Four-part “Fundraising Summer School” begins July 6

The Nonprofit and Public Service Center at Lakeland Community College has partnered with Candid.org to provide area nonprofits with free access to a host of resources and tools to aid in fundraising efforts.

Candid was established in 2019 with the merger of the Foundation Center and GuideStar organizations, which are well-known nationally throughout philanthropic circles. They joined to form a one-stop platform to help nonprofits with research, collaboration, training and to also serve as a connection to foundations and individuals.

To introduce Candid to the local nonprofit community, the center is hosting “Fundraising Summer School,” a four-part series of online workshops designed to familiarize users with the platform. Workshops will be held July 6, 8, 12 and 14 at noon. Sessions include “Introduction to Fundraising Planning,” “Telling your Nonprofit's Story with GuideStar,” “Introduction to Finding Grants” and “Introduction to Foundation Directory Online.” To register for the workshops, visit bit.ly/LCC-nonprofit-July.

Two of the most popular databases available through Candid, Foundation Directory Professional and Grants to Individuals, will be accessible on the Lakeland campus in room A- 1046. Summer hours are Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m. – 7 p.m., Friday 7:30 a.m. – noon. Representatives of nonprofit and grassroots organizations, students and other community members, are welcome to search through the databases. No appointment is necessary. Users are encouraged to view the directory how-to video (https://learning.candid.org/training/introduction-to-foundation-directory-online/) before accessing for the first time.

“Because we’ve partnered with Candid for seminars in the past, they approached us to be a host site for their directory since we often get requests for guidance on grants. We are happy to be able to offer this access to their robust database of grants to not only Lakeland students, but also Lake County residents and any organization in Northeast Ohio,” said Amy Sabath, director of the Nonprofit and Public Service Center at Lakeland. “For example, the grants could help students with scholarships or entrepreneurial projects.Individuals and organizations can search for funding opportunities for their programs, projects or businesses.”

Additionally, the Foundation Directory Essential is available for remote access throughout 2021. Users must complete a request form and create an account to sign up for a day pass. Features include dashboards and saved searches to return to each time a new pass is activated. The day pass is accessible once every 30 days. For tips on how to get the most out of your day pass, visit lakelandcc.edu/nonprofit.

For more information, email nonprofitcenter@lakelandcc.edu.

By: Jessica Novak