Clark State Community College will soon launch the Center for Nonprofit Excellence. The goal is to provide critical training for leaders and members of nonprofit organizations. The Center for Nonprofit Excellence will be housed in Clark State’s Workforce Development office in the Brinkman Educational Center in Springfield, Ohio.
Dr. Amit Singh, provost and vice president of Clark State, said the Springfield Foundation approached Clark State with the idea in early 2015. The Foundation was seeking training opportunities for members of nonprofit organizations.
The Springfield Foundation, founded in 1948, is a center for philanthropy that raises, strengthens and distributes permanent charitable funds to benefit Clark County. They invest and administer funds to more than 230 charitable organizations. Ted Vander Roest, executive director of the Springfield Foundation, said there is a need for the specialized training the new Center for Nonprofit Excellence will offer.
“Training and development is critical. It’s hard to run a nonprofit,” said Vander Roest. “Most of them have smaller budgets. This is a great opportunity for local nonprofits to receive the training they need to run their organizations.”
Singh said Clark State is responsive to the needs of the community, “Anytime we see a gap between what is needed and what is missing, we try to fill that gap. Nonprofits are a very important entity for our community, and they service special niches.”
Training opportunities - including workshops, online courses and networking opportunities - will be offered to nonprofit organizations that are members of the Center for Nonprofit Excellence. Consultants and local experts will conduct the training. A course plan will also be offered, allowing those who complete the program to earn a certificate from Clark State.
“This is a non-credit program,” said Toni Overholser, Clark State director of business and community development. “Offering the program in this manner allows us to quickly meet the demand and specific requirements for nonprofit organizations in Ohio.”
Overholser said members will receive discounts on the programs offered through the Center for Nonprofit Excellence and have access to “members only” resources and networking opportunities. “There are thousands of nonprofit organizations throughout southwest Ohio, however, our online programs will allow us to serve organizations regardless of location.”
Singh said like any successful business, nonprofit organizations need good management, leadership, structure and processes. “This training will be customized for the needs of nonprofits,” he said. “They are not driven by bottom line, they are driven by mission.”
The Clark State Center for Nonprofit Excellence is expected to open in January of 2016. Nonprofit organizations will be able to obtain memberships and enroll in training programs at this time. “Clark State has the infrastructure in place; they have the facility and will do the enrollment,” said Vander Roest. “It’s all there. They are the logical group to do this with. It’s great they are stepping up and realizing how important this is.”
Learn more about Clark State’s Center for Nonprofit Excellence online or call the Workforce Development office at 937.328.6063.