The NonprofitCenters Network

A desk, a phone and an end to isolation

The Centre for Social Innovation (CSI), a project developed by Urbanspace Property Group, is an example of a co-working model for single entrepreneurs and small businesses looking for flexible and affordable rent in Canada, where almost half a million full-time jobs have vanished and as many as 37,000 laid-off workers have turned to self-employment as entrepreneurs and consultants.

Ask the Experts Discussion for Established Centers

Operating a shared facility comes with unique challenges, some expected and others unexpected. Our speakers share solutions to challenges of operating a nonprofit center.

Presentation presented as part of NCN weinbar series, June 22, 2010

Ask the Experts Discussion for New Projects

Nonprofit center leaders share their lessons learned in creating a facility.

Presentation presented as part of NCN weinbar series, June 23, 2010

Building a Vibrant Tenant Community Webinar

While there is no "secret formula" for engineering a thriving community in a nonprofit center, there are strategies to encourage tenants to collaborate, share resources and support each other. Learn how to develop programs, services and physical spaces that foster community. Jackie Cefola of the NonProfit Center, Eli Malinsky of the Centre for Social Innovation, and Nino Tillman of the Institute of Cultural Affairs share best lessons learned to help you develop a vibrant tenant community.

Building Blocks for Success: Building a Vibrant Tenant Community

11 successful strategies to encourage tenants to collaborate, share resources and support each other. While there is no secret formula for engineering a thriving community in a nonprofit center, there are successful strategies that encourage tenants to collaborate, share resources and support each other.

Building Blocks for Success: Managing Meeting Spaces

10 strategies for staffing, scheduling and renting meeting spaces. Conference rooms can be used to engage your community and generate additional revenue.

Building Blocks for Success: Shared Services

9 best practices to providing collaborative solutions that help nonprofit organizations create efficient operations and maximize their impact.

Building on Core Competencies: Shared Staffing May 2009

Sharing administrative services helps nonprofits invest in their biggest asset—their people—by freeing them up from unrelated tasks and allowing them to focus on their core competencies: mission and program-related activities. Explore innovative strategies in sharing human resource, administrative, marketing, fundraising, and financing functions across organizations, including fiscal sponsorship.

Presentation given at the 2009 Building Opportunities Conference on May 19, 2009.

Caring for the Caregiver

This article highlights an innovative program developed by the Fairhill Center in Cleveland, OH. The program, a school for caregivers, brings together the lessons learned from the collaborative community of organizations housed at Fairhill Center.

Centre for Social Innovation Overview

A focused overview of the model and work of the Centre for Social Innovation in Toronto.

CFSC Shared Services Organization Business Case

In June 2008, Children and Family Services Center developed a business plan for a subsidiary shared services organization which would consolidate their partners' financial management, payroll, and human resources systems. It was estimated that this process would save the partner agencies over $40,000 in the first year.

Collaboration Plenary: Characteristics of Effective Collaboration

Omowale Satterwhite asks the question: what makes collaboration work? Among his conclusions are the sharing of mission and goals, clear governance processes, supportive members, diverse membership, strong relationships based on trust, open communication, broadly supported and accountable leadership, and sufficient resources. Find out more reasons why collaboration is such an effective means to run a nonprofit center in this handout.

Collaboration Plenary: Collaborating for Success

This presentation enumerates the wide-ranging benefits associated with cross-sector collaboration, the sharing of resources (both physical and philosophical), and community outreach programs that draw in a diverse population into one location.

Collaboration Plenary: The Partnership Matrix

Harrington uses this Partnership Matrix to demonstrate how two or more independent organizations establish an ongoing relationship to increase the administrative efficiency and/or further the programmatic mission of one or more of the participating organizations. Through aligning and integrating two or more organizations, real advances are made in fulfilling the missions of all parties involved; however, all parties must be fully committed to such collaboration for the partnership to function properly.

Collaborative Fundraising Strategies

Overview of successful strategies and tips for conducting joint fundraising campaigns with multiple organizations.

Community Hubs: A Scan of Toronto, Summary Report

Interviews were conducted with twenty-one organizations and key funders involved in local hub development across the city of Toronto. The summary report identified key themes, learnings and challenges to service-providers and local residents. Key functions of hubs were identified as Service, Space and Synergy.

The individual results of this research can be found in the Toronto Community Hub Profiles 2010-11. It includes information on funding, governance structure and programming for each hub surveyed.

Community Resource Center Policies

This comprehensive packet provides information, policies, and sample forms that the United Way of Greater Houston uses to manage its Community Resource Center.

Conference Center Marketing Materials

These brochures provide an overview of the facilities and services that The Mansour Center offers for corporate and social events. With multiple rooms to choose from, the Mansour Center can accomodate banquets, receptions, and other events of up to 240 guests.

Creativity and Neighborhood Development: Strategies for Community Investment

This publication takes a look at how cultural activities and community-based art programs aid in the development of their collective communities. Nowak discusses how the groups' complimentary visions point toward a larger statement in how to sustain more "imaginative and substantive urban development." He uses this to suggest a framework for collaborative and flexible investment and funding.

Evaluation: Survey of Nonprofit Organizations at The Wilson Historic District

This questionnaire asks tenants at the Wilson Historic District to rate their attitudes towards the MTNC.

Fort Mason Center Profile Information

A power point illustrating Fort Mason's oureach strategies to raise awareness and understanding of their center.

Government Proclamations

Local government proclamations and tributes celebrating the 10th Anniversary of MTNC Community Service Building in Deleware.

Grants to help groups share some services

United Way of Rhode Island awarded grants to nonprofit organizations throughout the state to be used towards creating infrastructures for sharing operations and services to save money, free up staff time and expand the reach of their services in the community.

Joining Forces in the 'Back Office'

Small and medium-size charities can be at a disadvantage when it comes to handling financial and personnel issues. To solve this problem, five social-service groups in the Twin Cities joined forces in January 2007 to create MACC CommonWealth to share their administrative or "back office" operations.

Loan & accounting software resources

GMS assists nonprofits by providing software services to help with processing loans, and developing accounting activities.

Managing Meeting Spaces Webinar

Conference rooms are an asset that you can leverage to engage your community, generate additional revenue and meet your mission. Pam Brems from The Mansour Center and Neel Hajra from NEW Center shared their experiences and models for effectively managing staffing, scheduling and renting conference rooms and other community meeting spaces.

Marketing Your Center

Overview of marketing tools and strategies as they apply to Multi-tenant Nonprofit Centers. This presentation delves into how a nonprofit center can go about advertising itself to a wider audience through PR campaigns and internet tools. Presentation for the 2007 Collaborating for Success Conference.

Marketing Your Center: The Dairy Center for the Arts

Case study and marketing presentation from Workshop Session D of 2007 Collaborating for Success Conference.

Marketing Your Centre

Center Marketing presentation from Workshop Session D of 2007 Collaborating for Success Conference.

Meeting Spaces - Lessons Learned

This one-pager shares The Mansour Center's lessons learned in conference room rental . Originally presented at The NonprofitCenters Network Webinar on Managing Meeting Spaces.

Multi-use Centers: Center for the Development of the Green Economy

Danaher explains how the utilization of newly emerging technologies and environmentally friendly building materials can positively affect nonprofits and surrounding communities. He argues that �the decentralized nature of the green economy�which is good in terms of entrepreneurial innovation�can also be seen as fragmentation, which inhibits collaboration and the cross-fertilization of shared ideas and resources.� The private, public, and non-profit sectors, can create a more holistic approach to developing a green economy through collaboration.

NEW Center Meeting Rooms

This brief presentation gives an overview of the NEW Center in Ann Arbor, MI, and its meeting room spaces. With short reviews on the building specs, usage and pricing, this presentation also includes point on marketing, staffing, policies and logistics.

Non-profits boost efficiency, savings with consolidation

In an effort to streamline operations, Children & Family Services and its nine nonprofits agencies come together by consolidating their financial and human resources operations.

Nonprofits Connect for Hope

Helping Children Worldwide, a program started at Floris United Methodist Church, created a nonprofit center, to assist local people in need in Herndon, Virgina. Connections for Hope is a 10,000-square-foot building. Helping Children Worldwide will subsidize the costs of training, hire a receptionist and otherwise manage the center. Tenants will reduce their overhead costs by sharing common areas such as a conference room, a kitchen and a computer training area, as well as the cost of phones, a copier and other equipment.

Nonprofits Get Funding for a Move to Build on Efficiency

This article describes the new shared services that are being implemented by the Children & Family Services Center in Charlotte, NC. New services include shared finance and human resources staff.

Nonprofits sharing IT systems, development costs

Efficiency, productivity and communication have improved dramatically in the past two years at one Columbus nonprofit and Tony Wells, a technology entrepreneur and philanthropist, thinks he knows why.

Opening Plenary: Claiming Our Place in Place-Making

This presentation outlines the different approaches nonprofits can take to revitalize communities. These steps included historic preservation, developments that serve rather than displace, green building technologies, education/service provision, and utilization of the local work force.

Opening Plenary: Collaborating for Success

This presentation defines collaboration in concrete terms, giving light to the complex nature of cooperation within nonprofit sector. Wintermute evaluates the ways in which resources are shared between nonprofits

Outsourcing Back‐Office Services in Small Nonprofits: Pitfalls and Possibilities

The Meyer Foundation made a grant to the Management Assistance Group (MAG) to support a study to identify alternative approaches, such as outsourcing or shared services, that could relieve the pressures on executive directors and help organizations function more effectively. Highlights include:

-Outsourcing shows promise as a strategy for helping nonprofits improve their back office operations.

-Entrepreneurs and businesses that offer outsourced services have a significant opportunity to create new business models to serve more nonprofits.

-Executive directors need to develop the skills required for successful outsourcing.

-Grantmakers should proceed with caution as they encourage grantees to consider outsourcing

Program Manager Job Description

Sample job description for a program manager at a nonprofit center with a focus on tenant engagement and community building.

Providing Shared Services, Programs, Technology and Infrastructure

The second half of a presentation on effectively operating a MTNC. Discusses types of shared services and building management considerations. Note: this document is a transcription and may contain typographical errors and omissions.

Revenue Generation through Shared Services

This overview of shared services details the options for services and management. Includes a discussion of benefits and challenges. Presented at the Global Strategic Innovations Conference

Room Reservation Form

A reservation form template used for meeting room reservations.

Sample Budgeting Rationale for Shared Services at an Arts MTNC

A guide to how CDC operates their MTNC with regards to budgeting. Includes information on income, expenses, capital improvements, and services offered.

Sample Shared Services of an Arts MTNC

A guide to the many shared services a MTNC can offer, including shared spaces, technology, administrative support, marketing, fundraising, financial management, and institutional development.

Secrets of Successful Shared Administrative Services

Two successful shared services providers share their structures, experiences and lessons learned.

Selected Resources to Read on Co-Locations That Promote Nonprofit & Public Organizations

Shared Services Case Study: Centre for Social Innovation

A one-page case study of Centre for Social Innovation's shared services program. Part of the "Shared Services: A Guide to Creating Collaborative Solutions for Nonprofits."

Shared Services Case Study: Children & Family Services Center

A one-page case study of the Children & Family Services Center's shared services program. Part of the "Shared Services: A Guide to Creating Collaborative Solutions for Nonprofits."

Shared Services Case Study: Tides

A one-page case study of Tides' shared services program. Part of the "Shared Services: A Guide to Creating Collaborative Solutions for Nonprofits."

Shared Services in the Nonprofit Sector

A summary and overview of shared services in the nonprofit sector, with case studies.

Shared Services Overview

Explore the cost efficiencies in shared services such as meeting space, IT support, staffing, HR, and pooled purchasing. Add shared program. Learn how those services may be funded and organized and the pitfalls to avoid. Presented at the Building for Sustainable Communities, Berkeley, CA, October 27, 2009.

Shared Services Overview May 2009

Shared services can reduce administrative and overhead expenses while increasing resources for mission and program-related activities. Explore the cost efficiencies of shared conference space, and collaborative administrative functions and technology. Learn how those services may be funded and organized, and the pitfalls to avoid. Presentation given at the 2009 Building Opportunities Conference on May 19, 2009.

Shared Staffing: Building on Core Competencies Webinar 2010

Sharing administrative services helps nonprofits invest in their biggest asset - their people. By freeing up staff from unrelated tasks, organizations can focus on their core competencies, such as mission and program-related activities. Explore innovative strategies in sharing human resources, administrative services, and financing functions across organizations.

Presented at NCN Webinar February 23, 2010.

Social Network Analysis: Strategic Partnerships Through Collaborative Leadership

Dr. Streeter, professor at University of Texas School of Social Workm, analyzed collaboration at the Georgetown Community Resource Center.

Spaces at 520

A concise narrative report chronicling the development of this project from inception to ribbon-cutting for A.R.T./New York's multitenant facility for nonprofit theatre arts in Midtown Manhattan, Spaces at 520. It brought out the best of the myriad people who worked on it and, in the words of New York City Cultural Affairs Commissioner Kate Levin, "...could serve as a model, not only for cultural organizations but also for a wide range of non-profits."

Start-Ups Share Space to Shave Costs in Slump

'Co-Working' rental deals find fresh impetus as entrepreneurs enjoy both lower overhead and networking

Strategic Model for an MTNC

This graphic model outlines the strategic plan of Toronto's Centre for Social Innovation, including core activities, outcomes, and impact.

Strategic Plan for 2007

A sample annual strategic plan for MTNC Schoenbaum Family Enrichment Center in Charleston, West Virgina.

Success Factors and Pitfalls of Shared Services

Kopecky schematically represents the costs and benefits associated with the sharing of resources between nonprofits through a detailed matrix in which he evaluates how a customer-focused organization provides support internally through economies of scale and standardization of processes. Such synergistic relations between nonprofits often lower costs by fostering increased programmatic efficiencies.

Tech for Talk: Shared Phone & Internet Services Webinar

Explore the benefits of installing, sharing and operating a single shared communication system in your center. Gain information on everything from equipment and installation to costs, operations, management features and billing. Our speakers include: Alice Wagner from Tides and Brian Van Weele from Marin Community Foundation. Webinar presented on November 13, 2008.

Tenant Recruitment and Marketing for Nonprofit Centers

Tenant recruitment and leasing issues are paramount to the long-term success of a shared nonprofit facility. This presentation will provide an interactive environment for questions and peer advice on leasing space in the current market. Presented at the Building for Sustainable Communities, Berkeley, CA, October 27, 2009.

Tenant Services Model

An actual spreadsheet of tenant services offered at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco

Tenant Services-Thoreau Center for Sustainability

A sheet that illustrates all the tenant services the Thoreau Center for Sustainability provides.

Tenant Survey Results

Results of a survey conducted by the Agora Foundation with the tenants of Toronto's Centre for Social Innovation. Includes survey methodology, questions and responses.

Tools for Tomorrow: Shared Technology May 2009

Today’s nonprofit organizations need the latest technology tools to effectively communicate with their stakeholders, manage their operations, and capture their knowledge and information. Explore successful models of shared technology tools. Presentation given at the 2009 Building Opportunities Conference on May 19, 2009.

Tools for Tomorrow: Shared Technology Webinar 2010

Today's nonprofit organizations need the latest technology to effectively communicate with their stakeholders, manage their operations, and capture their knowledge and information. Explore successful models of shared technology tools.

Presented at NCN Webinar on April 6, 2010

United We Serve: Collaborative Community Programs May 2009

When organizations come together, their ability to serve the community can expand exponentially, leading to new innovations and opportunities. Learn about the types of exciting programs and services that organizations are creating together for their communities. Presentation given at the 2009 Building Opportunities Conference on May 19, 2009.

Webinar: Shared Services: Allocation and Pricing Models

In current times, organizations are facing volatile funding streams, increased operating expenses, and heightened demand for services. Nonprofits need to respond with new strategies. Shared services offer a possible solution by reallocating physical resources, staff, and programs across traditional organizational boundaries.

But how do you ensure that your shared services model is sustainable? What pricing structure do you use and how do you allocate the costs and benefits among participating organizations? Join in this webinar to learn from leading shared service providers about their experiences and models for success. Presented at NCN webinar.

Webinar: Tenant Retention: Maintaining Full Occupancy in a Competitive Market

Retaining tenants in your nonprofit center requires tenacity and creativity. Whether your center is in a rural or urban area, there are effective strategies to retain tenants and boost the visibility of your center among the broader community. Three experienced nonprofit center professionals who, through learned experiences and unique relationship building programs, have found what works and what doesn't work for retaining their tenants.

Presented at NCN Webinar February 17, 2010.