Ravalli County Nonprofit Partnership (RCNP)

Under the fiscal sponsorship of Bitter Root Resource Conservation & Development, the Ravalli County Nonprofit Partnership (RCNP) is working to formulate and conduct a multi-year initiative to strengthen Ravalli County nonprofits and increase philanthropic support for the services they provide to county residents. RCNP is a Ravalli County-based organization whose Steering Committee is composed of many organizations whose mission is to who promote quality of life for those in need, such as S.A.F.E., Literacy Bitterroot, Retired Service Volunteer Program (RSVP), Bitter Root Water Forum, Bitterroot Ecological Awareness Resources (B.E.A.R.), Habitat for Humanity, South Valley Children and Family Center (SVCFC), Bitter Root Land Trust, Bitterroot Human Rights Alliance, Bitter Root Cultural Heritage Trust, Raymond James Financial Services, Parents Families and Friends of Lesbian and Gays (PFLAG) and the Hamilton Downtown Businesses.

RCNP’s goal is to assist all Ravalli County nonprofits to increase their capacity to fulfill their missions

Phase I included research, outreach, engagement, assessment and planning for what nonprofits identify as their most urgent capacity-building needs.  This work included background research utilizing data from IRS Form 990s, Guidestar, and the National Center for Charitable statistics; phone calls to verify contact information; mailings and an on-line electronic survey of 501 ©-(3) nonprofits; interviews of key Ravalli County organizations that provide education and other services to the county’s nonprofits; and community meetings.

The Ravalli County Nonprofit Partnership (RCNP), working with Big Sky Institute for the Advancement of Nonprofits (BSI), is proud to share A New Day For The Bitterroot - Stronger Communities Through Stronger Nonprofits.  This report describes Ravalli County's nonprofit community and the results of a survey indicating which capacity-building topics local nonprofits are most interested in.
 
The report is available in two pdf files - New Day Bitterroot is the report itself, and New Day Bitterroot Appendices contains additional survey data and some listings of Ravalli County nonprofits.

Members of the RCNP Steering Team are moving into the next stage of sharing this report with Ravalli County's nonprofit community, our local funders and sponsors, community leaders, potential partners, and other interested people.  We invite your comments and questions.  We need your ideas and your energy on how to creatively and effectively implement the report findings.

Proposed outcomes from Phase I activities include : a comprehensive inventory of training and organizational development needs; a long-range plan for education, training, consulting services and associated programs to strengthen all Ravalli County nonprofits and their volunteer leadership; commitments by at least three Ravalli County intermediary organizations to help deliver education, consulting and technical assistance to nonprofits; and an initial series of organizational development seminars for a minimum of 30 nonprofit organizations.

For more information contact the Bitter Root RC&D.

Dave Schultz and Terry Moran, Co-Chairs, Ravalli County Nonprofit Partnership