News Release for Immediate Release May 3, 2004 Applications Now Available for Strengthening Partners Initiative  The Mayor's Office of Partnerships and Grants Development (OPGD) is now accepting applications for its 2004-2005 Strengthening Partners Initiative (SPI) class. SPI is a capacity building program that provides an opportunity for emerging nonprofit and faith-based organizations to attend customized training sessions, learn from nonprofit mentors, and build a new peer network. The free one-year program is available to executive directors from organizations located and providing direct services in the District of Columbia. Twenty-five organizations will be selected through a competitive application process. "Through this initiative, OPGD is supporting the Mayor's goal of expanding opportunity for all District residents and strengthening the organizational leadership and management capacity of local nonprofit officials," said OPGD director Lafayette Barnes.  Ersky Freeman, executive director of Pin Points Theatre and an SPI graduate, added, "(because of SPI) our strategic planning meetings are conducted with increased efficiency, allowing us to address and solve quite a few organizational needs.”  A pre-application workshop is scheduled for Friday, May 14, from 10 am to noon at the Citywide Conference Center, Room 1117 South, at One Judiciary Square, 441 4th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001 (Metro stop: Red Line-Judiciary Square). The deadline for applications is July 2, 2004, at 5 pm. For more information about the program or to obtain an application, call OPGD at (202) 727-8900.