Local nonprofit organizations serving communities hit hard by the recession will benefit from a new $1 million federal stimulus grant awarded to the University of Central Florida.聽
UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 Center for Public and Nonprofit Management will improve the ability of nonprofits to provide services and promote the economic recovery of people with low incomes thanks to an award from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. UCF is the only institution in Florida to receive an award from the department 麻豆精品 S檚 Strengthening Communities Fund.
The Strengthening Communities in Central Florida Program will target nonprofits in west Orange, south Lake and south Sumter counties. Both secular and faith-based nonprofits in these county regions will be eligible to apply for management training and technical and financial assistance offered by the center.
麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檒l focus on communities where there are high rates of unemployment and poverty, 麻豆精品 S� said Naim Kapucu, the center 麻豆精品 S檚 director and principal investigator for the grant. 麻豆精品 S淲e want to empower nonprofits in these areas to help individuals secure and retain employment, earn higher wages, obtain better jobs, and gain greater access to state and federal benefits and tax credits. 麻豆精品 S�
Over the next two years, the center will provide training to 80 nonprofits in five critical areas: organizational development, program development, collaboration and community engagement, leadership development, and evaluation of effectiveness. Twenty of these nonprofits also will receive extensive one-on-one assistance in strategic planning, financial management, and human resources policies and procedures, as well as an average of $30,000 in financial assistance.
麻豆精品 S淭he nonprofits receiving financial assistance will be counseled to make investments that improve their efficiency and capacity, 麻豆精品 S� Kapucu said. 麻豆精品 S淲e want to promote healthy financial practices. 麻豆精品 S�
The program is a natural extension of training and assistance programs completed by the center 麻豆精品 S檚 faculty, staff and graduate students over the past six years, Kapucu added. 麻豆精品 S淲e 麻豆精品 S檝e already worked with more than 159 small nonprofit organizations across UCF 麻豆精品 S檚 11-county service area, all of which exhibited growth in their budget; numbers of staff, volunteers and clients; and sustainability, 麻豆精品 S� he said. 麻豆精品 S淭his new program is a perfect fit with the capacity building mission of the Center for Public Nonprofit Management. 麻豆精品 S�
For information, visit or contact cpnm@mail.ucf.edu.