The Community Partners Center seeks to provide a professional office space environment where its tenants and guests are encouraged to collaborate, explore and develop synergies among themselves and other community businesses and organizations that support their success in providing the highest caliber of programs and services in the most cost-effective manner possible. Based in a suburb of Philadelphia, the Community Partners Center currently houses six nonprofit tenants.
Centrally located within Sutton, a growing community within Georgina, the Town of Georgina purchased the decommissioned Sutton Public School in 2011. Since then, the Town's multi-million dollar investment towards the renovation of Phase 1 of The Link finished in July 2015. 15,000 sq.ft. now houses a multi-sector service centre that addresses various community challenges, provides a unique collaboration platform and, because of Georgina's geographic size, has reduced the difficulty of accessing programs and services now all in one location. The Link has multiple tenant organizations operating full-time, short-term rental & programming spaces such as a large Event Hall, state of the art Commercial Teaching Kitchen, two meeting rooms and a beautiful 6 acre backyard located centrally in the town.
It’s Time to Register for Sharing Innovation 2019! It’s time to register for the third annual Sharing Innovation event! (Don’t miss the best registration rate! Early bird discounted registration ends Friday, August 30th). We are ecstatic at NCN about this gathering. It has continued to grow each year, and we are even more impressed with the groundbreaking collaboration happening all over the US and Canada. Every day, more groups are creating shared spaces and shared services to enable organizations to realign how they use resources to tackle the biggest challenges in their communities. No matter the size or scope of your organization, our speakers will have relevant, actionable advice and creative strategies for sharing. Sharing Innovation is a different type of NCN gathering. It’s a time to amplify ideas, dream big, and discuss what’s possible. You will hear from our network about the increased efficiency and effectiveness folks are experiencing from sharing space and other resources. We sought out speakers who are using infrastructure to achieve impact, and we wanted to hear how they are shaping their communities through collaborative, place-based initiatives.
The Nonprofit Centers Network is happy to announce the Upcoming release Rethinking Overhead: Daring to Share Resources Preview, a new on-line publication designed to help you consider why shared back office services could be fit for your organization.* Why are we asking you to think about shared services? As a sector, we need innovative strategies that support nonprofit organizations to access essential overhead services. As nonprofit center developers and operators, we understand the power of collaboration and the potential for shared services to add value to shared spaces. As organizational leaders, we know that our operations gain strength and resiliency through high-quality back office services. And as mission-based practitioners, we want to focus our time and effort on mission-based activities. Sure, this all sounds great in theory but what are the real reasons why organizations participate in shared services? To answer this question, the NCN team asked the leaders of 12 organizations (six service providers and six clients/partners/members/projects) to tell us their shared services stories.
We host Ask-NCN Live video calls to build our community and give another opportunity for shared problem solving. Before the webinar, members submit questions to guide the conversation. Unlike our Ask-NCN forum, attendees get instant feedback from peers. We find that our members are excited to share their expertise whether it’s their successes or hard lessons learned. Our March Ask-NCN Live focused on the topic of collaboration. It’s a common assumption that if you stick a bunch of nonprofits in one building, it’s inevitable that they’ll start collaborating, right? Well, maybe sometimes, but it’s usually challenging in one way or another. Here are a few of the highlights. How do we encourage collaboration without forcing it?
This week the Nonprofit Centers Network team is busy preparing for the publication of Rethinking Overhead, our new resource for nonprofit leaders who want to share services. What are shared services? At the Nonprofit Centers Network, we describe shared services as being developed by two or more nonprofit organizations that collaborate to jointly access the time and expertise of contractors, employees or fiscal sponsors to create positive impacts for their operations and their communities. This might be overkill but I’d like to take some time to break this down.
Was it just yesterday or a lifetime ago, the moment we cut the ribbon at the Community Partners Center in Colmar, PA? Suddenly, the building was complete, and the operating had begun. I have been spending some time reflecting on those transitional moments when a shift in mindset is required. I’m in one of those now. I recently left my long-time position operating a foundation and a nonprofit center to join Fiscal Management Associates (FMA) – a national consulting firm that builds the financial strength of nonprofit and philanthropic organizations. My transition from an internal operations position to an external consultant required a shift in mindset – just as the change from building a center to operating a center requires a new perspective, new skills and a resilience-focused mindset.
Bronson Centre is a 45,000 ft2 community facility, nestled into the heart of downtown Ottawa, the capital of Canada. We have up to 40 permanent, not-for-profit tenants, resident in our building at any one time. On a day rental basis we have served 100’s of associations and cultural groups for almost 25 years. Our charity was founded in 1996, the same year that we were invited to re-purpose the use of an old high school. As a solid, revenue positive organization (and wholesome example of a healthy social enterprise !) we purchased the building in 2017. Our commitment is to enhance and strengthen our role as a dynamic shared space facility for the next 25 years. Our core mission is to provide affordable rents and administrative and cultural hub services to those who in turn serve the needy, the poor, and arts and cultural communities of our region.
You might not have heard yet, but NCN is developing ANOTHER amazing resource. Our main goal is to identify and analyze current human services one stop center models and practices that elevate the service experience for clients. Over the past couple months, I’ve been interviewing A LOT of folks at human services centers. The first question I ask in these interviews is: Does your center identify as a one-stop human services center? While some answer with an emphatic “YES! A THOUSAND TIMES, YES!” (or maybe just a simple “Yes”), many answers go something like this… “Well...maybe?” “Wait…what do you mean by that?” “I call it that in conversation…but not formally.” And every interviewer’s personal favorite: “Hmmmmm…*LONG PAUSE*” I know it may seem like I’m complaining about these answers, but I’m not. I promise! Since this question is so hard to answer, it tells me that there is a significant level of confusion about the topic. That is why part of this research will be to determine what exactly we mean by the term “one stop human services center.” And, what is that definition you ask? Don’t worry. It will be in the Strengthening the Safety Net report.
I admit it. I recently watched an episode of “Tidying Up,” Marie Kondo’s new reality series about home organizing and I found it compelling. Participants sorted through all of their belongings to recognize and focus on what they truly loved and get rid of the rest.I wonder about applying this strategy at work. What would work feel like if we were able to focus more time and attention on the tasks that spark joy, the tasks that relate to our missions?For myself at the Nonprofit Centers Network, I recognize that what really floats my boat is working with organizations and communities interested in sharing space, services, time, and knowledge. I see how these innovative strategies allow organizations to access necessary resources, run more efficiently, be more impactful, and develop a greater focus on mission. Conversely, what sparks my anxiety is bookkeeping.
1536 Wynkoop Street, Suite 103
Denver, CO 80202
info@nonprofitcenters.org
720.836.1189
June 26, 2019
June 16, 2019
