Staff report

Five organizations and three nonprofit leaders will participate in specialized training sponsored by the Raymond John Wean Foundation, the Warren-based organization announced last week.

These opportunities are part of the foundation’s capacity-building program that aims to strengthen Mahoning Valley nonprofits with an emphasis on the growth and sustainability of black, Hispanic and Latino-led organizations.

“The pool of candidates for these opportunities was impressive, reflecting the incredible potential of our community’s nonprofit sector,” said Zachary Thomas, program officer, capacity building. “We’re grateful for those who are interested in our capacity-building program and will continue to develop avenues for learning and growth.”

PAY EQUITY COLLECTIVE

Two leaders each from United Returning Citizens, Inspiring Minds, the Organizacion Civica y Cultural Hispana Americana (OCCHA), Economic Action Group and The Carter House will participate in a six-month cohort offering tailored guidance and coaching on pay equity practices for nonprofits.

Led by Loftis Partners, a human resources consulting firm, the experience includes a mix of in-person and virtual sessions as well as one-on-one coaching. The opportunity is designed for organizations interested in promoting pay equity practices and supporting organizational sustainability.

“Pay equity is about ensuring employees are compensated fairly, regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender identity, age or other characteristics,” said Sally Loftis, founder of Loftis Partners. “It’s about more than simply paying the same for the same job and considers ways to support the ability of all employees to thrive.”

STRATEGIC PARTNERS FELLOWSHIP

Chris Colon of Thrive Mahoning Valley, Jalaya Provitt of Inspiring Minds and Michaela Write of the YWCA Mahoning Valley were selected as Strategic Partners Fellows.

The two-year fellowship is an outgrowth of the foundation’s Nonprofit Leadership Cohort, launched last fall, which is focused on providing leadership opportunities to under-resourced individuals, including black, Hispanic and Latino leaders.

The fellowship enables individuals from the cohort to continue to grow within their organization while ensuring they are fairly and appropriately compensated for their advancement. Over the two-year period, the fellows will participate in foundation-supported opportunities for learning and growth, including a 10-week leadership development and skill-building experience led by Plattforms LLC.

“Our community’s prosperity relies on a strong, well-functioning nonprofit sector that supports systemic change,” said foundation President Jennifer Roller. “As a funder, we have a responsibility to buttress our community’s nonprofits with knowledge, resources, experiences and access to professional growth.”

The foundation invests in capacity building in five ways: through learning series, race equity and inclusion training, leadership development programs, a capacity-building fund and a nonprofit incubator.

To learn more, visit www.weanfoundation.org/boost-capacity/#programs.