Volunteer Center of the Lehigh Valley just concluded the 2021 Project Blueprint program with 23 participants from businesses across the valley.

Project Blueprint was designed to increase diversity within the nonprofit community and was established in 1987. The Volunteer Center has managed and delivered the program each year training and developing over 500 leaders who have significant impact through service in the nonprofit community.

Over the past 12 months, the Volunteer Center established focus groups and led planning sessions with past participants, trainers and nonprofit organizations on improving the program, and specifically making the connections to nonprofit organizations more readily accessible.

In 2021, the Project Blueprint curriculum was expanded to include 2 additional sessions which were designed for making connections with local nonprofits. The networking sessions were held virtually through Zoom and the participants and 15 nonprofit organizations had time to meet and cultivate relationships. We also included an opportunity for nonprofits to host a “lived experience” individual that would be able to engage with their organization following the program.

Participants and nonprofits were encouraged for the final networking session to have actionable next steps for connecting. In our follow up surveying, both participants and nonprofits indicated a high success rate in relationship development and next steps for engagement.

Project Blueprint is the only nonprofit board training program provided in the Lehigh Valley and it covers Board Service, Legal & Finance, Philanthropic Fundraising and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. The program is led by subject matter experts and successfully equips the participants with a full understanding of board service.

The participants and the nonprofits will be invited to re-connect through the Volunteer Center is the fall to gauge our success in developing and connecting leaders to local nonprofits.

The program is supported by grants provided by Air Products, Crayola, Highmark, PPL and Wind Creek and who also invite employees of their organization to participate in the program. The program is traditionally an in-person program and for 2021 we managed the program virtually. Learn more at www.volunteerlv.org.

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