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Minerva Project matches consultant wisdom with community needs

Professionals at lunch meeting

Professionals at lunch meeting

  • March 2, 2011 3:00pm

In Fall 2010, Cal State East Bay began a collaboration with the Minerva Project to match volunteer professional consultants with community partners needing assistance.

Founded by George Moskoff, the Minerva Project started working with Sonoma State University in 2009, providing more than 20 non-profit organizations in the area with six months of free consulting services. The program is now expanding to CSUEB and two other CSU campuses in a year-long pilot.

With many non-profit organizations facing hard times in today’s economic environment, making consulting advice more available and accessible is especially valuable, says Mary D’Alleva, CSUEB’s director of service learning programs.

At the same time, she adds, freelance consultants have also seen client lists dwindle. Working with the Minerva Project is ideal for those who want to stay engaged and contribute to the community.

After spending a few months recruiting potential participants, D’Alleva organized a networking luncheon Feb. 9 to facilitate introductions. Attendees included founder Moskoff and roughly a dozen willing consultants, including CSUEB faculty, friends, and graduate students, offering help with accounting and finance, strategic planning, assessment and data research. They were joined by representatives from approximately 10 non-profit organizations, seeking help for literacy programs, legal clinics, and family services.

Participation doesn’t require a CSUEB connection, but D’Alleva says the partnership is a way to leverage the wide-ranging resources of the University to contribute to the community, helping further our mission of regional stewardship.

As consultants are matched with organizations in the coming months, they’ll begin work on projects that will continue throughout the spring and summer. "Minerva is about how we can work together NOW,” D’Alleva said. “And people are talking to one another about what they can accomplish together.”

  • Read more about The Minerva Project
  • Read more about service learning at CSUEB

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