About Us
We build community by strengthening nonprofits.
Nonprofit Network Southwest Washington is focused on creating an infrastructure of support for local nonprofits in a rapidly growing and dynamic community. Now is exactly the right time to connect the dots of local organizations. Clark County is still relatively closely connected and has a history of partnership based on strong relationships. However, the influx of new people, new organizations, and new needs requires new forums for establishing and renewing relationships. Nonprofit Network Southwest Washington is helping to create those, at the same time we are mapping and documenting valuable work done by current and past leaders and groups.
Our goal? That this community’s investment in strong nonprofits is recognized and leveraged for the future. Our work falls within the following strategies.
KNOWLEDGE AND GREAT PRACTICES
We provide professional development and support resources needed to meet the challenges presented by growing and changing community needs.
Note: We are not a big fan of the terminology “best practices” in the field of nonprofit management. Preferring to consistently evaluate the practices used, ‘best practice’ is being a learning organization. That means getting better and better all the time.
We also do not embrace the concept of ‘businesslike’ for the mere sake of adopting practices used in business. We don’t think nonprofits should be more like business. We believe nonprofits have something to learn from great businesses. We see that nonprofits have many assets that business seeks to replicate - a sense loyalty and community, a willingness to innovate and adapt being flexible to customer needs. Nonprofits are one of the most dynamic and challenging arenas in which to work.
NURTURING PHILANTHROPY IN THE COMMUNITY
We have programs focused on empowering volunteers, nurturing philanthropy and building future board leadership. The Nonprofit Network Giving Circle recognizes the strong culture of philanthropy present in our community at all levels of giving. Board Round Tables, Match Events and Leadership Forums brings together organizations with people of passion, ideas and skill.
ADVOCACY FOR THE SECTOR
Nonprofit Network educates nonprofits about the changes in government regulation that are transforming how nonprofits operate. It’s then a matter of organizations each determining the meaning of the possible change for their work. We rarely interject our thinking of ‘how things ought to be’. We offer workshops and resources for nonprofits to better understand the parameters of legal lobbying and advocacy on behalf of their nonprofits and clients. We put tools in organizations’ hands.
COMMUNICATIONS AND NETWORKING SUPPORT
We offer structured and informal formats to assist groups in connecting, aligning and moving into productive relationships with others. The book, “Forces for Good: the Six Practices of High Impact Nonprofits” is based on research that debunks the myths that success is primarily tied to growth or management. Rather, high impact nonprofits work with organizations & people outside of themselves. They help peers succeed, are exceptionally adaptive, and share leadership. (We love it when research of others shows we have been the right track!)
The nonprofit sector is an essential component of American society, bringing people together to improve their communities. We support nonprofits. Support us in that.
