Grantee submission by: Maggie Martinelli, COO
How did the funding or non-monetary support you received from the Foundation impact your organization and/or the community?
Moses Taylor Foundation’s (MTF) support has been an essential part of Scranton Area Community Foundation’s (SAF) ability to effectively serve the capacity-building needs of our regional nonprofit organizations. Specifically, through SAF’s Center for Community Leadership and Nonprofit Excellence (“The Center”), high quality programs, trainings, and technical assistance have been made available to hundreds of nonprofit organizations annually to help them improve their operations and practices.
The Moses Taylor Foundation’s support has enabled The Center to greatly expand upon the quality and quantity of its nonprofit training programs, and to extend offerings to nonprofit organizations throughout a much larger geographic area in NEPA. It also enables SAF to provide trainings on themes that many nonprofit organizations specifically request including topics ranging from designing virtual or hybrid events, to creating an inclusive environment for diverse populations, to effective program evaluation.
The Executive in Residence Program is an individualized, grant-based opportunity for nonprofit organizations to support their capacity building efforts. This program provides monetary assistance for organizations to engage specialists and consultants of their choosing, to provide hands-on assistance, expertise, coaching and/or knowledge to help accomplish a particular organizational goal and to help build the organization’s capacity and infrastructure for the future.
The NEPA Learning Conference provides a forum for over 200 attendees from the nonprofit sector, including service providers, foundations, and many other types of organizations, to gather, learn, collaborate, and grow together. Now offered biennially, the conference provides in-depth training from local and nationally-recognized presenters and the opportunity to network with peers.
The Moses Taylor Foundation, along with other partners, has helped to make NEPA Gives the largest single day of philanthropy in Northeast Pennsylvania. During the last NEPA Gives, 5,000 donors contributed over $1.1 M to 230 nonprofit organizations.
Share a quote or anecdotal story from a client or employee of your organization that illustrates the impact of your work.
The following quotes are taken from participant surveys gauging their experiences with Center training opportunities:
The Empathetic Workplace (hosted June 8, 2022)
“Excellent presentation and content. Although not surprising, it was amazing to see so many leaders at all levels of organizations in NEPA in attendance. We are LASERing forward! Thank You Katherine Manning and SAF!”
Urgency of Awareness (hosted April 20 & May 4, 2022)
“Much appreciated. Timely topic given all that people have endured over the past 2 years, 2 months or are enduring, personally and professionally.”
“I loved this webinar. Jodi did an outstanding job of presenting the information in a clear understandable manner. Additionally, she utilized real life situations to explain the material.”
What do you most want the community to know about your work and/or what excites you most about the future of your organization?
SAF’s strategic plan emphasizes the importance of supporting our regional nonprofits and the critical work they do in our communities. Listening to our local organizations is an essential part of meeting their capacity building needs. Earlier this year, SAF hosted a community needs forum which identified, among other important findings, an opportunity for nonprofit organizations to share services that could help with operational necessities. SAF then hosted a shared services forum to focus directly on this concern, and is now working on options to help organizations with administrative functions in order to free up individuals for other important work.
The NEPA Learning Conference and NEPA Gives will both take place again this year, with plans in place to strengthen both efforts. SAF also plans to enhance educational opportunities for nonprofit organizations with a newly formed partnership with Cornell University. Through this partnership, the Center will offer 70 online eCornell courses and certificate programs to nonprofit professionals in our region.
SAF is growing in many ways and recently hired an additional staff member who is responsible for direct oversight of the increased programming planned through the Center. Growth is also driving an exciting move to the Century Club of Scranton where we hope to offer an easily accessible location in which to hold Center trainings and events, with updated technology and convening space.