Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (July 21, 1995)
16 ▼ July 2 1 . 1 0 6 5 ▼ ju s t out TWENTY-THIRD AVENUE BOOKS local news G leaning svpport 1015 NW 2 $rd Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97210, (503) 224-5097 A local organization helps nonprofits navigate the challenges of staying in business Monday-Friday 9 :3 0 - 8 pm □ Saturday 10 am - 8 pm □ Sunday 11 am - 4 pm ▼ by Inga Sorensen eating out M. - ■ . ■ Live music Friday & Saturday 8:00 pm *1 1 :0 0 pm Com e Join us for D ivine Dessert Celestial Coffee and Elegant Am biance M-Th Fri Sat Sun Serving 7 am -10 pm 7 am -12 am 8 am -12 am 8 am - 9 pm Light Lunches 5 3 2 0 S E Belmont 235-7006 Good food, tool people 2 3 2 7 NW Kearney 2 2 4 -4 1 6 1 Men Wed Thurs 5:30-M idnight Fri A Sat 5:30-2A M Sun 3 :3 0 - 1 1PM August 3 Blackburn & Duthie <with Neil Masson Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Thomas Latiderdale with Kelly Broadway Jim Blackburn Thomas Lauderdale Blackburn <S l Duthie R estau ran t Lounge Parking validated at Old Town Garage 120 NW 3rd Ave. Portland. OR (503) 224-3285 The Resource Project will be conducting sum ith a Republican Congress ea mer leadership support meetings in July, August gerly wielding its budget-cut and September in Portland. Those gatherings— ting ax— and aiming primarily some are open to all and others are geared toward at targets such as social ser people of color— are designed to give partici vices—times will undoubtedly a chance get tougher for organizations that pants provide ser to share ideas and listen to other professionals in nonprofits as they discuss the vices to those in need, for arts organizations, for challenges they face. groups promoting community education— so says According to Sohl, gay and lesbian nonprofits Kay Sohl, executive director of the Portland- have historically been a “hard sell” when it comes based Technical Assistance for Community Ser to gleaning support from traditional foundations. vices, a nonprofit organization she co-founded in On the flip side, as with any oppressed group, 1977 to assist nonprofit organizations “with the sexual minorities often donate time and money to business of staying in business.” those organizations because they feel personally “ Money is going to become an even bigger invested in the groups’ cause. problem in the next two years. Even those orga But, as with many oppressed groups, the incli nizations that don’t take a direct hit will feel the nation to criticize “one’s own” can be strong. effects as funding for various services are cut “The opponents outside can be terrifying. Instead back,” explains the 49-year-old Sohl. “There will be increased demand for help and fewer govern mental dollars available. That will in turn lead to increased competition for foundation money and pri vate donors.... It’s vital nonprofits be able to adapt to th ese ty p es o f changes— no matter how ominous they may be— and we’re here to assist them.” A ccording to Sohl, during the past two de cades her organization has provided training and/or consultation to more than 2,000 nonprofits through out Oregon and Washing ton, including the Ameri can Indian Association of Portland, Black United F ro n t, B rad ley -A n g le House, Centro Chicano Cultural de Oregon, Eq uity Foundation and the American Red Cross. “We organize training programs and retreats. We host workshops to address issues important to of fighting the world, it sometimes feels easier to nonprofits. We have an information helpline we nit-pick and take your frustrations out on another can access that includes 250 consultants who board member,” says Sohl. “I think that’s chang specialize in particular areas,” she says. “We ing a bit because [gay men and lesbians] have assist nonprofits in assessing where they cur really had to stick together because of the OCA.” rently are and planning how to get where they She adds, “And I think the OCA era has made it more acceptable for corporations to provide want to be,” she says. According to a TACS brochure, the organiza support to [sexual-minority-oriented issues/ tion helps nonprofits build informed and involved groups] because they’ve witnessed firsthand the boards of directors, develop strategies for leader challenges faced by these groups. They’ve seen ship transitions, build inclusive leadership, and the assault that gay men and lesbians are under.” assess clients’ strengths and weaknesses in rela According to Sohl, Techincal Assistance for tion to a wide variety of potential funding sources Community Services has a $400,000 budget. (foundations, government, individuals, religious Seventy-five percent of that funding is generated or civic groups, fees for products and services, by fees paid by nonprofits that utilize TACS etc.). TACS also performs management reviews services. The remainder comes from foundations and offers diversity training to help nonprofits and grants. Fees are paid using a sliding scale. build and support diversity in all parts of the For more information about TACS and/or the organization— board, staff, volunteers and pro Community Leaders Resource FYoject’s summer gram participants. meeting schedule, call 239-4001. TACS will also The TACS-sponsored Community Leaders Re host a workshop entitled “Diversity in the Work source Project, which was launched in 1990, places place: Where Do We Begin?” on Aug. 3 from 1 emphasis on providing support to people who are to 4:30 pm at Westminster Presbyterian Church, often told they are not leaders: women, people of 1624 NE Hancock St. in Portland. The workshop color, low-income people, gay men and lesbians, costs $45; call 239-4001 for more information. young people, and people with disabilities. W
