Bayer Center - Programs & Services

The Bayer Center’s “sister” center, The Covestro Center for Community Engagement, strengthens nonprofits’ governance & operational effectiveness through engaging companies to invest in the community and their own people at the same time. We connect community minded companies with regional nonprofits through nonprofit board leadership—BoardsWork! and skills-based volunteering—SkillShare.

BoardsWork! 

BoardsWork! strengthens nonprofit governance.  The program provides provides a whole host of services to improve your nonprofit’s board governance.

  • A customized half-day retreat led by a governance facilitator, informed by a board survey, interviews with the board chair and the CEO/ED, and a governance assessment. 
  •  At least one matched new board member who cares about your mission and has skillsets you need.  The matched members have received 6 hours of training, have been recommended from local companies.  This member will also receive up to seven more Bayer Center workshops. 
  • And discounts on Bayer Center workshops for board members and governance help desk services for a full year.

Nonprofits must be 501 (c) 3 organizations, and be looking to add at least one board member through our program. We also provide custom governance work outside of this program through the Bayer Center’s consulting work. 

Get started with BoardsWork! today.

SkillShare

SkillShare connects nonprofits with a team of local business professionals to help you solve an operational or technical challenge.  This not only provides you targeted technical expertise, but also builds mutually-beneficial relationships with local companies.  The most common projects are in IT, Financial management, HR, Data analysis, operations.  The projects often help bring a different business perspective to an opportunity or need.

To get started with SkillShare, contact Yvonne Van Haitsma at 412-397-6002 or vanhaitsma@rmu.edu, and complete a request for participation survey.

ESC

The Executive Service Corps is our trusted volunteer pool which provides an extension of all of the Bayer Center and Covestro Center’s work.  This group of carefully vetted and trained senior level professionals volunteer their skills to provide facilitation, consulting, training, coaching and board development to the nonprofits we work with.  Currently, the group has about 70 volunteers with at least 20 years’ experience.   These professionals are sometimes retired nonprofit leaders, later career business people, or highly talented mid-career specialists looking to extend their impact in the community.

If your organization would benefit from our ESC program, contact Yvonne Van Haitsma at 412-397-6002 or vanhaitsma@rmu.edu.

Research and Publications

If you’re looking for information about our pioneering research projects, “74%”, “What Now” and “The Wage and Benefit Survey for Southwestern PA Nonprofit Organizations” and others please visit Research and Publications.

21 Stars for 21 Years

“The people who have chosen to work in the nonprofit sector are its primary assets, the jewels in its crown,” says Peggy Outon, founder and executive director of Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management. “We have been clear since the Bayer Center opened for business that without friends and allies like these, we could not do our job.”

Now the Bayer Center and the Covestro Center for Community Engagement honor 21 Stars who represent “literally thousands more who get up every day to see that our region is decent, just, kind and fair,” says Outon. Upon the 21st anniversary of BCNM, we celebrate two decades while shining the spotlight on 21 nonprofit champions. Meet our 21 stars!