New Program Offers Free Consultation and Training to Ten Nonprofit Groups from Berkshire Taconic Region
April 8, 2008
GREAT BARRINGTON, MA—Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation is accepting applications from local nonprofit organizations to participate in a new intensive training program to strengthen their core capacities. The “Stronger Futures” program will be free of charge to ten competitively selected nonprofit groups.
The Stronger Futures program will offer detailed self-assessment of operations and governance, one-on-one contact with consultants, coaching and three intensive group training sessions each year.
A complete description of the program and application forms are available at www.berkshiretaconic.org/nonprofits. Berkshire Taconic encourages potential applicants with questions to contact Hilary Dunne Ferrone at hilary@berkshiretaconic.org. The deadline for application submission is May 16, 2008.
Berkshire Taconic has engaged the TCC Group, a nationally recognized consulting firm specializing in working with nonprofit groups, to implement the Stronger Futures program. Stronger Futures is offered through Berkshire Taconic’s Center for Nonprofit Excellence, a new centralized resource for programs and services for nonprofits.
“Stronger Futures will help nonprofits be more effective in pursuing their missions,” said Ferrone, director of the Center for Nonprofit Excellence. “It’s a unique opportunity for nonprofits to get individualized input from top-quality consultants and to learn from peers at the group sessions.”
An advisory committee will select ten nonprofit organizations to participate in the program. The program’s underwriters include individual donors, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, and five of Berkshire Taconic’s Area Funds: the James and Robert Hardman Fund, MA; William J. & Margery S. Barrett Fund for Adams, Cheshire and Savoy, MA; Central Berkshire Fund, MA; Fund for Columbia County, NY; and Northwest Corner Fund, CT. In addition, United Way of Berkshire County is supporting the participation of two partner agencies.
Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation builds stronger communities and improves the quality of life for all residents in the region it serves: Berkshire County, MA; Columbia County and northeast Dutchess County, NY; and northwest Litchfield County, CT. Founded in 1987, Berkshire Taconic has 500 funds and manages more than $86 million in assets. Each year, the foundation distributes more than $7.4 million through grants and scholarships, helping thousands of donors achieve their philanthropic goal and hundreds of nonprofits carry on their good work.
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