Article on TCI’s Non-Profit Scholarship Fund in Massnonprofit.org

June 15, 2013 — The Commonwealth Institute, a nonprofit that aims to help women-led businesses become and remain successful, announced that it is launching new forums for women leading nonprofits, which it is looking to underwrite with funds it is raising.

The Commonwealth Institute (TCI) said it intends to start three new forums for executive directors of nonprofit organizations in Massachusetts, each of which will bring groups of leaders together to share issues and provide advice.

TCI launched its first nonprofit forum last February and hopes to launch the new forums, each with eight to 10 members, this fall.

While membership in a leadership forum normally costs participants $1,800 per year, TCI is engaged in a campaign to raise $100,000 to underwrite the nonprofit forums.

“The recent recession has been hard on everyone, but never more so than on the hundreds of small to mid-size nonprofit organizations that struggle every day to provide some of the most basic community services. Most nonprofits have seen their non-essential expenses cut, especially the training and development of their executive directors, most of whom are women,” noted TCI Executive Director Aileen Gorman.

Monthly forum meetings focus on issues such as:

• Developing strategies for innovative fundraising and development
• Improving communication to build a more effective board
• Sharing solutions for successful problem solving
• Achieving one’s mission when the budget is tight

Requirements

• Executive director, CEO or key decision maker in established (minimum three years in operation) nonprofit organization
• Minimum one year commitment to the forum
• Passion for growth and learning