A low-cost workshop series designed to assist nonprofit community organizations in capacity building and professional development will be launched April 16 as part of a series called Nonprofit Breakfast Briefs.

The Center for University, School and Community Partnerships at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth will present “Marketing on a Shoestring” by Dr. Godwin Ariguzo, a marketing expert with the UMass Charlton College of Business.

The first of three workshops scheduled, the session will provide guidance to assist in identifying target audiences, leveraging the latest media trends, and the ins and outs of developing publicity campaigns to advance the mission of an organization.
“The workshop components are very useful and specific. Participants will explore integrated media, including the web, newsletters and print media, and investigate open source software and other low-cost, high-impact marketing tools,” said Lee Blake, director of the UMass Dartmouth SouthCoast Education Compact.

Future workshops are planned on nonprofits and the use of social media, setting up a nonprofit community organization, the IRS 990 form, and other financial fundamentals. A full-day strategic planning session is scheduled for June 19. There is a $20 fee for each workshop.

Massachusetts nonprofits contribute substantially to the state by employing more than 420,000 people, or over 13% of the workforce (twice the national rate of 6.9%). Additionally, the number of jobs in the nonprofit sector has grown, while overall employment across the state has fallen. Collectively, nonprofit organizations pump close to $50 billion into local economies throughout the state each year in salaries, purchases of goods and services, and other expenditures.

The university hopes to play an important role in assisting participant organizations to strengthen the management foundations of community nonprofits through structured workshops and courses designed with community needs in mind. Funding for the workshops is provided by a grant from the Island Foundation.

For more information contact Lee Blake at 774-929-3035 or visit the CUSP web site at www.umassd.edu/cusp 

Workshops are held from 9 to 10:30am at the Center for University, School and Community Partnerships on 200 Mill Road, Suite 150C, Fairhaven, MA and include:

April 16: Marketing on a Shoestring
May 11: Social Media Use for Nonprofits
June 19: Strategic Planning for the Long Haul