Johnson County Volunteer Connections

Franklin College has created Indiana’s first countywide, nonprofit resource center with headquarters on a college campus. Grants from the Ball Foundation Venture Fund and the Corporation for National and Community Service through AmeriCorps are providing financial support.

The Nonprofit Resource Center is aimed at helping in areas of nonprofit practice that are highly affected by the current economic crisis while providing real-world learning experiences for students.

“Nonprofit agencies have traditionally struggled with the professionalization of their communication tools, public relations strategies, grant proposals, volunteer programs and Web sites,” said Jann Johnson, director of AmeriCorps and professional development at the college.

The projects are not typically assigned to one staff person and are visited only when urgently needed or as time allows, she explained.

“As agencies examine their tightening budgets, they choose direct services to clients as their focus, and other projects start to slide further behind immediate service needs. The Nonprofit Resource Center will allow Franklin College to help agencies continue to develop and professionalize in these areas, even during this tough economic climate.”

Read more: New Center on Franklin College Campus Serves Nonprofits