Nonprofits woo young professionals at event
By Cathy Spaulding
Phoenix Staff Writer In the course of one hour Tuesday night, he learned all about the American Red Cross, Lake Area United Way, Court Appointed Special Advocates and a host of other organizations. He and other members of Muskogee Young Professionals (MYPROS) networked with six nonprofit organizations during the New Voices “speed boarding” session Tuesday night at LaQuinta Inn. The event put organization representatives together with interested individuals in five-minute networking sessions. After five minutes, people would move on to other organizations. “New Voices is a way of getting individuals involved, getting new faces involved with networking and helping the community,” said MYPROS member Adam Colclasure, who helped coordinate the event. “So many times, the same person serves on 16 boards, and we’re just trying to get young people involved,” said Kim Lynch, executive director of the Muskogee Nonprofit Resource Center. “The idea is to bring new ideas to the table.” Cooper and another Muskogee newcomer, Miranda Armanyous, went from table to table visiting with nonprofit organization representatives. Sherry Bias and Tonya Jones of the Hope Foundation for Children with Autism and Related Disorders talked about how the organization offers therapy for area children. The Hope Kids Therapy Center, located at Muskogee First Church of the Nazarene, offers speech and occupational therapy to children with a wide range of diagnoses including autism, developmental delays and hearing impairments. “We found a need for therapy to be in Muskogee because families couldn’t afford to go to Tulsa,” said Bias, the organization’s treasurer. The American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life representatives got people interested in planning the next annual relay, to be held in June. By the end of the sessions, Cooper had his hands full of brochures, fact sheets, cards and other information. “I got a little bit of everything,” he said. “I know their great histories and great traditions. Now I have to sift through some paperwork.” Armanyous also expressed a desire to get involved with Muskogee organizations, though she worried about time commitments. As a resident optometrist with the Jack C. Montgomery VA Medical Center eye clinic, Armanyous is only in Muskogee for eight more months. “It’s very possible I’ll get involved or be on a board, it depends on the length of membership,” she said. Nonprofit Buzz: Center offers resources to meet needs of nonprofits
By Rebecca Walkup
The Muskogee Nonprofit Resource Center originated in 2007 as part of the Neighbors Building Neighbors program and has the mission to promote, strengthen, and serve the area’s nonprofit organizations. The Center connects nonprofit organizations to the resources to help them effectively and collaboratively meet the diverse needs of the community. In May, Kim Lynch joined the MNRC as Executive Director to revitalize the organization with increased staffing and enhanced program and service offerings. Two employees were hired in September to form a complete staff of five, and is ready to assist area nonprofits with new services and resources. Jessica Hisey will serve as the MNRC’s membership and marketing specialist. She received a Bachelor of Science degree from Oklahoma City University in 2009 with a focus in Nonprofit Management and Development and Fundraising. She will be responsible for marketing the Nonprofit Center’s services and working to increase membership in the MNRC. In addition, she will provide member agencies with marketing services including organizational branding, marketing campaigns, media/public speaking training, graphic design, and communication audits. Rebecca Walkup, the new grant writer for the MNRC, received a BA in Technical Writing from Oklahoma State University in 2004. She will work with member organizations to locate funding sources and prepare grant proposals requesting funds from local and national foundations as well as state and federal government departments. She also will present training and workshops on how to locate funders using Nonprofit Center resources and how to write effective grant proposals. The Muskogee Nonprofit Resource Center offers its members numerous services in addition to marketing and grant writing assistance. All member organizations are offered a complementary one-hour organizational assessment to identify the unique strengths and opportunities for growth within that organization and an individualized list of suggestions to help strengthen each organization’s ability to meet its mission. The Nonprofit Center will host a Service Showcase and networking event at 10 a.m. Tuesday, at the Muskogee Public Library to provide area nonprofits and the general public with information about their services. The MNRC is in the process of applying for membership in the Foundation Center’s Cooperating Collections Network. As a Cooperating Collection, the MNRC will be a repository for all Foundation Center print publications and will have full access to the Foundation Center’s online foundation databases. For information about the MNRC, visit its Web site www.muskogeenonprofits.org. Nonprofit Buzz profiles area nonprofits and highlights their programs and accomplishments. Reach Rebecca Walkup at 577-2675 or rebecca_walkup @yahoo.com. City of Muskogee Foundation
Approves Grants
 The City of Muskogee Foundation met on June 15, 2009 to approve the grant requests from MNRC and our members. The foundation reviewed and approved over 37 projects.
MNRC submitted a community development project involving the hiring of a Grant Writer that would serve the grantees of Muskogee City Foundation, nonprofit organizations, public agencies, faith groups, and associations with programs that benefit Muskogee by MNRC. The grant approval was for $66,450. This approval enables the grant writer to concentrate on writing grants to improve Muskogee and our community. The following members were also approved for their projects. CASA - Approval for funding to hire/retain a part-time case manager Muskogee Health Department - Approval for the development of a media message to promote a wellness initiative. Kids' Space - Approvals for a part-time licensed therapist and the creation of weekly classes to effectively deal with sexual abuse within a family. Muskogee Parks & Recreation - Approval for the design and construction of the Muskogee Centennial Trail Phase IV. Good Shepherd Health Clinic - Approval for the purchasing of glucose monitors and test strips to be given to patients free of charge. Kelly B Todd Cerebral Palsy & Neuro Muscular Foundation - Approval for a therapeutic fitness track and pads for people with disabilities who have difficulty addressing fitness and exercise needs. Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma - Approval for hiring of coordinator to serve 80 at risk girls. God's Desire Learning Center - Approval for reading software, laptops, smart board, supplies, and a part-time reading specialist. Volunteers of America of Oklahoma - Approval for their "Provide a Ride" program. Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame and Museum - Approval for funding an executive director to strengthen the infrastructure. Five Civilized Tribes Museum - Approval for capital improvement projects Muskogee Civitan Club - Approval for the funds to purchase and install a handicap accessible playground in Civitan Park.
Muskogee Nonprofit Resource Center
Holds Open House
 Muskogee Nonprofit Resource Center held an "Open House" on June 9, 2009. The event welcomed several staff members and offered visitors a chance to see what MNRC has done and is planning for the future.
Kim Lynch, Executive Director of MNRC said that her "job is a super opportunity" and "people have really opened their doors" to her. MNRC proudly showed off their accomplishments and their plans for the future We successfully wrote the Weed and Seed grant application for the City of Muskogee which can result in up to $1 million in funds over five years to reduce crime and improve neighborhoods We organized the Muskogee Community Anti-Drug Network and serves as fiscal agent for the four-year, $400,000+ drug prevention grant through the Cherokee Nation. We subscribe to eCivis, a powerful grant seeking tool. MNRC members receive free access to this online tool. We offered a variety of workshops and training opportunities to build capacity and broaden perspectives of local social service organizations. We offer individualized services for members. From recruiting and retaining staff to bard development and strategic planning. Our goal is to help nonprofits to improve processes and planning to become more effective. We successfully served as the fiscal agent for the Swing for Dean event that was held in May. The event was very popular and a huge success! We are in the planning stages for the creation of a training facility that will enable us to hold a variety of training in house. We have recently sent out our 2009/2010 Membership renewals and encourage all to return so we can continue providing excellent service to our members. We have applied for the Americorp grant that would enable us to create a resource guide for the community. We have assisted several other nonprofit organizations in the writing of their grants. We have several trainings and events that are coming up. More details to follow on upcoming events
Volunteer Recognition Day Speed and Lead CAN How to serve as an officer Governance Ecivis - how to use it Sell your company through employee benefits Funder's forum Media training
Muskogee Nonprofit Resource Center
In the NewsMuskogee Phoenix EditorialMarch 6, 2007If you are involved in a local nonprofit, we encourage you to attend today’s grand opening of the Muskogee Nonprofit Resource Center. The center has been needed for a long time in Muskogee. Most nonprofits are staffed and run by volunteers, but operating a nonprofit can be a complicated and demanding enterprise. Raising funds and accounting for expenditures — besides doing the work the nonprofit was established for — demands many hours and more financial and operational expertise than the normal layman usually has. In fact, in the past, several Muskogee nonprofits that provided valuable services found themselves in financial trouble. No one in Muskogee should want to see that happen again.That’s why the center will be a valuable resource.Of course, it won’t be much help if organizations don’t take advantage of it. That’s why we encourage you to join. Yes, it will cost, but the cost — tax-exempt members $100 and individuals $35 annually — is well worth the benefit. Membership in the center, whose executive director is Lisa Raasch, is open to nonprofits, churches, tribes, grant-making organizations, public benefit corporations, individuals, businesses and government agencies interested in promoting and supporting Muskogee’s greater good. -------------------------------- Muskogee Phoenix, March 2, 2007A new organization aims to help Muskogee nonprofits become more effective. The Muskogee Nonprofit Resource Center, which holds its grand opening Tuesday, was created by Neighbors Building Neighborhoods and inspired by a citywide strategic planning process in the 1990s... -------------------------------- Muskogee Phoenix, Feb. 26, 2007
A $1,000 prize will be awarded to one of the non-profit groups sending a delegate to a kickoff meeting of the Muskogee Nonprofit Resource Center on March 6, said Lisa Raasch, executive director. The event will be at 9 a.m. at the Mike Synar Center on the Northeastern State University Muskogee campus... ---------------------------------- Muskogee Phoenix, November 09, 2006 Neighbors Building Neighborhoods took a giant step forward in its idea for a one-stop center for non-profit groups Thursday evening as the board introduced the executive director and chose an official name for the project... |
Muskogee Nonprofit News