THE HARRY AND JEANETTE WEINBERG FOUNDATION, INC.
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - September 12, 2002
THE HARRY AND JEANETTE WEINBERG FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES THE SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE FIRST CLASS OF WEINBERG FELLOWS IN BALTIMORE
Local nonprofit agency executive directors collaborate in an
innovative management enhancement program
Baltimore, MD—On September 26, 2002, The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation will recognize the first class of not-for-profit agency executive directors to complete the Weinberg Fellows Program, an innovative approach to expanding agency capacity to serve those in need in Baltimore City. Even while planning for the graduation, the Foundation already is gearing up for next year’s group.
The primary focus of the Weinberg Fellows Program is to enhance the management skills of executive directors of social service agencies to enable them to more effectively assist disadvantaged individuals and families. Twenty-four heads of community-based human service organizations in Baltimore City have completed an intensive set of sessions during which they developed peer relationships, honed management skills, exchanged knowledge and shared best practices, collaborating for the improvement of nonprofit agency service delivery.
Long-term, the program encourages organizational and systemic change, deepening working relationships among staff and volunteer leaders within agencies, while providing opportunities to develop enduring cross-agency and cross-sector partnerships. Short-term, the program ensures executives know the current thinking on strategic planning, personnel, financial issues, risk management, resource development, board governance, and a great deal more. Within the group, those who have been in the field for years mentor their more junior colleagues.
“Baltimore depends on these agencies,” says Bernard Siegel, President of the Weinberg Foundation, “and therefore on their leaders. Without them, our most vulnerable neighbors would be in even more serious straits, and many who desperately need a second chance or a helping hand could slip deeper into poverty and despair. But leading an agency that day after day fights the effects of societal ills can be overwhelming. From the newest to the most seasoned, executive directors need opportunities for renewal--chances to refresh their thoughts, their focus, their networks, their knowledge and their skills. The Weinberg Fellows Program is designed to offer those opportunities.”
Members of the Class of 2002 agree. Mary Slicher, Executive Director of Project PLASE , notes, “The program gives me a sense of connecting and networking.” “I’m certain that the groundwork has been laid for some wonderful collaborative efforts that could result in significant outcomes in our community,” adds Ross Pologe, Executive Director of Fellowship of Lights. For Talib Horne, Executive Director of East Harbor Community Development Corporation, “The best thing about the program is the opportunity to learn from people who have been in the business a long time.”
The Weinberg Fellows Program, created and funded by The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, was first introduced in Hawaii in 1992. Since that time, more than 200 Weinberg Fellows have completed the program and are making a difference daily throughout the Islands. The Weinberg Foundation has replicated and adapted the program to serve Baltimore, assisted by a Board of Advisors that includes leaders of Baltimore’s philanthropic, social service and academic communities. The Weinberg Fellows Program also connects with local colleges and universities in a variety of ways.
The Weinberg Fellows Program is currently accepting applications for the 2003 program through October 16. To be eligible, an applicant must be the executive director of a 501(c)(3) organization devoting the majority of its efforts and resources to directly helping disadvantaged Baltimore City residents who want to improve their circumstances. An information session is scheduled for Tuesday, October 1, 2002 from 8:00 a.m. until 9:30 a.m. at the Central Library of the Enoch Pratt Free Library (400 Cathedral Street, Baltimore, Maryland). For more information about the Weinberg Fellows Program, call Ted Gross at 410-654-8500 or www.hjweinbergfoundation.org.
Fact Sheet Selection Criteria Board of Advisors
Calendar Contact Information – Fellows Program