The road map Jane is following isn’t unusual for many ReServists. ReServe was created to help people like her pursue the interests they had to put on hold during their first careers. ReServe is giving them the opportunity to build new resumes that leverage their skills and passions and direct them to work that has real social impact.

Jane’s interest in helping children prepare for adulthood is also not unusual. Many ReServists want to help kids who should go to college but whose parents do not have the life experience or time to help them navigate the college admissions process. That’s one reason why ReServe is hoping to pilot a new initiative called READY (ReServe’s Education, Advancement and Development for Youth) that will train and place ReServists in under-resourced schools to help high-need students make attending college a reality.

What’s more, in response to the growing demand for grant writers and the growing interest of ReServists in using their writing skills, we’re launching the Grant Writing Residency Program that will train retirees to help struggling nonprofits with their development work.

Both initiatives apply ReServe’s winning business model to significant societal problems. Unlike our typical assignments, they will require Reservists to undergo some training and to make a time commitment of 15 hours a week for at least 10 months. And most of the assignments will be located outside of Manhattan.

I’m pretty sure that these ReServists will have a significant impact on the lives of disadvantaged high school youth and on the bottom line of struggling nonprofits. What I don’t know is who of you will choose to have your life changed by taking on these assignments. Think about it and let us know so that when the jobs appear on the Opportunity Board, we’ll have you in mind. To find out more about either of these initiatives, check out the information featured in this newsletter.

Have a great summer.

Mary

In order to meet the needs of ReServe partner organizations seeking skilled grant writers, ReServe is launching the Grant Writing Residency Program in July 2009. Under the leadership of an experienced nonprofit fund development professional, Amy Kantrowitz, and a ReServist with significant editorial experience, Linda Amster, ReServe will recruit, train, and mentor 5-10 ReServists who will provide participating agencies with high quality grant writing services at significantly below market rates ($15 hour). ReServe is seeking nonprofit organizations and writers to become a part of the 10-month pilot program that will begin in September.

Seeking Non-Profits
ReServe is currently seeking 5-10 partner organizations for our pilot group. For organizations seeking to expand their fund development capacity without the costs of experienced development staff or consultants, the program offers a unique, cost-effective opportunity to advance their fundraising goals. ReServe will work with participating organizations to identify appropriate grant opportunities, and to provide ongoing support for ReServists during their participation in the program. Interested organizations should contact Amy Kantrowitz at akantrowitz@reserveinc.org by July 10.

Seeking ReServists
ReServe is also looking for ReServists who have solid professional writing experience preferably with, but not restricted to, print media for the program.  Participants selected for this exciting new venture will receive formal training and extensive mentoring designed to prepare them for encore careers as professional grant-proposal writers. Each ReServist in this residency will commit an average of 15-20 hours a week, working at a nonprofit agency with which he or she has been paired and with a back-up team at ReServe offering individual support and guidance. After the program, the newly-minted grant proposal writer, with solid experience in the field, can continue working in that capacity for ReServe’s partner organizations. This is a rare opportunity to develop a new talent and put it to use for the public good -and oneself.  Interested ReServists should contact Linda Amster at lamster@reserveinc.org for an application.

Seeking ReServists
ReServe is seeking motivated retirees, college graduates, who are willing to work 15 hours a week for at least one school year outside of Manhattan. READY ReServists will need to: be computer savvy, like talking with adolescents and be willing to participate in an intensive training program. Those who complete the training will be will be matched with schools, based on the students’ needs, and mutually agreed upon time schedules.

To indicate you interest, please email Dan Cohen at dcohen@reserveinc.org.

ReServist Michelle Connelly and Rebecca Kelly Ballet Executive Director Craig Brashear

ReServe hosted 28 nonprofit arts organizations among visual arts, music, dance, theater, opera and folk arts, at a breakfast last month launching its Arts Ventures program in an effort to bolster the nonprofit arts community.

ReServe’s Arts Ventures program seeks to help match the expertise and experience of the many ReServists interested in working in the arts with nonprofit art organizations during a time when so many organizations have seen their donors diminish and their endowments reduced.

The breakfast held June 2, 2009, was located at the Municipal Art Society of New York, a venerable arts nonprofit in its own right, and included executives and representatives from nonprofit Art organizations.

Craig Brashear, executive director and board member from the Rebecca Kelly Ballet, which is a ReServe partner organization, spoke about how ReServe has helped empower his organization. Brashear said having a ReServist is making a significant difference in the work of this ballet company without making a big dent in its budget.

Mary McConnell, a ReServist serving his organization as a marketing and public relations consultant also spoke.  “My experience as a marketing and public relations executive at Proctor & Gamble has translated smoothly into promoting the programs of the Rebecca Kelly Ballet. I have a keen interest in the arts, and it turned out to be a perfect match,” said McConnell.

The purpose of the launch was to introduce representatives of potential partner organizations to the work of ReServe and to help them think through how they might craft appropriate ReServist positions for the kinds of services that would most benefit them.

This initiative comes at a very welcome moment in the world of the arts, when many have had to downsize and have lost staff whose functions are then picked up by the few who remain.

At the least, this causes a burden on those staff members and at the worst, it can negatively impact the effectiveness of an organization, particularly with regard to marketing and outreach, essential elements of the work of arts organizations whose constituents are members of the community.

The morning included an introduction by Mary Bleiberg, ReServe’s executive director, on the importance of the arts for people of all ages, and a power point presentation, highlighting the different ways partner organizations can use ReServists.  The presentation was jointly delivered by Jess Geevarghese, a senior program officer at ReServe, and Sharon Dunn, an arts consultant working with ReServe.

Following the presentations, there was a spirited question and answer session, at which the attendees interacted with the presenters, provided their unique perspective on the needs of their organizations and shared information about the kinds of support they are seeking.  The range of needs was impressive and included IT assistance, development, and even a request for a CEO.

“I had no idea ReServists had such a range of talent,” said Nikki Pruill from the Harlem School of the Arts. “My organization has so many needs that we can’t afford to fill, but with ReServe in mind, we can start discussing some possibilities.” Several of the organizations are in the process of developing opportunities for ReServists within their agencies.

L-R: Jess Geevarghese, Judy Capel, Bob Kandel, Richard Schoeller, Nancy Connor, Betty Goldblatt, Roni Elson, Mary Bleiberg, Laurie Hyman at a Health Navigator Training

You’ve read in previous newsletters the exciting benefits our Health Navigator ReServists, in partnership with Continuum Health Partners, provide on behalf of hospital-discharged older adults.  Their work, a vital service that supports our graying population and helps navigate our complex health care system, aims to keep older adults from being unnecessarily readmitted into hospitals.

By any measure the program, which helps to both lower client readmission rates and increase the quality of life, has been a success.  A recent article from Civic Ventures’s publication “Tapping Encore Talent” states, “[It] is one example of an innovative program that builds upon the skills, experience, and commitment of people in encore careers to help solve a costly public problem.”

Accordingly, we are very excited to report our plan to expand the program into other NYC hospitals, as we embark on our 2^nd year.  Judy Capel, a ReServist with extensive experience with the program, both in client advocacy and Health Navigators training, has been recruited for this effort.    Laurie Hyman, Health Navigator Program Coordinator will work with Judy to document the program’s processes and successes in order to take it “on the road” to other health institutions.

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