The SOSY Program    

     Strong Organizations…Strong Youth

In 2009-2010, Great Lakes Center for Youth Development was awarded a federal grant by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Compassion Capital Fund Demonstration Program to develop and launch the SOSY Program. The SOSY Program was an opportunity for U.P. nonprofits to access capacity building services and training. Although the program has ended, we wanted to keep these pages as resources for program participants.
The workshop resources page is available.

SOSY News Releases

• GLCYD Kicks Off Series of Nonprofit-Building Workshops in Escanaba (Photo)
• GLCYD Kicks Off Series of Nonprofit-Building Workshops in Marquette (Photo)
• GLCYD Kicks Off Grant-Funded Nonprofit Workshops in Sault Ste. Marie (Photo)
• GLCYD Announces 53 U.P. Nonprofits in SOSY Program

SOSY Program Purpose

Through this program, GLCYD worked with many small faith and community-based organizations to help them strengthen their capacity to achieve their missions.

Organizations can build their capacity by:
    - Increasing their effectiveness and sustainability
    - Enhancing their ability to provide social services
    - Expanding their organizations
    - Diversifying their funding sources
    - Creating collaborations
    - Better serving those most in need

Capacity Building Definition: Those activities and resources that focus on increasing an organization's effectiveness in accomplishing its mission. It does NOT include direct service delivery or fundraising.

The SOSY Program focused on capacity building within four critical areas:
     o Leadership Development
     o Organizational Development
     o Program Development
     o Community Engagement

SOSY Program Components

   - Workshops - covering the four critical areas listed above (Workshop Descriptions)
   - Consulting (also called Technical Assistance, or TA) - covering at least two of the four critical areas
   - Subawards - funds organizations can use to help fill gaps of additional capacity building needs  

*** Workshop Resources *** (PowerPoint Presentations, handouts, etc.) - including the Federal Grant Workshop Resources

SOSY Program Criteria

Priority was given to U.P. nonprofit organizations that met the following criteria:
     - Less than$500,000 operating budget
     - Have not historically received Federal funds
     - That work with the following areas:
                   - at-risk youth
                   - Native American youth
                   - low-income individuals seeking to gain greater access to State and Federal benefits and tax credits
                   - low-income individuals seeking to secure and retain employment, earn higher wages, and transition
                      from welfare to work or obtain better-quality jobs
                   - low-income individuals and families in need of financial education, credit counseling, and access to
                      individual development accounts and other asset building strategies
                   - the homeless
                   - elders in need

Questions? Contact: Amy Quinn, (906) 228-8919 ext. 21 or aquinn@glcyd.org