Nonprofit organizations interested in strengthening their boards are encouraged to apply for a spot in the 2010 class of Cenla Boardbuilders.
Cenla Boardbuilders is a CDW training program for professionals interested in improving their communities by serving on boards of nonprofit organizations. After a few short months, the participating nonprofits will gain a new board member with the knowledge of what it takes to be an effective board member.
Nearly 100 individuals have graduated from Cenla Boardbuilders since its 2004 creation, and they are now serving on boards of nonprofit organizations throughout Central Louisiana.
The nonprofit organizations that participate in this free six-week program will gain a knowledgeable board member who also has a desire to be involved in the nonprofit and the community. This is achieved through intensive leadership and board governance training.
The program begins in August with an orientation session. From September to October, participants attend four bi-weekly training sessions on board governance topics. Sessions last about four hours. Participants then attend a matching session where they meet with representatives of nonprofit organizations. Participants make their selections, and then CDW will match them with a nonprofit, according to the participants’ choice and the organizations’ needs. Graduation takes place in late November, and most graduates start serving on boards after the start of the new year. The annual Alumni Meeting is held each spring.
Graduates say Cenla Boardbuilders gives them the skills they need to become productive board members. One graduate said the training “gave me the insight I needed to decide what a nonprofit really means.” Another said, “I learned about ways to maintain cohesiveness in the board and how to bring members together.”
If you are a professional looking to join Cenla Buildbuilders, a nonprofit looking to strengthen your board or an employer wanting to build leadership skills in your employees, please call CDW at 318-443-7880 or 800-803-8075 or visit www.communitydevelopmentworks.org to fill out an application
Community Development Works announces the launch of its newly redesigned website.
Take advantage of CDW's online resources including the Consultant Directory, links to useful online statistics, the online Search the Stacks feature which includes the Learning Lab's holdings and an up-to-date listing of funding opportunities.
Click here to visit the new look.
Nine local organizations are participating in Nonprofit Works, a capacity-building grant program designed to expand the governance, organizational development and leadership capacities of nonprofit organizations in Central Louisiana.
The first group of organizations selected for this two-year grant program recently completed its first year of work. The inaugural group consists of five organizations. The second group, which is beginning its first year, consists of four nonprofits: Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Louisiana, Boys & Girls Clubs of El Camino Real, Rapides Station Community Ministries and the Central Louisiana Homeless Coalition.
Organizations selected to participate in this program receive one-on-one training in the areas of board governance, organizational development, and coaching and leadership development from local consultants during the two-year grant cycle. Community Development Works facilitates these networking and peer-learning opportunities.
To apply for Nonprofit Works, the organization must serve Central Louisiana, be at least five years old, have 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, have a minimum annual budget of $150,000 and have at least five board members. Grants are worth up to $50,000.
Check for updates on www.communitydevelopmentworks.org.