The Dan River Nonprofit Network will begin offering sponsorships for under-resourced nonprofits in the Dan River Region to attend out of area training courses at a free or reduced cost. These sponsorships, new for 2018, are available thanks to the support from The Community Foundation of the Dan River Region (CFDRR). Evelyn Riley, director at the Nonprofit Network, states that, “Sponsorships are intended to assist nonprofit organizations that would otherwise find costs of registration or travel prohibitive. We want area nonprofit professionals and organizations to benefit from training and experiences they may not normally be able to access. We’re very grateful that the Community Foundation is one of our local funders that understands the value nonprofit education has for our communities. Attendees to these types of trainings bring back ideas for programs, make connections and learn from peers, and gain skills that increase the impact of the good work they are already doing.” Example trainings may include sector conferences, skill-based workshops, and leadership training. Eligible participants and individuals must represent an organization that has a current 501(c)(3) status with the IRS and be located in or serve the Dan River Region area. In order to have the most impact, sponsorship awards may range based on the amount and type of request as well as the organization’s budget size and need.
The Nonprofit Network operates as a central coordinator to build connections, increase capacity, and foster partnerships to move towards a greater collective community impact. Riley stated, “We identify trends of concern to local nonprofits, share proven practices, as well as support implementation of those techniques that in turn benefit the nonprofits and those they serve. The Network provides opportunities for professional networking, increased funding prospects, collaborative resources, and provides a home for regional nonprofits to converse and learn from each other in order to raise the region’s profile.”
At this time, nonprofit organizations are eligible to receive one sponsorship per cycle. The current cycle will end in March, 2019, and the applications are available on the Nonprofit Network’s website at danrivernonprofits.org/sponsorships2018. If you are interested in learning more or connecting with the Network, email info@danrivernonprofits.org, call 434-792-3700 (ext. 226), and follow them on Facebook at Dan River Nonprofit Network.