"the People's Paths!" Cherokee News Path - COTTA Program Provides Help

***"Cherokee Nation Manager of Community and Volunteer Organizing Rick Gassaway talks to volunteers of community organizations participating in the CN’s COTTA program."***

TAHLEQUAH, OK - More than 100 representatives from over 30 different non-profit community organizations recently took part in a training program that provides funding opportunities through the Cherokee Nation.

The workshop was hosted by the Cherokee Nation Community Oriented Training & Technical Assistance (COTTA) Program, which provides assistance to faith and community-based organizations throughout the tribes’ 14-county jurisdictional area. At least 51 percent of the organization’s board must consist of Cherokee Nation citizens.

COTTA helps organizations increase their effectiveness, enhance their ability to provide social services to serve those most in need, develop the organizational capacity of each organization, diversify funding sources and create collaborations to better serve those in Cherokee communities.

According to Rick Gassaway, Manager of Community and Volunteer Organizing, the vision of COTTA is founded in its commitment to build 100 unified communities within 10 years.

“Building a strong community requires that it be economically capable of supporting the community members comfortably,” said Gassaway. “COTTA is a program that is committed to the revitalization of Cherokee communities. Considering the great turnout we had at our last workshop, it is obvious that Cherokee communities and the organizations that represent them share that same vision.”

COTTA offers services and training to organizations in areas that help to strengthen a board of directors, establish finance policies, establish new services, expand existing services, develop grant writing skills and increase an organization’s use of technology.

“I would like to thank the representatives who took part in our workshop,” said Gassaway. “I’m excited that organizations believe in a working partnership to better serve communities. The bottom line is helping them to help themselves.”

The next training will take place on Saturday, March 29, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Northeast Technology Center in Pryor.For more information on the event, contact Rick Gassaway or Paul Buckner, phone: 918-207-4916 or 918-207-4917.