Special Announcement: NPA to end Operations March 31

A new year is always a time to consider new directions and embrace the
possibilities that come with change.
As we begin 2015, I wanted to reach out to let all of our friends in the nonprofit
community know that the decision has been made to begin winding down NPA
and its programming in preparation for ending operations by March 31, 2015.
For the next few months, my focus will be to wrap up current projects already in
progress, transition projects in development to other areas of the community and
take the steps necessary to catalog and maintain the mass of knowledge and
resources that NPA has developed and acquired over the years.
Change is always a challenge, but NPA and Kellogg Community College are
committed to working with local funders and partner organizations to identify
which capacity building services will still remain accessible to organizations in
NPA's absence and how those can be accessed.
I will still be providing nonprofit capacity building classes through KCC's Lifelong
Learning department and will maintain engagement in the local nonprofit
community to support that work. We will also work with local organizations to
ensure that the needs of nonprofits continue to be met.
A formal announcement related to NPA follows, but please know it has been my
greatest honor to work with you all in support of the important work you do to
make our community stronger.
Over the years, through NPA or in other capacities, I have seen the sector grow,
change and be flexible in meeting our community's ever-evolving needs. We still
have vital work to do, so I know we will all continue to work together to make our
community one that is equitable and that provides opportunity for all.
Good luck to you all as you continue on your path!
In service,
Kimberlee Andrews-Bingham
Nonprofit Alliance

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jan. 15, 2015

Eric Greene
269-966-4088

greenee@kellogg.edu
Nonprofit Alliance to end operations March 31
Kellogg Community College and several funding organizations today announced
that operations at the Nonprofit Alliance, an organization that supports and
serves nonprofit organizations in Calhoun County, will cease as of March 31,
2015.
"This is not a decision that reflects upon the performance of NPA, which has
served our community well over the past 20 years," said Dr. Dennis Bona,
president of KCC, which has served as the fiscal agent of the NPA since 2007.
"Rather, this difficult, multi-party decision was made in light of other large-scale
initiatives occurring in the county that are instigating a period of reassessment
and realignment as the College and its funding partners determine how to
effectually invest in local organizations."
The NPA was formed in 1995 to provide capacity-building support services to the
nonprofit community. Funding for the NPA has been provided by the W.K.
Kellogg Foundation, United Way of the Battle Creek and Kalamazoo Region and
the Battle Creek Community Foundation, with in-kind resources provided by
KCC.
As the NPA winds down, several of its services will be absorbed by local
organizations. KCC will continue to offer courses for nonprofit development via its
Lifelong Learning Department and funds for strategic planning and capacity
building will be available to nonprofits through the Battle Creek Community
Foundation. The BCCF is preparing a process, expected to be available in the
next several weeks, for organizations to apply for those funds. KCC also will
publish a directory of nonprofit services and archive the NPA's files and
databases.
The NPA was created after a study conducted by local funders and KCC found
that a pervasive need existed for a centralized nonprofit management assistance
program. For more information on the purpose and background of the NPA, visit
http://www.nonprofitalliance.org.
Because the funding for the NPA is ending, KCC also has decided to close its
office space in downtown Battle Creek, effective March 31. For the past several
years, KCC has rented space in a building at 15 Capital Ave. Northeast to house
the NPA and provide office space for several nonprofits.
- #About Kellogg Community College
Kellogg Community College, founded in 1956, serves approximately 14,500
students annually on five campuses and through its Lifelong Learning and
customized training programs.