​Prospective Site Partners: Bring a Grace Year Fellow to Your Organization

Every year, we work with five local organizations, which we call Site Partners. We select Site Partners of all different sizes and missions throughout Dutchess County, with an emphasis on those in the rural, Eastern area. Site partners offer praxis positions to Grace Year fellows. A fellow works at their praxis position 4 days a week for 47 weeks (75% FTE) in jobs that contribute meaningfully to the mission of the organization. Site partners give the salary equivalent for the fellow directly to Grace Year. 100% of that donation goes directly to operating the Grace Year program, covering the fellows’ living expenses,and giving them personal stipends. Grace Year has many benefits for site partners, including:
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• Hiring Pool: Attracting high-quality employees in this region can sometimes be a challenge. Grace Year connects non-profit employers to a national pool of young professionals who are seeking jobs that make a difference. All fellows have college degrees, and employers can also determine preferences regarding relevant experience, non-English language skills, and career goals.
  
  
• Enhanced Recruitment: Of course, there are thousands of people around the country seeking entry-level non-profit jobs, but there are still many barriers for non-profits here trying to solicit a competitive applicant. Some would-be applicants might not have considered opportunities beyond New York City or might not have connections to this area. Other would-be applicants might not be willing or able to relocate for a part-time position, but non-profits can’t always boost a position to full-time with benefits. Still others might be excellent candidates, but might be nervous about moving to a totally new place that is not known for its young demographic. By connecting five organizations that are investing in young adults together, Grace Year offers a solution to all of these barriers.
  
  
• Minimize Costs: Non-profits often have to spend valuable resources on recruiting, hiring, and managing entry-level employees for short-term contracts. Grace Year takes care of the recruiting and hiring (with site partner approval), and then provides significant support to the fellow throughout their year in the position. Our fellows are less likely to be overwhelmed, burnt out, or disorganized, as their learning modules allow for constant reflection and self-assessment on their work performance.
  
  
• Optimize Collaboration: Everyone seems to agree that collaboration is an excellent strategy, but it can be very tricky to manage— especially in a rural area where organizations are so many miles apart. Grace Year creates a situation in which five organizations with shared missions in a shared geographic area have employees -- Grace Year fellows-- who are  living, studying, and co-creating together, which inevitably leads to better and more thoughtful collaboration.
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• Living Wage: We are a part of the New York State Governor’s initiative for a raised minimum wage throughout the State. It can be a tough change for non-profits, but we are committed to helping our Site Partners to begin implementing economic justice within their organizations, which also helps make it possible for young adults to re-locate to and stay in this area.

If you'd like to set up a time to discuss this further, please contact us.