategies to transform their followers into loyal supporters and donors. He also has experience with partnering with leaders to help grow their grassroot organizations and create lasting change. Jones has worked with several brands in the past including Nonprofit Storytelling Conference, VISA, Nike, AfroTech, Neon One, Man Talks, NBA 2k, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

At the Summit, Jones presented two strong keynote speeches to inspire the audience of nonprofit organization leaders and purpose-driven entrepreneurs: “The Significance of Your Story” and “Community as Catalyst”.

The afternoon keynote speech “Community as Catalyst” was devoted to providing organizational tools to help nonprofit organizations engage the community. It focused on the process of mobilizing passionate advocates, volunteers, and board members into joining the fundraising campaigning and connecting with others to build a network of supporters.

Jones noted that Sarah Linden-Brooks, Program Director of the Academy for Nonprofit Excellence, had heard him speak at another convention and reached out to have him speak at this year’s summit.

“I love when I see organizations so intentional about supporting changemakers. We have so many people who are making an impact, but they don’t have the support they need to fly and succeed. So, when Sarah told me about this event, I was like ‘I’m going to be there’. I decided to make my way to TCC and speak,” Jones said.

Jones first spoke on his fundraising success with the Volo Kids Foundation, which is an organization that uses the power of play to build communities of active, resilient, and confident kids through quality sports programs and opportunities at no cost to families. The foundation launched its first Giving Tuesday campaign in 2017. Jones played a role in the peer-to-peer campaign, which had a goal to raise $5k. The campaign evolved as he started the trend to change his profile picture on social media to him as a kid playing a sport to spread awareness of the campaign. It sparked conversation online where the campaign’s supporters received hundreds of likes and dozens of comments to help spread awareness of the campaign. Jones and his team ended up raising $30k, and the success of the campaign drove momentum into the next year.

Jones shared his tools for fundraising success including the 5 S’s of success: set an intention, set a goal, segment your audience, mobilize your supporters, and share your story. He also shared the significance of goal setting and collaboration. He emphasized that fundraising should be easy and engaging and to be creative while in the process.

Jones shared his final piece of advice: “People want to support you. Let them.”

TCC has many Nonprofit Summit Supporters including the United Way South Hampton Roads, Hampton Road Community Foundation, ODU: Monarch Humanities Internship Academy, Towne Bank, Association of Fundraising Professionals VA: Hampton Roads Chapter, The Curtis Group, Network Peninsula, and Nisenson Consulting.

To learn more about TCC’s Academy for Nonprofit Excellence, visit https://academy.tcc.edu for more information.

Tidewater Community College’s Nonprofit Summit – SOLD OUT!

The Academy for Nonprofit Excellence (ANE), a program of Tidewater Community College and the Hampton Roads Community Foundation is excited to announce that the 2025 Nonprofit Summit: The Power to Thrive, has sold out. The event will be held Tuesday, March 11 at the TCC Virginia Beach Deborah DiCroce Student Center. The summit will welcome more than 125 nonprofit professionals and supporters who are looking to elevate their work in the social sector.

“Given the increasing burdens felt by many area nonprofits, this year’s conference is especially timely,” stated Sarah Linden-Brooks, ANE’s Program Director.

Rising operational costs, heightened demand for services, and limited resources have left many local organizations feeling constrained. This event offers an essential opportunity for nonprofit professionals to come together, share their struggles and strategies, and build the resilience needed to thrive in these challenging times.

Attendees can expect a day packed with valuable insights and practical tools. Workshops led by seasoned nonprofit experts will cover key topics like program management, effective fundraising, and advocacy. The conference will also feature an inspiring keynote by Floyd Jones, who will address how nonprofits can navigate challenges and maximize their impact. In addition, ample networking opportunities will allow participants to connect, collaborate, and learn from each other’s experiences.

TCC is excited to host this sold-out event, which is more crucial than ever. As nonprofit organizations face unprecedented challenges, the Nonprofit Summit will provide the knowledge, connections, and inspiration needed to ensure the continued success and growth of Hampton Roads nonprofits.

To learn more about the Academy for Nonprofit Excellence visit the website here.

TCC’s Amanda Lloyd recognized as Top 40 Under 40 professional

Tidewater Community College’s Amanda Lloyd has been named a Top 40 Under 40 professional by Inside Business.

Lloyd, 35, became director of TCC’s Academy for Nonprofit Excellence last February. The award recognizes professionals whose work and volunteer efforts make Hampton Roads a better place to live.

“I love that I get to see the impact that is occurring in the community by the professional development and training opportunities that the academy offers,” Lloyd said. “You see nonprofit personnel take something they learned at the academy, implement it, and it directly affects our community. That’s rewarding.”

Funded by the Hampton Roads Community Foundation, the academy offers relevant, budget-friendly training on leadership and management topics to nonprofit and aspiring nonprofit professionals.

The Suffolk native and graduate of Lakeland High School taught humanities and history classes at TCC prior to being hired for her current role last winter. She aspires to be a college president, having been passionate about higher education for most of her life. She is a first-generation college graduate.

“I love seeing students evolve in their learning,” said Lloyd, who maintains numerous mentoring relationships with her former students. “Seeing the success of my students and helping them achieve their goals is important to me.”

Lloyd previously worked in multiple administrative positions for the City of Norfolk prior to coming to TCC. Her achievements include creating the Norfolk Public Library citywide volunteer program, a model effort duplicated by additional libraries across the nation. She is a member of the Norfolk Public Library Board of Trustees as appointed by the mayor and City Council.

The graduate of Longwood University holds a position on its alumni board and is president-elect for the Junior League of Norfolk – Virginia Beach. She sits on the Women’s Center Advisory Council and Board at TCC and is an alumna of LEAD Hampton Roads and Emerge, Virginia.

Lloyd, who holds a master’s in humanities from Old Dominion University, is currently at work on a doctorate in higher education management at Hampton University. A Norfolk resident, she and husband Matt have two sons, William, 5, and Owen, 3.

Lloyd will be honored at the Top 40 Under 40 banquet on Oct. 23 at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott. She will be profiled with the other winners in an Oct. 22 special edition of Inside Business.