Staunton Farm Foundation Invests in Nonprofit Leaders Health, Wellbeing

The $200,000 grant will fund the Nonprofit Resilience Program for two more years

Pittsburgh, PA — Recognizing the health of an organization and the mental and physical health of a nonprofit leader are intrinsically intertwined, the Staunton Farm Foundation has granted the Nonprofit Resilience Program (NRP) $200,000 to continue supporting leaders throughout our region.

Established in 2020 as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the NRP has held 7 cohorts and supported 60 nonprofit leaders through a multi-faceted approach that focuses on self-care, relationship building, and leader + organizational development. The program came to fruition through conversations between New Sun Rising (NSR), Neighborhood Allies, B.O.S.S Consulting, and other members of The Partnership Network (TPN) who were concerned about the vulnerability of nonprofit leaders.

The program creates a resource that assesses individual leaders and provides them tools for improving personal mental and physical health habits, but also addresses the organization’s overall health and provides capacity-building tactics and tools to better enhance the symbiotic relationship between the two. Nonprofit leaders are identified through a nomination process and participate in a 90 day cohort covering three phases. Advisory for the program is provided by members of TPN.

“We are grateful for the continual support of NRP. This year, we will be able to go deeper with our program alum by hosting our first annual retreat. I am excited for them to connect, self-reflect, and be activated to continue their dedication to self-care for themselves, their teams, and the communities they serve. The retreat will also launch the NRP Alum Network, where our ‘after-care’ program and other alum-led initiatives will begin,” said Jamie Johnson, Director of Programs at NSR.

On Thursday, August 31, NSR will host the first annual alumni retreat. The purpose of this retreat is to:

1. Foster a community of care by building a sustainable “after-care” program that supports ongoing investment in self-care to implement within organizations.
2. Create shared ownership for the purpose of the NRP Alumni Network.
3. Discuss issues and solutions related to self-care + resiliency at a much deeper and more thoughtful level in an intimate environment.

The after-care program will include education, resources + opportunities in topics identified by NRP Alum. The NRP Alum Network is an initiative that is led by program alumni with NSR support.

About New Sun Rising: New Sun Rising supports nonprofits and small businesses to build vibrant communities through culture, sustainability, and opportunity. NSR believes that people and communities hold the knowledge and power to make positive change. We envision a future where regenerative community development practices create the conditions for true social, environmental, and economic justice.

About Staunton Farm Foundation: The Staunton Farm Foundation is dedicated to improving the lives of people who live with mental illness and substance abuse disorders. The Foundation works to enhance behavioral health treatment, support, and recovery through grant making to nonprofit organizations in 10 southwestern Pennsylvania counties (Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, and Westmoreland).