Close out 2023 with COSA! Join COSA for an in-person December meeting in Northampton. Bring a batch of your favorite cookies to share and learn how nonprofits can effectively engage with state legislative offices. We will hear from state legislators about the general timeline of events & actions in the new year, how and when to effectively advocate for legislation and budget line items, and get a chance to ask questions. Speakers will include:

Lindsay Sabadosa, State Representative, First Hampshire
Mindy Domb, State Representative, Third Hampshire
Jo Comerford, State Senator, Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester

Date: Tuesday, December 12, 2023

Time: 10:00-11:30 a.m.

Location: RSVP of the Pioneer Valley Office – Haskell Building 2nd Floor Conference Room, 1 Prince Street, Northampton, MA 01060

MAP & Parking Information

Light refreshments will be available.

Last week's favorite click?

Grow Food Northampton

Saturday Winter Markets happening every other week!

11th Annual Gingerbread Build is happening December 2-9th! Register a team, design your architectural masterpiece, help raise funds to meet a $3,000 challenge that will unlock an additional $500! Join Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity for the 11th annual Gingerbread Build, a week-long build-at-home event with a public awards ceremony! By building small (gingerbread) homes from the comfort of YOUR home, you’re supporting the construction of real homes with low income families in Hampshire & Franklin counties. Get all the INFO and get creative!

Appreciation for our returning COSA members!

Your generous support makes all of our work possible.

The Literacy Project

Bill Benson

Amherst College: Community Engagement

Pathlight

Office of the Northwestern District Attorney

A Positive Place

Northampton Recovery Center

United Cerebral Palsy of Western MA

Join or renew HERE

Embrace Race introduces Drawing Differences - an art program for kids and their adults! Anecdotal evidence suggests that children raised in the U.S. are much more likely to draw White characters than characters of color. This is true for White children and for children of color - in spite of increasing and welcome attention to the importance of diversifying our book collections. There are many reasons this may be so. Many children are rarely if ever encouraged to draw characters of color or shown how to do so. Drawing Differences aims to help bridge this gap. Learn more about this innovative art series.

The Three County CoC invites essential input from community partners and their program staff! Participate in a Diversity Survey developed by the CoC Equity and Inclusion Committee. They seek responses from all members of your program teams to gain insights that will benefit the individuals and families served. SURVEY

Funds Awarded: Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell’s office has awarded $780,000 to 13 nonprofit legal service organizations as part of her Immigrant Legal Services Grant Program. Community Legal Aid will receive funding to provide legal services to recently arrived immigrants. Read the full article in MassNonprofit News.

Join Public Health Institute of Western MA on December 6 from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm for a free webinar to learn about three bills, currently before the MA Legislature, that could support youth mental health. These bills are included in the policy recommendations of the Youth Mental Health Roadmap for Western Massachusetts report. Guest speakers include MA State Senator John Velis and Courtney Chelo from the Children's Mental Health Campaign. Learn more and REGISTER.

The Bureau of Substance Addiction Services has launched the Redefining Community Wellness Grants Program to intentionally center BIPOC voices. The goal of this funding is to support BIPOC-led organizations that deliver programs addressing substance use directly or indirectly by focusing on social determinants of health. Application Deadline: Friday, December 1 at 11:59 PM. INFORMATION

Supervisory Skills Certificate Series Winter 2024: This series of work-shops is ideal for new supervisors to get the skills and knowledges needed to succeed. A trained supervisory team will improve any organization and lead to higher impact in aiding their communities. The workshop series takes place every week for eight weeks from January 11th to February 29th. REGISTER