The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires is holding a two-day virtual summit around the theme of nonprofit sustainability. The event kicks off on May 19 at 10 a.m. with the 3rd annual Berkshire Nonprofit Awards. Throughout the afternoon of May 19 and all day on May 20th, the NPC will feature four workshops, a keynote presentation by positive psychologist, Dr. Maria Sirois, two panel discussions, and a fireside chat with infamous blogger Vu Le.
“When it was clear we could not host a live awards event, we decided to use the crisis as an opportunity to address the issue of nonprofit sustainability,” said Liana Toscanini, founder of the Nonprofit Center. “We hope people will walk away with new ideas and inspiration to get through the challenges ahead.”
Workshop topics include how to build a stronger organization through diversity and inclusion, emerging from the crisis and preparing for the future, nine ways to build sustainability into your organization, and how not to fail. Panel discussions feature conversations with Berkshire corporate philanthropists and four leaders from the Berkshire County Development Alliance. Known for her humor, keynote speaker Dr. Maria Sirois will talk about resilience, fear and hope. Nonprofit leader Vu Le will converse with Berkshire Athenaeum’s Executive Director Alex Reczkowski.
Attendees will be able to ask questions via the Zoom chat room, respond to polls, and congratulate awards honorees in real time. Frequent breaks will allow attendees to get up and stretch, and lunch hour entertainment includes virtual arts shows featuring visual and performance pieces from local cultural organizations.
The Nonprofit Center will use a newly developed recording studio at the Berkshire Innovation Center to provide a quality experience. Over 65 people are involved in the event including announcers, presenters, awards honorees, NPC board members, sponsors, and community leaders. The event is supported by The Berkshire Eagle, Berkshire Bank, Warrior Trading, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Lee Bank, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Feigenbaum Foundation, and Triplex Cinema.
Tickets for the awards event are $20. Tickets for the complete two-day summit are $30 for NPC members and $40 for not-yet members. More detailed information is available at npcberkshires.org.