Encore!Connecticut | Department of Public Policy

A program with more than a decade of proven success, Encore!Connecticut is a professional development experience that helps seasoned corporate professionals transition their skill-sets and experience into successful opportunities (paid and/or volunteer) in Connecticut nonprofits.

The program is designed to leverage the professional experience of individuals with a variety of career goals:

Immediate Employment: Immediately move from a corporate or public sector position to a full or part-time nonprofit position
A Future Transition: If you are currently employed but seeking to move into nonprofit work in the future
Engaged Volunteering: If you are retiring and looking to make an impact as a volunteer or consultant for nonprofits

Program Details

Encore!Connecticut takes place over eight half-day Saturdays and three Fridays, providing over 30 hours of managerial and professional education in nonprofit leadership, program management, finance, governance, funding strategies, grant writing organizational management, and program outcome measurement.

The program also offers help with job search strategies and resume restructuring, and provides networking opportunities to meet with sector leaders and learn more about the work of their organizations.

Participants learn from and work with seasoned leaders of the Connecticut nonprofit sector. They also gain hands-on professional experience working on a strategic project with a nonprofit organization through a fellowship program.

Fellowship Program

Due to COVID-19, all Fellowships and interviews will be conducted remotely.

The Fellowship provides the nonprofit with a highly-skilled professional to manage or develop a project over a two month period. Fellows work to the project deliverable requirements, thus the hours per week will be determinant by the project. Some of our Fellows are currently working full-time and thus will have fewer hours to dedicate to the Fellowship. Other Fellows are currently not employed and will have greater hours and flexibility.

The Fellowship opportunity provides the Encore!Connecticut Fellow with practical field experience in the sector and the nonprofit with a with a highly-skilled professional to assist in moving a key project forward. The Fellow will report to you or a member of your staff. We will work with you and your organization’s designated Fellowship supervisor every step of the way to ensure a positive, productive experience from the initial Fellow-to-Organization match to the end of the assigned two-month project.

Please note Fellows are not assigned to your organization. You will have the opportunity to interview them and determine whether they are a good fit for the project you have described.

Interested in hosting an Encore!Connecticut fellow at your nonprofit organization? View our Information and Application page for fellowship hosts.

Course Delivery

Due to COVID-19, all spring 2021 classes will be live and virtual.

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Session 1
12:00 - 12:30 p.m. Break
12:30 - 1:30 p.m. Session 2

Spring 2021 Schedule

*All Friday sessions are optional.

Saturday, January 9 - Orientation & Encore Alumni Roundtable

Saturday, January 16 - Strategic Planning and CEO Rountable

*Friday, January 22 - Program Evaluation

Saturday, January 30 - Governance and Community Engagement

Saturday, February 13 - Philanthropy & Donor Roundtable

*Friday, February 26 - Dealing with Data Phobia

Saturday, February 27 - Nonprofit Accounting

Saturday, March 13 - Leadership

*Friday, March 26 - Grantwriting

Saturday, March 27 - Lobbying and Advocacy

Saturday, April 10 - Graduation

Job Placement

In 2010, Encore!Hartford was launched with two objectives:

Reduce long-term unemployment of seasoned corporate managerial professionals aged 50 and over
Strengthen the Connecticut nonprofit sector, through the hiring of these seasoned professionals

A decade later, Encore!Hartford and its successor program, Encore!Connecticut, have done just that. Among our results:

Encore!Connecticut graduates report a 95% interview rate; prior to Encore!Hartford, particpants reported a 10% interview rate.
91% of graduates report being employed full-time, part-time, or as social entrepreneurs.

Of those employed:

70% report full-time employment
73% are employed in the nonprofit sector
98% retention rate in the nonprofit sector

Sample Job Titles

Encore!Connecticut graduates go on to work in nonprofit organizations that make a difference in the areas of youth education, housing, community development, social services, literacy, health, disability services, and the arts, among others. Sample job titles of full-time hires include:

Chief Administrative Officer
Chief Human Resource Officer
Community Network Builder
Director of Development
Director of Strategic Planning
Economic Security Manager
Housing Development Manager
Marketing Manager
Manager of Research
Nonprofit Consultant
Youth Counselor

The application submission review period is on a rolling basis. Candidates are chosen through a competitive vetting and selection process based on their skill-sets and potential for success in the nonprofit sector. A maximum of 25 candidates will be selected for the program.

Enrollment for Fall 2021 is now open.

Candidate Applications

Candidate Essay: Candidates should address why you want to work in the nonprofit sector. Identify, if possible, your preferred area of work and position in the sector (e.g. social services, the arts, environment or advocacy) and the passions, purpose, working conditions and compensation needs and expectations that will impact future employment choices and decisions. You should describe how your current skills and experience, for-profit or nonprofit, can be transferred to paid nonprofit work. The essay should be three pages maximum and be submitted as a word document.
Candidate Résumé: Along with your essay, attach a résumé that connects your skills to your desired work in the nonprofit sector. Information provided should include academic/technical knowledge, credentials and track record of accomplishments relative to your interest in nonprofit work. Volunteer work should be described fully as a valuable background asset. Be concise, yet informative, and submit the résumé as a Word document.
Submit Application: Forward your essay and résumé as email attachments to Maura Maloney, Operations Coordinator, at maura.maloney@uconn.edu.