About the NonprofitCenters Network

Our Mission

The NonprofitCenters Network increases the capacity and effectiveness of the nonprofit sector by supporting the development and ongoing operations of Multi-tenant Nonprofit Centers and other quality nonprofit workspace.

Our Vision

Our Vision is of a future when every nonprofit organization has access to the workspace it needs to support and promote healthy, vibrant communities.

Our Programs and Services

Face-to-face educational events to increase the operational effectiveness of existing MTNCs. To date, the Network has achieved three national and one regional Collaborating for Success conferences attracting participants from over 29 states and 5 countries.

Online educational resources and peer guidance to enable emerging Centers and facilities projects in development to learn the field. An Online Resource Center at www.nonprofitcenters.org enables users to find documents ranging from a model lease to an actual pro-forma to a fact sheet on program related investments.

A cross-sector community of peers that facilitate learning and collaboration across traditional nonprofit, academic, public and private sector boundaries. Users have access to an extensive, searchable directory and detailed profiles of MTNCs. Members also receive mentorship from experienced MTNC practitioners.

Outreach that increases the awareness of the philanthropic, government, real estate and capital financing sectors about the positive impact of MTNCs. Articles, bi-monthly e-newsletters, resources written for philanthropic and commercial real estate practitioners, and publications including Innovations in the Nonprofit Sector: A Survey of Multi-tenant Nonprofit Centers, offer a much-needed voice for resources and supportive policies.

Educational programs on creating, financing and operating sustainable ‘green’ nonprofit facilities are currently in the works.

The Need We Address

Nonprofit organizations find it difficult to secure and maintain stable, affordable, mission-enhancing work environments. This was true during the recent economic boom and continues during today’s hard times. In the wake of funding cuts and increasing demands for nonprofit services, the call for ensuring our nonprofit sector has quality workspace is urgent. The nonprofit and philanthropic sectors are looking at the cost savings and benefits from increased collaboration for infrastructure as well as programs.

Multi-tenant Nonprofit Centers (MTNC) enable nonprofit organizations to spend their rent dollars in a facility created by and for nonprofits, leveraging their resources to increase capacity in the sector for the long term. They enable cost sharing on facility maintenance and office support services. They promote organizational synergy by making it easier to build relationships and develop joint community initiatives. They also increase the visibility of nonprofits, helping them garner public support and recognition.

Currently, knowledge is dispersed with no ongoing mechanism to learn from existing MTNCs and the nonprofit, philanthropic, real estate, and financial experts who helped create them. The NonprofitCenters Network provides a powerful venue for shared learning while offering tools and models that MTNC practitioners and the nonprofit sector can use with confidence.

Whom We Serve

We bring together individuals and organizations from all sectors that are committed to effectively developing and managing quality workspace for the nonprofit sector:

• Multi-tenant nonprofit center projects in development
• Fully operating nonprofit centers
• Developers, architects and private sector real estate firms
• Foundations
• City and government officials
• Banks and community financing institutions
• Academics interested in the nonprofit sector

Our Values

Our values guide the development and implementation of all our programs and services. They provide a framework for evaluating our success:

• Collaborative both in how we operate internally and in the development and dissemination of knowledge and resources.
• Inclusive of all practitioners and centers, and committed to a diversity of communities, professions, perspectives, and experiences. Diversity will be reflected in our governance, membership and in our practices and programs.
• Responsive to our members while proactively identifying new opportunities and trends.
• Committed to volunteer-based participation and growth through strategic partnerships.
• Flexible with a willingness to change directions, learn lessons from mistakes, and explore new opportunities.
• Cross-sector in scope and supporting initiatives that promote shared knowledge and across nonprofit, public and private sectors.

Click here to learn more about our current Board of Directors

Click here to learn more about our staff