Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation

Berkshire Taconic Offers Nonprofit Seminar Series Beginning September 28

September 6, 2011

SHEFFIELD, MA—Nonprofit organizations throughout the region are encouraged to participate in Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation’s “Center for Nonprofit Excellence Fall Seminar Series,” an upcoming series of seminars beginning on September 28, designed to provide essential guidance and professional development for nonprofits in the region.

The Center for Nonprofit Excellence at Berkshire Taconic is offering the fall series which will be taught by leading professionals on a variety of timely subjects, from “Courageous Leadership for Complex Times” and “Aim: The Art of Asking to “Getting Started with Email Fundraising”, “Master the Art of Proposal Writing” and “Budget Preparation and Reporting: Telling Your Story Through Numbers”. The seminars (see schedule below) are structured for members of nonprofits, at any level; attendance by more than one member of each organization is encouraged to maximize the benefit of the information. This fall, “Getting Started with Email Fundraising”, a social media seminar, will be offered as a webinar, allowing participants the option to attend either in person at Berkshire Taconic’s offices or online. The remaining seminars will be offered in multiple locations: Pittsfield, MA, Lenox, MA and Sharon, CT.

Berkshire Taconic recognizes that providing leaders with the tools to guide their organizations in this new economy is vital to their long term survival to maximize assistance for area nonprofits. Managing a nonprofit is no small feat in these challenging times. “More is being asked of our nonprofits with fewer resources available to help them. The Foundation’s seminars are intended to help our nonprofits play at the top of their game so that they can not only survive but thrive,” said Jennifer Dowley, president of Berkshire Taconic.

Through the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation offers services and resources to help the staff, board and volunteers of nonprofits think strategically, govern effectively and operate efficiently. It serves hundreds of nonprofit organizations in the tri-state region and provides training, administrative support and networking opportunities that help nonprofits achieve their goals and better serve their constituents.

Participants must pre-register. The cost for each seminar is $40 with discounts for registering for more than one session. New York State nonprofits receive a 50% discount made possible by a grant from the Dyson Foundation. For more information and to register please go online.

2011 Fall Seminars Schedule:

Courageous Leadership for Complex Times
This engaging seminar will help nonprofits adopt courageous leadership practices to ensure continued success.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011, 9:00am-11:30am
Pittsfield Country Club, Pittsfield, MA
Wednesday, September 28, 2011, 2:00pm-4:30pm
Foundation for Community Health, Sharon CT
Instructor: Susan Kohler-Gray, Kohler-Gray Management Consultants

Getting Started with Email Fundraising
This seminar will focus on using email as a cost-effective fundraising solution. Nonprofits will learn how to design and implement email fundraising campaigns.
Wednesday, October 5, 9:00am-11:00am
Webinar and on location at Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Sheffield, MA
Instructor: Andrea Berry, Director of Partnerships and Learning, Idealware
Facilitator: Eugenie Sills, Principal / Consultant, TWT Media

Master the Art of Proposal Writing
This seminar will introduce the key components of creating a comprehensive, dynamic and fundable proposal.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011, 9:00am-11:30am
Pittsfield Country Club, Pittsfield, MA
Wednesday, October 12, 2011, 2:00pm-4:30pm
Foundation for Community Health, Sharon CT
Instructor: Susan Shiroma, Senior Librarian, Foundation Center

Budget Preparation and Reporting: Telling Your Story Through Numbers
This seminar will demonstrate how to convince prospective funders that a project is worthy of their financial investment. Using real-world case studies, nonprofits will learn how to build a budget step-by-step.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011, 9:00am-11:30am
Pittsfield Country Club, Pittsfield, MA
Tuesday, October 25, 2011, 2:00pm-4:30pm
Foundation for Community Health, Sharon CT
Instructor: Luz Rodriguez, Training Coordinator, Foundation Center

Aim High: The Art of Asking
This seminar offers nonprofits a lively step-by-step guide to take the fear out of asking for funding.
Friday, November 4, 2011, 9:00am-12:00pm
Cranwell Resorts, Lenox, MA
Instructor: Jerold Panas, Executive Partner, Jerold Panas, Linzy & Partners

Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation builds stronger communities and improves the quality of life for all residents of northwest Litchfield County, CT; Berkshire County, MA; and Columbia County and northeast Dutchess County, NY, acting as an agent for positive change in the region. Since 1987, Berkshire Taconic has managed a growing collection of charitable funds created by individuals, families and businesses. Each year, the foundation distributes over $7 million through grants and scholarships for programs in the arts and education, health and human services and environmental protection, helping thousands of donors achieve their philanthropic goals and hundreds of nonprofits carry on their good work. Berkshire Taconic is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public charity.

###