Talk about keeping a secret. The NCN team, Leena, Chelsea and myself thought it would be fun to share a photo with you. Who knew creating a .gif could be so much fun?
I am so excited to step into the role of Executive Director of the Nonprofit Centers Network. Although I joined the NCN team in 2012, I started getting to know shared space in 2009, after a developer wanted to turn an old hospital into a nonprofit hub in my rural hometown. It never happened, but it got me thinking outside the box.
When I discovered the NCN community, I found a network of changemakers thinking creatively about the challenges facing the nonprofit sector. Over the years, I’ve seen the power of social purpose real estate and shared services to transform communities, strengthen nonprofits, and amplify impact.
As interim Executive Director, I’ve worked with our Steering Committee to cast a bold vision. In the next ten years, NCN will use the tools of shared space, social purpose real estate, and shared services to create a more impactful, sustainable, equitable, and resilient nonprofit sector.
What does this mean? In the short term, we will be releasing new tools that help all nonprofits understand and access these concepts. In the long term, it means seeking out new ideas, testing strategies, and measuring impact.
As a network leader, I know that I don’t hold all the answers. The power of NCN has always been in our members and our community who are showing the way to greater impact. If you have thoughts about the future of social purpose real estate, shared space, or shared services, let’s talk! I’m reachable at kedwards@nonproficenters.org or 720-836-1189.