The Rappahannock Nonprofit Center (RNPC) has announced that Christiane Miller, project manager at Aging Together in Culpeper, is the first recipient of scholarship funds through RNPC’s Leadership Training and Advancement Fund.

The purpose of the fund is to enable nonprofit leadership to pursue professional development and training activities to advance their skill and effectiveness in nonprofit management and governance.

Miller received a cash award of $465 which she will use to attend three classes offered through the Foundation Center: Foundations of Fundraising, Securing Corporate Partnerships, and Earned Income: Assessing your Nonprofit’s Revenue Options. She plans to use the additional skills learned here to develop Aging Together’s organizational capacity and sustainability as well as expand the technical assistance base for its partners.

Aging Together has achieved regional and national recognition for its work. The organization serves Rappahannock, Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison and Orange counties through its projects and in partnerships with other groups to support the senior citizens of these communities in their daily lives.

Established in May by RNPC's Board of Directors initial funding for the scholarships was made available by a donation from the Dowager Fund at the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation.

Applicants must serve in a nonprofit leadership capacity and be located in the five county area that the RNPC serves. Applications that benefit multiple individuals in one organization and applications by organizations that have an annual operating budget of less than $350,000 will be given priority.

Scholarships are to be used for professional development training activities, i.e., classes, seminars, workshops and other activities in which the primary goal is to advance skills and effectiveness in the management or governance of the participant(s)’s organization.

RNPC, which is located in Sperryville, will award up to four scholarships of $500 this year. Interested organizations should submit their application to RNPC no later than Nov. 1 to be considered for one of the scholarships. For information about scholarship uses, conditions and eligibilities and for an application, contact the Rappahannock Nonprofit Center at info@rnpc.org.