The signature programming initiatives offered by the Greater Cabarrus Foundation are Interagency Consulting Services. These consulting services will be provided by volunteers who have served as nonprofit board members, agency leaders, and those who provide consulting services for a living. According to Cam Cruickshank, Ph.D., president of the Greater Cabarrus Foundation, “Cabarrus County is not only fortunate to have many highly effective nonprofit organizations, but we are also blessed to have many individuals who have much experience in nonprofit leadership roles, and in serving as nonprofit consultants. We are so grateful to have more than ten very experienced individuals who have volunteered to help other agencies.”

At this point, the Foundation intends to offer three different consulting services: an organizational review, impact reporting consultations, and tech tools for nonprofits. All these services will be provided free of charge and all Cabarrus County nonprofit agencies are eligible to request consulting services.

With the organizational review, agencies will first complete a self-assessment which will be used to identify some opportunities for improvement and will receive some focus and attention during the consultation. After sharing the self-assessment results with the Foundation staff, a team of consultants who have expertise in the areas of focus will be assembled. Then, the agency will host a one-day site visit and organizational review conducted by a visiting team of consultants consisting of a nonprofit board member, an executive leader from another agency, and a Foundation staff member or volunteer. This collaborative assessment provides valuable insights and recommendations to improve governance, marketing, fundraising, finance, volunteer management, client services, strategic direction, or any other aspect of the agency operations.

During the follow-up exit briefing, the agency will receive feedback on five organizational strengths, five opportunities for improvement, five recommendations for short-term low-cost initiatives, and five recommendations for longer-term strategic initiatives which may require resources.

Recently, 1CAN, a Cabarrus County nonprofit agency dedicated to reducing the number of children, adults and families suffering from food insecurity, has decided to be the first agency to receive free consulting services from the Foundation. “We are excited and honored to be the Foundation’s pilot agency for the organizational review. I am excited to see everything the Foundation is looking to do in the future. Cabarrus County nonprofits are blessed to have this foundation and you looking to help us,” said Sheryl Kluge, Executive Director from 1CAN.

Impact reporting consulting is the second type of free consulting services and will focus on helping agencies to better identify, track, monitor, and report on important data in which funders have a great interest. “Donors, funders, and philanthropic organizations are often extremely interested in measuring impact. Many prefer to give to organizations who can demonstrate their effectiveness in helping the community. We intend to help local nonprofits to improve the likelihood of being successful with their grant application efforts by being able to quantify and report on the impact that their programming makes,” Cruickshank said.

The third area of consulting services the Foundation is planning to provide is technology tools for nonprofits. Agencies today need to have a quality website, a database tool, an accounting platform, and basic office technology to run effectively. Volunteer consultants organized through the Interagency Consulting Services program at the Greater Cabarrus Foundation will help by providing tools, training, and recommendations in this critical area.