Professionals from 13 charities took part in international certificate programmes to bolster their finance and fundraising skills.

The Nonprofit Alliance of Bermuda said that 16 non-profit professionals took part in programmes offered by Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Business and Villanova University’s School of Professional Studies.

Arlene Brock, of the Adult Education School, Denise Carey, of Home, Sandy De Silva, of Family Centre, Truell Landy, of Shift, as well as Glenn Faries and Nicola Paugh, of the Non-profit Alliance, completed Northwestern University’s Non-profit Finance Toolkit for Leaders last November.

Meanwhile, Ms Brock, Natalie Chaves, a Westmeath board member, Emilie Faulkner-Meek, of SkillCraft, Sloane Johnson, of ConnecTech, Mychel Jones, of Gina Spence Productions, Maria McLeod Smith and Deborah Narraway, both of Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre, Jennifer Phillips, of the Bermuda National Trust, Pahn-ya Ratteray, of the Bermuda College Foundation, and Stacey-Lee Williams, of Curb, received certificates in Principles of Fundraising from Villanova University.

Nicola Paugh, the executive director of the Nonprofit Alliance, said the organisation was dedicated to professionalising and unifying the non-profit workforce.

Dr Paugh added: “We are so pleased to see our non-profit colleagues making the most of these important development opportunities.

“Their learnings will help to improve the organisations where they work, and in turn support more efficient and effective efforts to deliver on their missions.

“These opportunities were subsidised by 75 per cent, thanks to the generosity of our donors, ensuring that professional development is accessible to the non-profit sector.”

Both programmes were praised by participants.

One who took part in the Northwestern University course said: “I implemented some of the finance management strategies into our accounting practices right away and this has been very helpful to better analyse financial trends.”

A participant in the Villanova University programme added: “As a person transitioning into doing social impact work in the non-profit sector, the fundraising principles certificate allowed me to gain an understanding of the goings-on inside a non-profit, with a deeper understanding around managing fundraising activities.”

• For more information about the programmes, e-mail admin@nonprofitalliance.bm