Title
Proclamation celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Forbes Funds.
Body
WHEREAS, in 1982, the Forbes Funds was established in order to provide emergency financial assistance to nonprofit organizations that were experiencing funding issues; and
WHEREAS, the Forbes Funds, led by founding director Elmer J. Tropman, also provided management consultation to small nonprofit organizations; and
WHEREAS, by the end of the decade, the Forbes Funds had begun tailoring its focus to long-term capacity-building, dedicating its efforts to improving administrative skills and infrastructure in the nonprofit sector by helping organizations secure technical assistance for areas that included strategic planning, financial management, and board governance; and
WHEREAS, in 1996, the Forbes Funds branched out, addressing issues such as inter-agency partnerships and mergers and offering support for local colleges and universities in training nonprofit staff and board members; and
WHEREAS, since 2001, the Forbes Funds has striven to enhance the management capacity of the nonprofit sector by supporting capacity-building initiatives for human service and community development agencies, by funding research, and by encouraging and recognizing outstanding practices in the nonprofit sector; and
WHEREAS, the Forbes Funds currently serves Allegheny County through three different funding efforts: The Copeland Fund for Nonprofit Management, the Tropman Fund for Nonprofit Research, and the Wishart Fund for Nonprofit Leadership;
NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, Allegheny County Council joins with the Forbes Funds in celebrating 25 years of committed service to cultivating an exemplary nonprofit sector in Allegheny County. We hereby commend you for your past and continued efforts to build upon the capacities of the organizations that have proven to be so vital in making Allegheny County a better place to live.