For Nonprofits
Through the Nonprofit Support Center, the Foundation seeks to stimulate the development of a capable, forward thinking and collaborative nonprofit sector in Worcester County.
Whether you are looking to develop the capacity of your team, learn new skills, or find a consultant, we’re here to help with that… and more!
The Nonprofit Support Center was established in 1999 to create access to local high quality learning opportunities with their local peers. After reducing our programming in recent years due to Covid-19, the Foundation is reinvigorating the NSC in 2024 with a $1 million commitment over three years to support nonprofits in Worcester County.
The NSC will offer a calendar of high quality “nuts and bolts” type workshops, opportunities to deep dive into content with your peers through learning cohorts, and connections to external resources and consultants to help you continue to meet your mission equipped with knowledge, best practices and equitable practices.
2025 NSC Calendar
Our 2025 Nonprofit Support Center calendar provides a full snapshot of workshops, funding opportunities, and board trainings designed to support Worcester County nonprofits.
This calendar will be updated periodically on our website as dates and times are confirmed.
Upcoming Workshops
Navigating Through Challenges Workshop
Tuesday, April 15
9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
1 Mercantile St, Worcester, MA
In this workshop, Gina McDonald helps guide participants to more fully understand their organization’s financial health through an analysis of operating trends and balance sheet strength.
Contingency Planning for Nonprofits
Wednesday, May 14
9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
1 Mercantile St, Worcester, MA
In this workshop, Stephen Pratt will explain the process of making a contingency plan, how to use it, and the key steps on building a sample financial model.
Breakfast with Pete: Endowment and Planned Giving
Wednesday, May 21
8:30 a.m. - 11 a.m.
1 Mercantile St, Worcester, MA
Join Women in Development of Central MA and Greater Worcester Community Foundation President & CEO, Pete Dunn, for an interactive presentation on endowment and planned giving.
Effective Onboarding and Off Boarding Workshop
Tuesday, June 10
9 a.m. - 12 p.m.
1 Mercantile St, Worcester, MA
In this class offered jointly by GWCF and ONE Worcester, Kevin Joly assists you in gaining strategies and learning processes that will improve the new hire experience and emphasize the importance of having an offboarding plan.
Resources
Funding Opportunities
Nonprofit Effectiveness Grants are designed to support your internal organizational journey, focused on the areas of navigating change, leadership development, and growing internal structures.
The Mergers and Shared Services Fund supports nonprofits in various stages of exploration or implementation of an organizational restructure or a shared services model.
External Resources for Nonprofits
A collection of external resources that may be useful for nonprofit organizations.
Are there specific topics you would like to see in an upcoming NSC offering? We’d love to hear from you! Contact Sarah Shugrue with your idea.
Curry Printing
Thank you to our annual sponsor, Curry Printing, for their support!
Help in Healing
Located right off the highway in Bolton, Cultivate Care Farms is a sanctuary for those struggling with mental health challenges such as anxiety and depression. With support from a Nonprofit Effectiveness Grant from the Foundation, the team at Cultivate Care Farms received training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy, which focuses on mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotional regulation and interpersonal effectiveness, and learned about applying DBT methods to the farm-based therapy approaches they were already practicing.