Elizabeth Bolton
University of Florida
Dept. of Family, Youth and Community Sciences
P.O. Box 110310
Gainesville, FL 32611-0310
(352) 392-1987 ext. 254, (352) 392-8196 fax

Mark Brennan
University of Florida
Dept. of Family, Youth and Community Sciences
3002 McCarty Hall
P.O. Box 110310
Gainesville, FL 32611-0310
(352) 392-1778 ext. 229, (352) 392-8196 fax

Extension professionals recognize the importance of the nonprofit sector as a resource for serving specific constituencies. These organizations provide services not otherwise provided by federal, state and local governments or by the private sector. Further, they contribute to the voluntary distribution of wealth through services to the community’s poor and disadvantaged. Extension can provide education to nonprofits that will establish important linkages and networks for extension’s mission. Effective work with local nonprofits extension can help to expand the pool of qualified leaders and trained volunteers. Nonprofits utilize a significant number of volunteers and extension has a long history of volunteer development. Nonprofits provide opportunities for leadership education through their member base and governing boards. Extension can contribute to the development of a cadre of local leaders by providing education for effective governance, strategic planning, committee roles and responsibilities, financial accountability and other skills needed by nonprofit leaders in a variety of roles.

Nonprofit Organizations, Leadership and Volunteer Development is the title for an Extension Focus Area for the upcoming four years. As a new focus area it concentrates on emerging and existing county and regional nonprofits as a target group for organizational development, governance, strategic planning, marketing, public relations, leadership, volunteer development, and financial operations. These components form the basis for a business plan for the nonprofit organization within the context of the community. This workshop will present the framework for the extension program, the target audiences, the topics, outcomes, impacts and proposed curriculum. Since this is an emerging program area, the results of county involvement are not yet known. This workshop will serve to share ideas for leadership development and civic engagement, and to create a venue for discussing techniques and methods to enhance these.