Member Highlight: Jackie Cefola, Consultant

Jackie Cefola (she/her) is a self-employed and intentionally part-time consultant who helps nonprofit leaders to start up shared spaces and shared back-office services. She provides research, planning, facilitation, and strategic guidance to move collaborative projects forward. She also serves as a neutral third party, gathering information, actively listening to partners, and suggesting strategies to address challenges.

Jackie is not only a long-time NCN member (since 2011), she is also fortunate to have worked with the NCN for many years in many capacities, most recently consulting with a team developing a new multi-tenant nonprofit center. She also currently works with the Dorchester Food Coop, opening in early 2023, and Movement Sustainability Commons, a start up offering fiscal sponsorship and shared back-office services.

What is one interesting fact about your space?

In addition to consulting, Jackie is currently taking some time to write about why nonprofit operations are the way they are, and why shared space and back office services can be an important strategy to counteract harmful norms. Her co-author, Debra Box, is a current NCN Board member and principal of In the Box Consulting, and former President and CEO of Support KC. Together, they plan to produce a related podcast in 2023.

What are your favorite resources that you would recommend to others?

The NCN Membership Resource Center and Member Directory are the best sources for materials related to nonprofit shared space and operations. “Shared Space and the New Nonprofit Workplace” by China Brotsky, Sarah Eisinger, and Diane Vinoku-Kaplan, is a wonderful guide, a must-read for anyone interested in nonprofit center or shared space development. Community Vision offers many terrific templates and resources for nonprofit real estate development. The Sustainable Economies Law Center offers amazing legal workshops related to their radical real estate services.

Center Name: Jackie Cefola, Consultant

Member Type: SPRE Partner

Location: Cambridge, MA

Center Website: https://cefolaconsulting.com

Connect on Social Media: Twitter