NORTH CAROLINA CENTER FOR NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS INC

INNOVATE LEARNING: THE NORTH CAROLINA CENTER FOR NONPROFITS TRAINED 4,289 COMMUNITY LEADERS THIS YEAR THROUGH 71 PRESENTATIONS, WEBINARS, AND WORKSHOPS ACROSS THE STATE ABOUT BEST PRACTICES IN NONPROFIT GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP, AND MANAGEMENT. THESE TRAININGS PROVIDED OPPORTUNITIES FOR NONPROFIT BOARD AND STAFF MEMBERS TO STRENGTHEN COMMUNITY ASSETS, EXCHANGE SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS, SHARE THE LESSONS THEY HAVE LEARNED, AND OFFER SUPPORT TO EACH OTHER IN THEIR CHALLENGING WORK. TOPICS INCLUDED CUSTOMIZING DIRECT MAIL APPEALS, CRAFTING COMPELLING MESSAGES TO ATTRACT DONORS, LEVERAGING AI, BEST PRACTICES FOR MONTH-END CLOSE, AND SHARING UPDATES ABOUT THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR OVERTIME RULE. DURING THESE TRAINING ACTIVITIES, WE: - EDUCATED 443 NONPROFIT LEADERS ABOUT EMERGING ISSUES AND BEST PRACTICES AT OUR 2023 STATEWIDE CONFERENCE. THIS TWO-DAY IN-PERSON CONFERENCE FEATURED A KEYNOTE FROM DONNA MURRAY-BROWN, WHO SHARED A PRESENTATION FOCUSED ON EXPLORING TEAM DEVELOPMENT AS A STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABILITY. THE EVENT FEATURED 13 SESSIONS TACKLING A WIDE VARIETY OF NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT TOPICS AS WELL AS A LEGAL COMPLIANCE WORKSHOP, NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES, AND AN EXHIBITOR HALL. - PARTNERED WITH DAWN CRAWFORD OF BC/DC IDEAS TO OFFER THE WEBINAR "KIND BOSS: BUILD STRENGTH IN COLLABORATION" TO 185 REGISTRANTS. - COLLABORATED WITH NONPROFIT CAPACITY BUILDERS IN NORTH CAROLINA TO OFFER SEVEN NONPROFIT POLICY CONVERSATIONS TO BRING TOGETHER NONPROFIT LEADERS AND LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS TO DISCUSS PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO CHARITABLE NONPROFITS AND THE PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES THEY SERVE. EDI ROUNDTABLES FOR NONPROFIT EXECUTIVES: THE CENTER CONTINUED BUILDING UPON ITS "WALKING THE TALK: EQUITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION IN NORTH CAROLINA NONPROFITS" INITIATIVE WHICH ENDEAVORS TO SUPPORT THE CAPACITY OF NONPROFITS TO CREATE CHANGE BY EDUCATING NONPROFIT DECISION-MAKERS ON THE ISSUES OF RACE EQUITY AND IMPLICIT BIAS, ACCOMPANIED BY CHANGES IN ACTION, LEADING TO MEASURABLE RESULTS. THE CENTER'S THIRD OFFERING OF ITS FIVE-SESSION SERIES, "EDI ROUNDTABLES FOR NONPROFIT EXECUTIVES - BRAVE SPACES FOR BOLD ACTION" WAS OFFERED FEBRUARY-MARCH 2024 WITH CLOSE TO 50 PARTICIPANTS. THIS EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON THE RACIAL LEADERSHIP GAP, THE GENERATIONAL LEADERSHIP GAP, AND THE POLICIES, PRACTICES, AND ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURES IN NONPROFITS THAT EXACERBATE THESE GAPS. NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE: SINCE SEPTEMBER 2020, THE CENTER HAS OFFERED ITS "NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE" (NPMI) TWICE A YEAR, ONCE IN THE SPRING AND ONCE IN THE FALL. THIS LEARNING COHORT OF NONPROFIT EXECUTIVES, MANAGERS, AND BOARD LEADERS GATHERS VIRTUALLY TO ASSESS THEIR ORGANIZATIONS' MANAGEMENT PRACTICES, IDENTIFY SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES, BUILD CAPACITY WHERE THERE ARE GAPS, AND WORK TOWARDS LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY. WE ARE EXCITED TO ADD THAT LOCAL FUNDERS HAVE PROVIDED SCHOLARSHIPS TO THEIR GRANTEES TO PARTICIPATE IN THE INSTITUTE AND GRADUATE WITH A NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE CERTIFICATE. TO DATE, OVER 400 NONPROFIT LEADERS HAVE GRADUATED FROM THE NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT INSTITUTE AND OUR FIRST IN PERSON "NPMI MASTER CLASS" TOOK PLACE IN NOVEMBER 2024. CENTERED MANAGED SOLUTIONS: FOLLOWING A SUCCESSFUL CMS PILOT PROGRAM IN 2022, WHEREIN THE CENTER WORKED WITH THE NORTH CAROLINA PARTNERSHIP FOR CHILDREN TO MAKE THIS SERVICE AVAILABLE FOR 11 OF THEIR LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS (LPS) AT NO COST, THE CENTER ENGAGED 19 Z. SMITH REYNOLDS FOUNDATION AND NEWLY ADDED THE CAMBER GRANTEES (MOSTLY RURAL-BASED AND BILPOC-LED) TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM IN 2023- 2024. THE CENTER CONTINUED ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNC SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT ON CAPACITY-BUILDING RESEARCH TO HELP DOCUMENT OUR CMS APPROACH, PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION, AND EVALUATION.

CHAMPION THE SECTOR: WE ADVOCATED FOR A POSITIVE POLICY ENVIRONMENT TO SUPPORT THE WORK OF 501 (C)(3) NONPROFITS THROUGHOUT NORTH CAROLINA SO THAT THESE ORGANIZATIONS CAN MORE EFFECTIVELY DELIVER PROGRAMS AND SERVICES TO HELP COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE. SOME EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC RESULTS INCLUDE: - KEPT THE NONPROFIT SECTOR UNITED ON FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL TAX POLICY ISSUES AFFECTING THE TAX-EXEMPT STATUS OF 501(C)(3) NONPROFITS AND AFFECTING THE OPERATIONS OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. - ADVOCATED ON STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATION AND RULES TO ENSURE THE SUSTAINABILITY OF CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS AND TO HELP NONPROFITS SAVE TIME AND MONEY. EXAMPLES INCLUDE ADVOCACY TO MODERNIZE STATE NONPROFIT CORPORATION AND CHARITABLE SOLICITATION LAWS, TO SIMPLIFY THE STATE SALES TAX EXEMPTION PROCESS FOR 501(C)(3) NONPROFITS, TO MINIMIZE RED TAPE FOR NONPROFITS THAT PROVIDE PUBLIC SERVICES THROUGH GOVERNMENT GRANTS AND CONTRACTS, AND TO INCREASE INCENTIVES FOR ALL NORTH CAROLINIANS TO GIVE GENEROUSLY TO SUPPORT THE WORK OF CHARITABLE NONPROFITS THROUGH CHANGES TO FEDERAL AND STATE TAX LAWS. - TRACKED DOZENS OF BILLS IN THE NC GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND CONGRESS THAT COULD AFFECT NONPROFITS IN A WIDE VARIETY OF WAYS. - KEPT NONPROFIT STAFF AND BOARD MEMBERS ACROSS THE STATE INFORMED THROUGH WEEKLY EMAIL UPDATES, SOCIAL MEDIA POSTINGS, AND ONLINE WORKSHOPS. - PROVIDED TRAINING AND WRITTEN MATERIALS TO HELP NORTH CAROLINA NONPROFITS UNDERSTAND THE IMPLICATIONS OF THE STATE BUDGET AND OTHER RECENTLY ENACTED STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS FOR THEIR ORGANIZATIONS' FUNDRAISING AND OPERATIONS. THE CENTER CONTINUED TO TRACK TRENDS IN THE ECONOMIC IMPACT AND FISCAL HEALTH OF NORTH CAROLINA'S CHARITABLE NONPROFIT SECTOR.