The Mayor's Office of Partnerships and Grants Development (OPGD) is now accepting applications for its 2003-2004 Strengthening Partners Initiative (SPI) class.

SPI is a capacity building program that provides an opportunity for emerging nonprofit and faith-based organizations to attend customized training sessions, learn from nonprofit mentors, and build a new peer network. The free one-year program is available to Executive Directors from organizations located and providing direct services in the District of Columbia. Twenty-five organizations will be selected through a competitive application process.

"Through this initiative, OPGD is supporting the Mayor's goal of expanding opportunity for all District residents and strengthening the organizational leadership and management capacity of local nonprofit officials," said OPGD director Lafayette Barnes. Joyce Muis-Lowery, Executive Director of Art Enables and a current SPI participant, added, "The essential truth SPI taught us was that being able to run a good program doesn't necessarily equip you to run a good organization. Now, with what we learned, the discipline to put it into practice and a bit of luck, we can do both!"

A pre-application workshop is scheduled for Thursday, June 26, from 10 am to noon in the former Council Chambers on the 1st floor of One Judiciary Square, 441 4th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001 (Metro stop: Red Line-Judiciary Square). The deadline for applications is July 31, 2003.

For more information about the program or to obtain an application, call OPGD at (202) 727-8900.