Grant Helps Get More Volunteers On The Street

DANBURY — The Volunteer Center serving Western Connecticut has been awarded a $10,000 competitive grant from the Fairfield County Community Foundation in support of its Comprehensive Volunteer Services Program. The grant will enable The Volunteer Center to serve community members interested in becoming volunteers, who represent the rich diversity of the community, and nonprofit agencies and organizations in western Connecticut that welcome and utilize volunteers.

The Comprehensive Volunteer Services Program (CVSP) includes vvolunteer recruitment and referral, which recruits community volunteers to benefit nonprofit agencies. Volunteers can assist the professional staff with general administrative duties or support special events. Volunteers can also help with infrastructure in areas such as finances, public relations, and technology or as board members to govern organizations.

CVSP also includes board member recruitment and training, where volunteers with a wide variety of skill sets and backgrounds serve on local nonprofit boards of directors; Board Member Basics and Building A Better Board workshops, which prepare prospective board members and strengthen existing boards; and Volunteer Management Training Series, which builds the skills of area nonprofit volunteer managers to utilize volunteers effectively and utilizes curriculum developed by the Points of Light Foundation and the Volunteer Center National Network.

Also included in CVSP is Networking & Professional Development, which encompasses Directors of Volunteers in Agencies, a professional association of directors and supervisors of various volunteer programs in western Connecticut; Board Member Roundtable, a networking group for members of nonprofit boards of directors and a forum for the exchange of ideas and best practices and a great opportunity to network, promote professionalism and enhance board leadership skills; and Western Connecticut Business Volunteer Council, a coalition of businesses, large and small, in the greater Danbury area that promotes volunteerism among their employees to benefit the community.

Finally, Spring Buddy Baskets and the Back-to-School Program are signature projects that benefit local children.

For more information about The Volunteer Center serving Western Connecticut call 797-1154 or send e-mail to pattich@VolunteerDanbury.org. The center is at 58 Division Street.

The Fairfield County Community Foundation promotes the growth of philanthropy to strengthen local communities and the region. Since 1992, it has awarded more than $61 million in grants, including $8.3 million awarded last year. More than 4,700 individuals and organizations have established charitable funds and contributed to existing funds that support education and youth development, economic opportunity, health and human services, arts and culture, the environment, and strengthening local nonprofit organizations.

The community foundation provides philanthropic advisory services and develops initiatives to address critical community issues. It is in compliance with the Council on Foundations’ national standards for community foundation.

The foundation is merging with the Greater Bridgeport Area Foundation. Combined net assets will approach $150 million.

For more information, visit FCCFoundation.org or call 834-9393.