For Immediate Release
June 3, 2010
Genesee County, MI – Have you ever considered volunteering by sitting on the board of directors of an area nonprofit agency? Most people don’t realize that nonprofit organizations are constantly searching for new board members, nor do they know what it takes to serve on a board.
Now the training needed for current and potential board members is being brought to Genesee County, along with training for the organizations that are governed by boards of directors. The BEST Project and Resource Genesee are teaming up to bring a resource, BoardConnect® Genesee, to Genesee County.
BoardConnect® is a board training and recruitment program developed by Nonprofit Enterprise at Work, Inc. (NEW) in Ann Arbor.
“The goal is to strengthen nonprofit organizations – human service agencies, educational and religious institutions – by training people to serve on boards. The program also helps nonprofits learn to govern themselves better through educational workshops,” said BoardConnect® Director Diana Kern.
BoardConnect® also allows nonprofit organizations and potential new board members to connect with each other through an online web site.
Local funders, including the Ruth Mott Foundation and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation see the need and have contributed funding to bring the program to the county.
“We have been told by numerous individuals and agencies that there is a critical need to develop the next generation of nonprofit board leadership,” said Jennifer Acree, Project Director of BEST.
BEST stands for “Building Excellence, Sustainability and Trust.” The BEST Project has been working in Genesee County since 2003 to strengthen our area nonprofit organizations.
“BoardConnect® Genesee introduces prospective board members and organizations based upon interests, needs, skills and passion for mission. This makes the relationship more successful and enjoyable for both the organization and the individual,” Acree said.
As two of the lead sources for nonprofit support in Genesee County, Resource Genesee and the BEST Project will work together to promote, educate, and track the work of BoardConnect® Genesee.
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About the BEST Project: BEST (Building Excellence, Sustainability and Trust) is a comprehensive, capacity building program in Flint and Genesee County Michigan. The BEST Project is an initiative of the Flint Funders Collaborative (FFC). FFC members include the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the Community Foundation of Greater Flint, the Ruth Mott Foundation and the United Way of Genesee County. BEST brings together regional funders, consultants, technical assistance providers, and nonprofit agencies to achieve a more viable, sustainable and effective nonprofit community. For more information, please visit www.bestprojectonline.org or call 810.232.8000.
About Resource Genesee: The mission of the Resource Genesee is to mobilize people and resources to build a thriving, vibrant community. Contact Resource Genesee when you want to give help - through volunteerism and donations, get help - get connected with any human or social service in the county, or learn to lead - through youth and adult leadership programs. For more information, visit www.resourcegenesee.org.
About NEW: NEW’s mission is to help nonprofits succeed by strengthening nonprofit management and offering solutions to issues facing the nonprofit community. Founded in 1993, NEW, a 501(c)(3), currently offers comprehensive board and leadership development, IT solutions for nonprofits with an emphasis on green computing options, information and resource referral addressing nonprofit management issues and questions, and affordable office space, meeting space, and infrastructure in a supportive community of nonprofits. For more information, please visit www.new.org.