Program Generates Ideas for the Future!

The March 12th Group program was attended by 21 nonprofit executive directors. The program opened with a lively networking activity with directors introducing themselves and their organizations to each other. And many found they were doing so for the first time. The Group then split into 5 groups and discussed the five questions posed in the "Cycle of Collaboration" activity facilitated by Randall VanWagoner. The answers identified as most important are listed below for each question. The answers offer insight into the opportunities and areas of focus for the Group.

The Group finished the meeting with a discussion about next steps. The priority areas that were discussed include: Staff retention/development; Staff compensation/salary survey; Economic impact study; Database of training skills; and Group directory (now linked in the "About" section). A suggestion was made to formalize a mission and vision, and the Steering Committee plans to start this discussion. The Group is also looking to answer the question: What if we weren't here? One idea discussed was to focus on the economic impact by collecting the payroll, budget, and number of staff for each nonprofit.

The Group will be focusing on staff retention and development at the May 14th program. An online climate assessment survey will be created for distribution among the Group, and these results will set the agenda and discussion for the next Program. An announcement about the survey will be made shortly.

What are obstacles to collaborations and partnerships?

• Think we need to compete (going after the same $ and clients)


• Time commitment


• Focus on self preservation (not community need)


• Trust


• Politics (backroom deals)

What are the resource benefits to partnering?

• A joint training or shared space


• Shared training- each agency open in-services to others


• Eliminate duplication of services


• Technology shared resources


• Nonprofit resource center (online/directory)

What is our biggest benefit to the community?

• Willingness to work with City to improve/solve problems (impact quality of life)


• Common good- serving people


• Economic impact, i.e. workforce, save the economy $$ (we are an economic benefit to the community)


• Collaboration


• Help nonprofits strategize efforts, planning and get outside view from each other to help us improve (better SWOTs)

What is a big idea for us to do together?

• Resource pool for one another (directory of services/calendar of events)


• Leadership development


• Leadership succession


• Staff development


• Promote nonprofits’ benefit to the community (what if we didn’t exist?)

What are obstacles we all share?

• Money


• Lack of political influence


• Lack of trust (personal agendas)


• Human resources issues (small or large org- people wearing too many hats)


• Too many 501c3s (there is disagreement on this)


• Negative community self imageTalk-little action or spinning wheels