NEI

Dismantling Boundaries & Overcoming Limitations: Tools & Paths to Personal, Professional, & Organizational Empowerment
Wiawaka Women's Leadership Retreat
NEI's Second Annual Women's Leadership Retreat was held from August 14 to 17, 2001. This innovative program aimed to enhance women's leadership skills in the nonprofit sector, and to inspire and re-invigorate the minds that carry on the important work of the sector. In addition, participants were asked to challenge the internal and external boundaries and limitations that keep us (women) from reaching our individual and collective potentials through addressing racism, sexism, homophobia and other schisms.
This intensive 2 night, three day program offered opportunities to strengthen leadership, networking and teamwork skills, and examine a range of cutting edge issues facing the sector.
The Retreat was held on Lake George at the lovely summer resort, Wiawaka. With 60 acres of private green lawns and woods, historic Victorian and Adirondack style buildings, Wiawaka is the ideal resort for a women's retreat.
Call the Center at 518-442-3898 for more information..

Sustaining & Growing Human Capital in the Voluntary Sector
NEI Leadership Retreat for Executive Directors of nonprofit organizations
Held on July 11th and 12th at the Gideon Putnam in Saratoga Springs, NY, the retreat focused on funding issues, including successful fund development, and on collaborating effectively with others in the sector. Workshops and handouts provided participants with practical tools and innovative ideas to use in building both organizations and social policies that value human capital and weave stronger, sustainable social fabrics. Two tracks addressed issues related to social policy perspectives and development, and the concerns of building organizations. In a safe and confidential setting, participants examined and developed a personal and collective work plan to sustaining and growing human capital in the voluntary sector.

Building Collaborative Skills Within Organizations
June 22, 2001
Conducted by Julie Abramson, Ph.D., Associate Professor, School of Social Work at the University at Albany, an experienced trainer, coach and researcher on the topic of inter-professional collaboration, this workshop assisted participants in becoming strategic in their interaction with colleagues from within their own agency as well as colleagues from other organizations. Dr. Abramson stressed the importance of working successfully in teams and task groups, conflict resolution, and communication as necessary skills to create collaborative relationships.

2001 Research & Knowledge Exchange
Research Priorities: Perspectives from the Nonprofit Sector, February 8, 2001
At the 2001 Research & Knowledge Exchange, NEI Consortium members presented potential research questions and topics that, from their perspective, identified gaps in knowledge needed for effective policy development and service delivery in New York State. The new Mini-Grants program was announced which will fund research proposals with priority given to research topics generated by NEI's nonprofit partners. For more information please call Alison at 442-3900 x-23898.

NEI WOMEN'S LEADERSHIP RETREAT - August 16 -18, 2000 at Wiawaka, Lake George
This innovative program was designed to enhance the leadership skills of women volunteers and staff in nonprofit organizations. The retreat was attended by a diverse group of over 30 women including professional nonprofit staff, volunteers, and students. Sandra McGarraugh and Marsha Mortimore co-facilitated the retreat and group discussions. Workshops topics included "Useful Tools for Managing Organizational Change," Advocacy Skills for Change in the Non-Profit Arena," "Getting the Best From Your Board," Strategic Restructuring: an Alternative to Competition in Nonprofit Management" as well as group discussions addressing racism and diversity. The retreat was held on Lake George at the lovely summer resort Wiawaka - a 60 acre private resort with historic Victorian and Adirondack style buildings.

Nonprofits in the Market Economy: Survival Strategies and Policy Implications
William P. Ryan, Fellow at the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Harvard University, Dennis Derryck, and Professor at the Milano School of Management and Urban Policy at New School University, reflected on some of the pressing financial issues affecting the nonprofit sector. Following the presentations, a panel including Ruth Walters, Assistant Deputy Comptroller a the NYS Office of the State Comptroller, Lydia Tom of the Enterprise Foundation, and moderator Judith Saidel, concerned citizen explored related themes and led a lively discussion among participants. Topics included: Nonprofits mergers, creating for-profit arms of nonprofit organizations, and the dynamics of advocacy conducted by nonprofits with government contracts. May 18th from 12:00 - 4:30 pm

Skills Sharing: A New Vision for Nonprofit Capacity-Building in the 21st Century
Susan Witt, Executive Director of the E.F. Schumacher Society discussed her experiences as a community developer, designing and implementing local currency projects, and discussed how the local currency model may be best applied to the proposed NEI Skills Bank. April M. Roggio, a Center 2000 Fellow on Women & Public Policy working on the Nonprofit Education Initiative, briefly outlined the NEI Skills Bank proposal, and lead a substantive discussion regarding the development of a skills bartering system for area nonprofit organizations. May 4 from 4:00 - 5:30

Getting Your Organization's Message Out: Communicating Effectively With the Media
(Co-sponsored with Women in Development of N.E. New York) February 17 - Benita Zahn of Channel 13 discussed the power of the media to spread your organization's mission and increase participation at events.