Grants Given For Economic Development in Mohawk Valley

The Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties recently gave grant funding to help two Mohawk Valley economic-development groups focus on enhancing the quality and size of the work force in the region. Read more here.

Program Generates Ideas for the Future!

The March 12th Group program was attended by 21 nonprofit executive directors. The program opened with a lively networking activity with directors introducing themselves and their organizations to each other. And many found they were doing so for the first time. The Group then split into 5 groups and discussed the five questions posed in the "Cycle of Collaboration" activity facilitated by Randall VanWagoner. The answers identified as most important are listed below for each question. The answers offer insight into the opportunities and areas of focus for the Group.

The Group finished the meeting with a discussion about next steps. The priority areas that were discussed include: Staff retention/development; Staff compensation/salary survey; Economic impact study; Database of training skills; and Group directory (now linked in the "About" section). A suggestion was made to formalize a mission and vision, and the Steering Committee plans to start this discussion. The Group is also looking to answer the question: What if we weren't here? One idea discussed was to focus on the economic impact by collecting the payroll, budget, and number of staff for each nonprofit.

The Group will be focusing on staff retention and development at the May 14th program. An online climate assessment survey will be created for distribution among the Group, and these results will set the agenda and discussion for the next Program. An announcement about the survey will be made shortly.

What are obstacles to collaborations and partnerships?

• Think we need to compete (going after the same $ and clients)


• Time commitment


• Focus on self preservation (not community need)


• Trust


• Politics (backroom deals)

What are the resource benefits to partnering?

• A joint training or shared space


• Shared training- each agency open in-services to others


• Eliminate duplication of services


• Technology shared resources


• Nonprofit resource center (online/directory)

What is our biggest benefit to the community?

• Willingness to work with City to improve/solve problems (impact quality of life)


• Common good- serving people


• Economic impact, i.e. workforce, save the economy $$ (we are an economic benefit to the community)


• Collaboration


• Help nonprofits strategize efforts, planning and get outside view from each other to help us improve (better SWOTs)

What is a big idea for us to do together?

• Resource pool for one another (directory of services/calendar of events)


• Leadership development


• Leadership succession


• Staff development


• Promote nonprofits’ benefit to the community (what if we didn’t exist?)

What are obstacles we all share?

• Money


• Lack of political influence


• Lack of trust (personal agendas)


• Human resources issues (small or large org- people wearing too many hats)


• Too many 501c3s (there is disagreement on this)


• Negative community self imageTalk-little action or spinning wheels

March 12th Program Feedback

What are some major trends effecting all of us?

• State budget
• Energy costs
• Multiculturalism/demographics
• Workforce
• Health care coverage
• Border/visa issues
• Competition for money (not enough)
• Growing needs (do more with less)
• Board member profile
• Volunteer base
• Cost of visibility
• Recruiting board
• Technology needs
• Multitasking
• Focus on projects (money is more about projects than mission)
• Cusp on change
• Priority to collaborate
• Still have hope and positive outlook

What are obstacles to collaborations and partnerships?

• Think we need to compete (going after the same $ and clients)
• Time commitment
• Focus on self preservation (not community need)
• Trust
• Politics (backroom deals)
• Ignorance of other organizations (finding the right partner)
• Lack of networking/personal connections
• Opposing different organizational philosophies/policies and procedures (different missions and different priorities and funding streams)
• Geographical distances
• Identify overriding (catalysts/challenges) that unite complimentary services
• Knowledge how to make collaboration work
• Media awareness
• Rhythm of the year (finding the right time)
• Transition and habit
• Self-serving
• Access to CEO’s
• Less response from corporate America ($, programs)

What are the resource benefits to partnering?

• A joint training or shared space
• Shared training- each agency open in-services to others
• Eliminate duplication of services
• Technology shared resources
• Nonprofit resource center (online/directory)
• Expertise in serving specific populations (ex- help agency x better serve at risk kids, refugees, mentally ill)
• Together we accomplish more
• Save $
• Combine staff and volunteer efforts
• Highlight nonprofit contribution to community
• Group purchase (discounts)
• Alliance of nonprofits
• Nonprofit resource center
• Strength in numbers (improve visibility)
• Synergies with complimentary programs
• Specialty bank (human resources)
• Homegrown resources
• Shared financial expertise
• Grant writing
• Data sharing

What is our biggest benefit to the community?

• Willingness to work with City to improve/solve problems (impact quality of life)
• Common good- serving people
• Economic impact, i.e. workforce, save the economy $$ (we are an economic benefit to the community)
• Collaboration
• Help nonprofits strategize efforts, planning and get outside view from each other to help us improve (better SWOTs)
• Model of cooperation
• Awareness of who is who
• Sharing knowledge- best practices
• Add quality of life
• Maximize funding and all resources (shared)
• Proactive voice for the area
• Together we can serve more people
• Better meet needs of community
• Lots of different nonprofits filling niche needs
• Info sharing= better collaboration and ED’s

What is a big idea for us to do together?

• Resource pool for one another (directory of services/calendar of events)
• Leadership development
• Leadership succession
• Staff development
• Promote nonprofits’ benefit to the community (what if we didn’t exist?)
• Get $$ together
• Centralized menu of support services
• 211 system (referrals to meet needs and provide info)
• Pool of talent for boards
• Resource to one another at Exec level
• Annual Day of Nations
• PR collaboration
• Center for mediation
• Volunteer pool- centralized volunteer screening, recruiting, opportunities
• We have a promising future ahead working together
• Structured partnerships
• Build a training center

What are obstacles we all share?

• Money
• Lack of political influence
• Lack of trust (personal agendas)
• Human resources issues (small or large org- people wearing too many hats)
• Too many 501c3s (there is disagreement on this)
• Negative community self image
• Talk-little action or spinning wheels
• Fear
• Loss of identity
• Competition
• Changing mission
• Behind closed doors same faces
• Complexity of serving people (the people have complex issues)
• Pay/compensation equity
• Competition for employees (small employee pool)
• Hard to find qualified people
• Changing workforce demographics
• Knowing how to effectively collaborate
• Lack of visibility in community
• Understanding each other
• Monolithic media (locally- 1 newspaper, 1 tv station)
• Industry based-employment opps. (need more corporate support and need more volunteers)
• Aging population is a plus and minus