Omega Institute for Holistic Studies Awards 24 Nonprofits with Special Grants

As governors and legislators across the country cut their budgets to deal with shrinking revenues, nonprofit organizations are being left with fewer resources to serve their communities. Many nonprofits will be forced to cut staff and planning activities aimed at improving efficiency, effectiveness, and overall organizational health. In order to address this growing crisis Omega Institute is reinforcing the nonprofit safety net by awarding unique grants to 24 nonprofits representing a broad spectrum of social issues on local, statewide, national, and global levels.

As a nonprofit, the philosophy of service has been at the heart of Omega's work in the world for 30 years. Now more than ever, service based organizations are in desperate need of support to strengthen and nurture their ability to thrive in the future

Rhinebeck, NY (PRWEB) May 20, 2008 -- As governors and legislators across the country cut their budgets to deal with shrinking revenues, nonprofit organizations are being left with fewer resources to serve their communities. Many nonprofits will be forced to cut staff and planning activities aimed at improving efficiency, effectiveness, and overall organizational health.

In order to address this growing crisis Omega Institute is reinforcing the nonprofit safety net by awarding unique grants to 24 nonprofits representing a broad spectrum of social issues on local, statewide, national, and global levels.

May 26-30 will mark Omega's 4th annual Service Week event, in which grant recipients of the Omega In Service program are awarded fully supported planning retreats that include free room and board, and use of all the facilities at Omega's 195 acre-Rhinebeck campus. Grant recipients can tailor their time to their needs, using it for anything from strategic planning to team-building activities.

Omega is partnering with the Council of Community Services of New York State, Inc., and the Support Center for Nonprofit Management who are providing organizational development expertise in an onsite Nonprofit Wellness Clinic for grant recipients.

"The Nonprofit Wellness Clinic will offer grant recipients an hour of free consultation on the specific issues and opportunities impacting each organization's effectiveness. Leading professional experts will provide holistic insight and practical strategies to help each nonprofit be and stay on the path of wellness," said Doug Sauer, chief executive officer of the Council of Community Services of New York State, Inc., and president of the National Council of Nonprofit Associations (NCNA).

"As a nonprofit, the philosophy of service has been at the heart of Omega's work in the world for 30 years. Now more than ever, service based organizations are in desperate need of support to strengthen and nurture their ability to thrive in the future," said Carla Goldstein, director of external affairs at Omega Institute. "We are deeply honored to reward dedicated nonprofits, who are providing invaluable services to others, with the opportunity to be rejuvenated and re-inspired in an environment that encourages reflection, collaboration, and dialogue," concluded Goldstein.

The goal of Service Week is to allow senior staff and/or board members of grantee organizations the time to step out of their normal work environments and into a peaceful setting where they are unencumbered by daily interruptions and operational pressures. The retreat gives grantees the opportunity to be revitalized and reinspired before returning to their valuable and demanding work. Each organization creates and leads its own program. In the past, grantee organizations have utilized Service Week to develop strategic plans, cultivate relationships among their board members and with other grantees on campus, re-engage with their mission statements, heal organizational rifts, deepen staff cooperation, and enjoy some much needed peace and relaxation.

"As dynamic, mission driven organizations operating in an ever-demanding environment, nonprofits are challenged to cultivate, nurture, and maintain a condition of good health, whether it be financially, programmatically, in human capital, or in governance and management systems," said Sauer.

"An organization like ours deals with enormous complexity and regional reach, with board and partners making heroic efforts to keep in communication. This kind of retreat, bringing us together outside the flow of normal work, boosts our effectiveness immeasurably," said Melissa Everett, Executive Director, Sustainable Hudson Valley.

Omega is pleased to award 'In Service' grants to the following organizations, which are actively engaged in creating a more compassionate, and sustainable world:

American Association of University Women, Poughkeepsie Branch
American Medical Students Foundation
American Red Cross, Burlington Chapter
Anderson Center for Autism
Center for Creative Education
Cornell University Cooperative Extension Ulster County
Council for Community Services New York State
Dēmos
Goddard College, Health Arts and Sciences Program
GreenFaith
Human Rights Watch
Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center
League of Women Voters of New York State Education Foundation
Legal Aid Society, Juvenile Rights Division
NPower
Queens Community House
Rural Ulster Preservation Company (RUPCO)
Sustainable Hudson Valley
Sustainable South Bronx
The Astor Home for Children
The Center for the Prevention of Child Abuse
The Children's Annex
The REACH Center
1+1+1=ONE / We Got Issues!

More information on Omega's annual Service Week event and the 'Omega In Service' grant program is available online at eOmega.org or by contacting Marta Szabo, at 845.266.4444, ext. 229 or by email at MartaS @ eomega.org.

About Omega Institute for Holistic Studies
Founded in 1977, Omega Institute for Holistic Studies is the nation's most trusted source for wellness and personal growth. As a nonprofit organization, Omega offers diverse and innovative educational experiences that inspire an integrated approach to personal and social change. Located on 195 acres in the beautiful Hudson Valley, Omega welcomes more than 23,000 people to its workshops, conferences, and retreats in Rhinebeck, New York and at exceptional locations around the world. eOmega.org

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