Nine officers of nonprofit organizations from Russia, are visiting California State University, Fresno and several area nonprofits this month as part of the Community Connections program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs of the U.S. State Department.

The visitors from Syktyvkar in the Russian republic of Komi, will hear lectures about operating nonprofit organizations and visit local nonprofit groups such as Poverello House, Stone Soup, Fresno Interdenominational Refugee Ministries and others. They also will receive instruction in writing grant proposals.

The Community Connections program is designed to help Russian (and other former Soviet) leaders of nonprofit organizations learn how such organizations work in the United States and to build relationships with American nonprofit organizations, said project director Dr. Alfred Evans, a Fresno State Political Science professor.

The visitors will be in Fresno through Friday.

For more information, contact Evans at 278-3005.

EDITORS: See attached list of the Russian participants.

Participants in the Community Connections Program

Anna Andreevna Arteeva, deputy director of Mothers Against Narcotics.

Aleksei Sergeevich Bashkanov, president of Komi Republic Social Fund, “Families Against Narcotics.”

Evgenii Arkadevich Kononov, executive director, Komi Republic Division of the All-Russian Organization of Invalids of Wars and Military Conflicts.

Veronika Yurevna Lesikova, chief specialist, Komi Republic Youth Affairs Committee.

Elena Rafailovna Melnikova, executive director, Komi Regional Division, Movement of Women of Russia–Women’s Chamber.

Nikolai Ivanovich Mitrofanov, chair of Ezhvinskii District branch of the All-Russian Organization of Invalids of Wars and Military Conflicts.

Elena Anatol’evna Petunina, project manager, Regional Center for Support of Innovations.

Nina Alekseevna Shlapak, first deputy chair, Komi Republic Division of Russian Children’s Fund.

Sergei Viktorovich Taskaev, coordinator of Komi Association of Boy Scouts.