Fact Sheet 2004

The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Fellows Program
a program of
The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, Incorporated
7 Park Center Court
Owings Mills, MD 21117

Purpose:	To assist disadvantaged community members of the Baltimore metropolitan area who need a helping hand to improve their circumstances, by strengthening the effectiveness of not-for-profit agencies serving them.
Background:	The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Fellows Program, created and funded by The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, is an innovative management enhancement program designed to increase community-based nonprofit agency capacity to assist people in need. The program was first introduced in 1992 in Hawaii, where more than 200 Weinberg Fellows have since graduated and are making a difference throughout the Islands. The Weinberg Foundation has now replicated and adapted its program to serve the Baltimore area, assisted by a Board of Advisors which includes leaders of the foundation, social service and academic communities. The second class of Baltimore Weinberg Fellows is graduating in October, 2003.
Goals:	The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Fellows Program fosters a collaborative, supportive environment within which executive directors and key volunteer leaders of nonprofit organizations can add to their knowledge, hone their skills, develop common standards and understandings of best practices, and position their services for maximum benefit to the Baltimore community. The primary focus is on managing agencies to most effectively assist disadvantaged individuals and families. Long-term, the Weinberg Fellows Program encourages organizational and systemic change, by deepening working relationships among staff and volunteer leaders within agencies, while providing opportunities to develop enduring cross-agency and cross-sector partnerships.
Format:	A diverse group of approximately 25 executive directors of agencies whose major purpose is to serve disadvantaged residents of the Baltimore metropolitan area will be selected for the 2004 Program to attend three retreats and one single-day event over a six-month period (April - October, 2004). Their board presidents, treasurers and board members responsible for fundraising will participate in half-day and full-day sessions.
Curriculum:	Topics covered with executive directors will include the context of the nonprofit sector, mission, outcomes, organizational development, strategic planning, community capacity-building, board/staff relations, personnel, resource development, financial management, legal issues, risk management and other subjects. Key board members will be invited to attend role-specific training on governance, financial management and fundraising with their executive directors. Faculty will serve as presenters, discussion leaders or panelists on the full spectrum of responsibilities of an executive director. The presentations and discussion usually begin at an intermediate level and are interactive, drawing on the expertise of the more seasoned participants. Break-out sessions focus on the specific challenges and opportunities of the participants.
Faculty:	Presenters, panelists and resource people will include experts from nonprofit organizations, local universities and colleges, businesses, consulting firms and government agencies.
Linkages:	A list of local colleges and universities connecting to the Baltimore Weinberg Fellows Program includes Baltimore City Community College, Baltimore Hebrew University, College of Notre Dame of Maryland, Coppin State College, Johns Hopkins University, Loyola College in Maryland, McDaniel College, Morgan State University, Sojourner-Douglass College, Towson University, University of Baltimore, University of Maryland Baltimore and University of Maryland Baltimore County. Each supports the Fellows in its own distinctive way, whether providing instructors, offering options for continuing education, hosting sessions on campus, placing practicum students in Weinberg Fellows’ agencies, or through other opportunities.
Schedule:	Executive directors will be required to attend all of the following: Session 1: Three-night/four-day live-in retreat at Pearlstone Conference and Retreat Center in Reisterstown, Maryland April 26, 2004 9:00 a.m. through April 29, 2004 5:00 p.m. Session 2: Three-night/four-day live-in retreat (location to be determined) July 19, 2004 9:00 a.m. through July 22, 2004 5:00 p.m. Session 3: Three-night/four-day live-in retreat at Pearlstone Conference and Retreat Center in Reisterstown, Maryland October 25, 2004 9:00 a.m. through October 28, 2004 4:00 p.m. AIM for Excellence Conference June 16, 2004 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Sessions for executive directors and board presidents include a full-day event during the summer session, and the closing session and Graduation luncheon on October 28, 2004. Role-specific sessions are held for designated board members to attend with their executive directors during the July and October gatherings.
Eligibility:	The applicant must be the top staff person of a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization devoting the majority of its efforts and resources to directly helping disadvantaged residents of the Baltimore metropolitan area who want to improve their circumstances.
Fees:	The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation is underwriting the majority of all costs. Executive directors selected to participate in the Weinberg Fellows Program will be expected to personally invest a registration fee of $100. Each Fellow’s agency will be expected to invest a registration fee of $500. Limited partial scholarships will be available to those unable to participate without such assistance.
Applications:	Application information will be available in September, by mail and on the Foundation’s web site. If you would like to receive an application package, please email your contact information to Ted Gross.
Questions?	Web Site: www.hjweinbergfoundation.org Email: tgross@theweinbergfoundation.org Attend: A briefing on Thursday, October 9, 2003 from 8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. at the Central Library of the Enoch Pratt Free Library, 400 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, Maryland Call: Ted Gross (Weinberg Foundation) at 410-654-8500 x39