Nonprofit Center Increases Support For North County Nonprofits

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GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires is  increasing its support and geographic focus on North County nonprofit organizations with two upcoming events. 
 
Kevin Fleming, PhD will present an in-person workshop entitled "Writing Annual Appeals That Inspire Action." The workshop takes place at the Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum in Adams on Monday, Oct. 6 from 10:30 a.m. to noon. 
 
Participants will learn the essential elements of an effective appeal letter, from capturing attention with the subject line to writing a clear call-to-action. Designed for nonprofit leaders, staff, and volunteers at all levels of fundraising experience, this session will leave organizations with practical tips, a tested framework, and a ready-to-use draft appeal tailored to each organization.  With over two decades of advancement leadership and a reputation as a dynamic facilitator and thought leader, Kevin brings both practical expertise and engaging style to every workshop. The cost to participate is $50.
 
On Oct. 24, the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires will host a nonprofit executive convening at Hotel Downstreet on Main Street in North Adams from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
 
Representative John Barrett will provide welcoming remarks and share current legislative updates. This event is free for north county nonprofit leaders. RSVP by Oct. 15 to mccaela@npcberkshires.org
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Clarksburg Looking to Repair School Front Entrance

By Tammy Daniels iBerkshires Staff
CLARKSBURG, Mass. — Plans for renovating the bathrooms are on hold, which means the summer camp will again take place at the elementary school. 
 
Assistant Superintendent Tara Barnes informed the School Committee on Thursday that Tom Bona, who's been volunteering as lead on school repairs, said the work to bring the bathrooms up to Americans With Disabilities Act compliance couldn't be scheduled in time. 
 
"I think the concern was, as it kind of pushed towards the end of the school year, that there wasn't enough time to post and hire a contractor to meet the timeline," said Superintendent John Franzoni, participating via Zoom. 
 
He said the Berkshire Regional Planning Board considered the school could use the $30,000 in ADA grant money toward the purchase of the equipment and then schedule the work for summer 2027.
 
The town is expected to move forward with repairs to the front entrance. The concrete pad has cracked and heaved and poses a hazard. 
 
"I think it's important to prioritize that entrance way, which is in pretty bad shape, and the town has already followed through to get some bids," Franzoni said. "We got good communication from [Road Foreman] Kyle Hurlbut today about how much he was recommending to the town to request through the stabilization, I think, was $19,500 to cover the high end of the bids and any kind of contingencies."
 
The town had agreed to use any funds leftover from the school roof project to put toward other repairs and renovations at the school. Town meeting last year authorized a debt exclusion to borrow $500,000 toward the project. The roof came in around $400,000.
 
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