Great Barrington accepting Community Preservation Act applications
Great Barrington — The town of Great Barrington is now accepting applications for fiscal year 2020 Community Preservation Act grant funds.
Applications may be made for grants in the following areas: acquisition, creation and preservation of open space; acquisition, preservation or rehabilitation and restoration of historic resources; acquisition, creation, preservation, rehabilitation and restoration of land for recreational use; acquisition, creation, preservation and support of community housing; and for the rehabilitation or restoration of open space and community housing that is acquired or created with Community Preservation Funds.
The deadline for the first step of the process is Monday, Oct. 1. Initial applications will be reviewed Tuesday, Oct. 9, by the Community Preservation Committee and the second step in the process will follow. An online application form is available.
For more information, contact town planner Christopher Rembold at crembold@townofgb.org.
–E.E.
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New vice president of academic affairs, TRIO program coordinator at BCC
Pittsfield — Berkshire Community College has announced Jennifer Berne as its vice president of academic affairs and Frederic MacDonald-Dennis as the academic coordinator of the TRIO (Talent, Resources, Initiative, Opportunity) program.
Berne, who lives in Lenox, previously worked as the dean of liberal arts at Harper College in Illinois. Prior to that, she served as an associate professor and department chair for the department of literacy and elementary education at Northern Illinois University. Earlier in her career, she spent a number of years at National Louis University. A prolific writer and presenter, she has been involved in the work of Achieving the Dream, is an Aspen Presidential Fellow, and has been engaged in the accreditation work of the Higher Learning Commission. Berne earned her bachelor’s degree in English language and literature from University of Michigan, a master’s degree in English literature and composition theory from Northeastern University, and a Ph.D. in teacher education from Michigan State University.
MacDonald-Dennis, who lives in North Adams, comes to BCC from Normandale Community College in Minnesota, where he has been the TRIO Director for the past three years. He brings with him over 25 years of experience in higher education administration including positions at the University of Minnesota, Haverford College, Art Institute of Philadelphia, University of Michigan and Emory University. MacDonald-Dennis holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations communication and a master’s degree in organization communication, both from the University of Alabama.
–E.E.
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Workshop for nonprofits to focus on crafting appeal letters
Sheffield — The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires will hold “Workshopping Your Annual Appeal,” led by Jenni Haley, Wednesday, Sept. 5, from 10 a.m. to noon at Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation.
This workshop will help fundraising staff strengthen their copywriting skills and compose clear, bold appeal letters that emotionally connect with donors. In a small-group format, group discussion and writing exercises will help participants identify and connect with prospective donors, translate the organization’s core values into emotional responses from readers, and write simply and fearlessly to express the organization’s vision.
Haley is a development writer and communications consultant from South Deerfield with over 15 years of nonprofit communications and fundraising experience. Shespecializes in appeal-letter writing, communications materials and grants.
The cost of the workshop is $40 for NPC members and $50 for nonmembers. For more information, contact the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires at (413) 441-954.
–E.E.
