United Way and Community Foundation Present Non-Profit Workshop

Representatives of eighty organizations attend program at Doubletree

December 14, 2006       Leave A Comment
By: Stephen Kent

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The United Way of Bay County and the Bay Area Community Foundation teamed up to present a workshop and seminar for area nonprofit organizations and agencies. Called "Raising the Bar: Principles and Practices for Nonprofit Excellence in Michigan", the seminar was conducted by Robin Lynn Grinnell, Director of the Michigan Nonprofit Association. The half day event introduced and discussed topics critical to all nonprofits.

Over one hundred people, representing over eighty organizations attended the meeting. "I just want to commend everyone who gave their morning to come to this event", said Jennifer Carroll, Executive Director of the United Way of Bay County. "It shows their genuine interest in trying to be the best they can be."

Grinnell's presentation was based on a twenty page booklet from the MNA which was provided to each participant. The talk and booklet covered such topics as planning, governance, financial management, fundraising, information technology, and strategic alliances.

The discussion of Governance was of particular interest to many organizations, in particular the smaller nonprofits which may not have paid staff, an office, and the rest of the supporting infrastructure that a larger group enjoys. Grinnell pointed out both the responsibilities of the board as well as the legal requirements imposed by being a nonprofit.

Within the booklet, the MNA included a "Basic Infrastructure Checklist" for registered nonprofit organizations in Michigan. This valuable tool provides a point by point list of the things that an organization and its board should understand and cover. Some of the points were obvious but some were not.

The material presented included a number of resources for nonprofits to use including books, web sites, and support organizations.

The entire cost of the half day meeting, including breakfast, was underwritten by the Community Foundation. In addition, the Foundation has arranged for, and will underwrite, Crystal Planning Solutions, a partnership of Bay City's Jerome Yantz and Valerie Roof, to work with any area nonprofit that desires it to implement the evaluation and planning process as outlined in the day's programs. Following the completion of this process, the nonprofit will be invited to apply for a special funding grant from the Foundation.

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Stephen Kent
Steve Kent and his family have lived in Bay City for 30 years. He is VP of Technical Services at MMCC which produces MyBayCity.Com. Kent is active in many Bay City civic organizations. More from Stephen Kent

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