BHT to hold town hall meeting in D.C.
Nonprofit support organization seeks community input in shaping grants for next year
Brother, Help Thyself (BHT) is seeking community feedback.
The organization that helps support local nonprofits dealing with the LGBT community or HIV/AIDS prevention will hold a town hall-style meeting on Thursday, April 9, with a primary goal of getting an idea of what the community’s needs are ahead of next year’s annual grant ceremony. Each year, BHT gives out thousands of dollars to worthy nonprofits and community organizations in the D.C. and Baltimore area. By gauging the community’s needs and the cost of any ongoing programs or initiatives, BHT can better decide which organizations to support and how much to award. Organizations can begin applying for next year’s grants starting in June.
“We want to get ahead of the grant curve for next cycle,” said Jim Slattery, president of BHT.
The town hall, which will mirror a similar one held in Baltimore on April 1, will be held at The DC Center and is open to the public. BHT will then incorporate the information from the town halls into its regular grant process, which includes extensive interviews with applicants that cover not only their needs, but details of any ongoing programs and an accounting of grant money given in previous years. BHT also helps to eventually develop an online directory of LGBTQ-focused nonprofits that can serve as a resource.
“We’re hoping to reach regular people who aren’t necessarily involved directly with nonprofits,” Slattery said. “We’re hoping to get a feel for what the needs of the community are versus the needs of a nonprofit, if there is some difference there. And if those needs don’t match up, we want to figure out how to address that.”
BHT’s D.C. Town Hall will be held from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at The DC Center, 2000 14th St. NW on Thursay, April 9. For more information, visit brotherhelpthyself.net.
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