A group of 13 community, business and economic leaders will advise County Executive Kenneth Ulman on funding and support of local nonprofit groups.
 
Ulman announced the creation of a Nonprofit Resource Development Council during the Association of Community Services monthly meeting in the Oakland Mills Village Center on Wednesday.

Born from an initiative to serve low-income and foreign-born populations, and a summit dedicated to helping organizations survive in difficult economic times, the council will collaborate on ways to ensure nonprofit viability.

“I will do everything I can to support the non-profit community,” Ulman told the group. “I can’t make any promises in this economy.”

Susan Rosenbaum, director for the Department of Citizen Services, said the group creates a formal setting for discussion about financial support to nonprofit organizations.
 
“The viability of the nonprofits to continue to provide the services are absolutely critical,” she said. “This is just another way to show support for the nonprofits.”
 
Rosenbaum’s department awards roughly $5 million annually to nonprofits in the county. She said that money is prioritized with the largest sums headed toward housing, food and emergency services.
 
“(The county executive said) he will do the best he could do to try to support them,” she said. “...(He) really sees the importance of nonprofits in the community.”
 
Richard Krieg, president and CEO for the Horizon Foundation, said the council has been created at a time when nonprofit finances are almost in crisis.
 
Krieg, who will serve as co-chairman, said the council will be able to provide recommendations on management of nonprofits county-wide while helping each group become more effective and efficient.
 
Jodi Finkelstein, executive director for the Domestic Violence Center of Howard County, said creating the council was a substantial step in the right direction for nonprofit groups.

She said the council will help strengthen funding and maintain core services as nonprofit organizations continue to look for ways to cut back and share resources such as computer infrastructure.
 
“Here is a powerful group of people who will help with our issues,” she said.
 
Members of the council include: Rosenbaum, Krieg, Anne Towne, co-chairwoman and executive director of the Association of Community Services; Richard Story, CEO of the Economic Development Authority; Valerie Gross, director of the Howard County Library; Kate Hetherington, president of Howard Community College; Beverley Francis, president and CEO for the Columbia Foundation; Dr. Peter Beilenson, health officer for the Howard County Health Department;  Sydney Cousin, superintendent of Howard County Public Schools; Coleen West, executive director for Howard County Arts Council; Pam Klahr, president of the Howard County Chamber of Commerce; Ned Tillman, owner of Growth Adventures; and Vic Broccolino, CEO at Howard County General Hospital.

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user comments (1)

user milton says...

The county could definitely use some advice and guidance on wisely spending money to help non-profits. Taxpayers have already committed $1 million dollars to Healthy Howard for 2 years and it has thus far helped about 300 people. Not very good bang for the buck. Maybe letting the people decide which non-profits they want to help would be best? It seems a little silly to tax us all and just give the money away to non-profits that we can each donate to voluntarily if we so choose.

Posted 9:04 PM, 09.16.09 | Permalink