Citing a need for stronger nonprofits in the Flathead Valley, several local entities have designed a series of courses to improve the capacity of the more than 300 nonprofits operating in the area.

Flathead Valley Community College is presenting the first class in the series this month through the Center for Continuing Education.

On Sept. 11, the next course will kick off, giving nonprofits advice on how to develop their boards. Two additional classes will address volunteer management and managing finances for nonprofits.

The college worked with the Flathead Nonprofit Development Partnership and Chany Ockert, the partnership’s nonprofit consultant, to put on the courses.

Enrollment has closed for the fundraising course that analyzes not only how to raise money but also why people give in the first place.

Ockert spent last winter working on a needs assessment for “capacity” or background needs of nonprofits. That’s where the course subjects came from.

Ockert said the need to be more effective and efficient was the number one concern among nonprofits. There are 363 nonchurch nonprofits in the Flathead and all of them would like to use money prudently to provide more for people, she said.

There are 150 spots available for the September class. More information can be found through the  Continuing Education Center at 756-3832 or ceinfo@fvcc.edu.

A grant from the Applied Materials Foundation helps fund the courses. “They were really interested in building up nonprofits in the area,” Ockert said.

Reporter Ryan Murray may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at rmurray@dailyinterlake.com.