Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts launches new training program

NEW BEDFORD — As part of its Creative Commonwealth Initiative, the Community Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts is launching its Building Blocks for Nonprofits Capacity Building Training Program. The program cohort is comprised of 14 smaller arts and culture nonprofit organizations ranging from the Fishing Heritage Center in New Bedford to the Greater Fall River Art Association.

This cohort-style program is being led by TDC, a nationally recognized nonprofit management consulting and research firm. TDC has worked with nonprofit organizations that vary in size and location, from the Michigan Opera Theatre to the Trustees of Reservations. The program began with a Lift-Off on Jan. 16 hosted at the UMass Dartmouth Galleries in downtown New Bedford. Cohort members had the opportunity to network with each other while viewing the Black Spaces Matter exhibit.

The first session of the program was on Jan. 23 and covered the topics of Human Resources and Volunteers. The participating organizations had a five-hour training that explained the ins and outs of preparing their organization for volunteers and best practices for hiring and supervising paid staff. The second session on Feb. 20 took a deep dive into branding and marketing.

The program will run monthly through June 2019. Upon successful completion, organizations will be awarded a mini-grant to assist with the implementation of a project.