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CSCS PROGRAMS AND SPECIAL INITIATIVES

Carrying out its mission to strengthen and expand the organizational, program and resource capacity of nonprofit providers, CSCS's programs and special initiatives are designed to build capacity in its member agencies. This is accomplished through initiatives that empower member agencies to effectively address the challenges and opportunities facing seniors and their families. The elements of the CSCS program initiatives include:

Management Assistance Program (MAP)
Money Management Program
Marketplace @ CSCS
Access to Legal Services
New Directors Training
NYC Caregiver Coalition

Management Assistance Program (MAP)

The Management Assistance Program (MAP) is CSCS's signature program for aiding senior service providers to build capacity and to improve management of their organizations. As a result, seniors will benefit from better, more responsive programming. MAP includes management training, technical assistance, education and networking opportunities such as the Annual Conference for CSCS member agencies.

The assistance provided by CSCS through MAP enhances the infrastructure of these providers by increasing their capacity to produce and manage high quality services to seniors.

One of the unique aspects of the MAP program is the flexibility to tailor responses to specific requests of an agency. New requests are received by CSCS from member agencies on a regular basis for assistance such as program evaluation/assessment; capacity building; strategic planning; fiscal consultation; advisory council development; tax reporting and filing requirements, and fundraising.

Money Management Program

In collaboration with ReServe Inc. and AARP Foundation, CSCS coordinates a citywide Daily Money Management demonstration project. This three-year project will integrate the AARP Foundation's non-paid volunteer model program with the community-based strengths of existing social service agencies. In addition ReServe, Inc. a New York-based nonprofit agency, will provide professional volunteers to serve as local coordinators to the project's community-based social service partner organizations. The project's goal is to substantially expand New York City's capacity to meet the growing need for bill paying assistance among middle- to low-income frail elderly. The project will also reach out to diverse communities. It will train and recruit volunteers with cultural competencies and develop educational materials that are linguistically and culturally relevant to meet the literacy needs of New York's multi ethnic, low income older populations.

Marketplace @ CSCS

A Group Purchasing Initiative for Senior Service Programs and Community-Based Non-Profit Organizations

Council of Senior Centers and Services of New York City, Inc. (CSCS) created The Marketplace @ CSCS as part of its on-going effort to find substantial savings and entrepreneurial solutions to help our membership address present and future challenges. Initially focusing on cost-efficient food purchasing strategies for senior nutrition programs, The Marketplace @ CSCS has grown to provide money-saving opportunities for any community-based non-profit organization. Although there is no cost to participate in The Marketplace @ CSCS, it is an exclusive benefit to CSCS membership.

Participants in The Marketplace @ CSCS are able to buy many of the items needed to run their programs at significant savings. They enjoy complete independence in their purchasing process and an expanded range of choices without any compromise on quality. Current members are proof-positive that their money goes further as they purchase food and food-related items, kitchen equipment, freezers, vans, van insurance, chairs, tables, office supplies, paint…. For DFTA funded organizations, this is a one-bid process. The Marketplace @ CSCS pricing is approved and accepted by DFTA.

The Marketplace is a collaborative effort between CSCS and Homeplate, an affiliate of the nation’s third largest group purchasing organization (GPO), MedAssets. This relationship gives CSCS member-programs a collective purchasing power to equal some of the City’s largest corporate entities.

Access to Legal Services

CSCS launched a new initiative, "Access to Legal Services," to bring our members together with highly qualified attorneys from the Lawyers Alliance for New York, Citigroup, and Weil, Gotshal and Manges to discuss current legal concerns and potentially lay a foundation for ongoing general counsel services.

This project is designed specifically for nonprofit senior service providers. In keeping with our mission to strengthen agencies that provide services to older New Yorkers, we believe this program will prove to be invaluable.

New Directors Training

Each year, CSCS offers a series of four workshops designed specifically to equip new senior center directors with the leadership skills to be the CEO of a center. These workshops focus on the programmatic, fiscal and workforce challenges that the directors will meet. Participants who complete all four workshops are honored at CSCS's Annual Meeting in December and awarded a certificate of completion.

NYC Family Caregiver Coalition

CSCS incubated this organization, dedicated to raising awareness of the world of the "silent patients" - the caregivers -- and providing New York City with an organization that can share in the dialogue on caregiving. CSCS continues to sponsor the NYC Family Caregiver Coalition.

49 West 45th Street, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10036
Tel: 212-398-6565
Fax: 212-398-8398