Westfield Washington Township (WWT) has partnered with Hedges, a central Indiana consulting firm, to support capacity building for 10 nonprofit organizations that provide services to Westfield residents.
Four sessions will be offered over a four-month span. Attendees will include board members and staff. Topics include: Program Design and Evaluation, Five Characteristics of High Performing Boards, Digital Fundraising and Communications, and Fundraising Essentials for Board Members.
Providing this opportunity to nonprofit providers was a goal that WWT Trustee Danielle Carey Tolan has been trying to set up for a few years. She strives to create partnerships with and remove barriers for the nonprofit organizations.
Westfield Washington Township Trustee Danielle Carey Tolan played host to the nonprofit training event. (Photo provided)
“This series will allow the township to provide a much-needed training resource to the organizations that do an amazing job caring for our residents,” Tolan said. “The comments that we received after the first session were very positive and showed us that there is a great need for services such as this. Many nonprofits do not have the resources available to attend trainings that are important for their growth and development.”
Jodi Snell is the senior consultant at Hedges who is leading this program for WWT nonprofits.
“At Hedges, we approach all of our work through what we call the four Pillars of Organizational Health, including Programs and Impact, Leadership and Culture, Marketing and Communications, and Finance and Development,” Snell said. “We know that for an organization to build capacity and sustain, it must focus on all four of those pillars. We have created this comprehensive training series to include components from each of the four Pillars of Organizational Health and are excited to be partnering with the Westfield Washington Township to bring this series to Hamilton County.”
It was very important to invite both staff and board members to this training series. Each position will view the training from their own perspective based on their role.
Hedges Senior Consultants Kara Harrison (left) and Jodi Snell (right) provided training at the event. (Photo provided)
“The nonprofit series is a good opportunity to learn the latest trends we can use to build stronger organizations to serve Hamilton County,” said Westfield Youth Assistance Program Board Member Debbie Laird. “Coming together with other nonprofit leaders provides a chance to share our thoughts, network together and plan for the future.”
“It is a great opportunity for nonprofits to learn from experts and each other on how to grow and improve,” said Shepherd’s Center of Hamilton County Executive Director Lauren Guynn. “It is challenging with limited resources to be able to budget for quality trainings like these, so the support from Westfield Washington Township in providing these to us is amazing. It will have an exponential impact on our organizations and therefore on our community.”
The township looks forward to continuing the partnerships that have been cultivated with the nonprofit organizations serving Westfield Washington Township residents.
About Westfield Washington Township
Westfield Washington Township was founded in 1834. Its trustee and elected board are responsible for township assistance, fire protection, cemetery maintenance, weed control, and other duties as specified by the state legislature. In addition, Westfield Washington Township oversees MacGregor Park and Parks & Recreation activities, programs, and events for all ages.
Organizations in attendance included Westfield Education Foundation, Heart and Soul Clinic, Student Impact of Westfield, Prevail Inc., Open Doors of Washington Township, Westfield Library Foundation Inc., Shepherd’s Center of Hamilton County, Janus Developmental Services Inc., Good Samaritan Network of Hamilton County, and Westfield Youth Assistance Program. (Photo provided)