About Us

The Nonprofit Congress, an initiative of the National Council of Nonprofit Associations and the state association network, empowers individuals and nonprofits to act collectively for positive change. Building on the fundamental belief that nonprofits are vital to society, the Nonprofit Congress is guided by shared values and priorities established by nonprofits in communities across the country.

To find out more, visit our website or contact us! You can also sign up for Nonprofit Congress Updates or subscribe to our Updates feed.

We have forged a common identity built from our shared values of dedication to the betterment of the communities we serve, commitment to serve others, serving as a catalyst for change and innovation, and operating with ethics and integrity. We also have identified the Top Priorities of the nonprofit sector; these Priorities have become the goals for collective action.

The Top Priorities of the Nonprofit Congress are:

• Nonprofit Organizational Effectiveness: Ensure that the sector has the resources it needs to serve communities and is effectively and efficiently managed. This priority emphasizes Accountability/Best Practices and Leadership.
• Advocacy and Grassroots Community Activities: Empower individuals and nonprofts to act collectively for postive change.
• Public Awareness and Support of the Sector: Increase public understanding and support so that nonprofits can continue to do their best work.

Now is the time for action. Below are a few ongoing national projects with which you can become involved.

• Leadership: A working group representing a broad spectrum of nonprofits has developed a workbook titled Work With Me: Intergenerational Conversations for Nonprofit Leadership that organizations can use to begin structuring a dialogue about leadership transfer across generations. The workbook is now available for sale and distribution. The group also published a compilation of nonprofit leadership programs [PDF] reviewed from across the country in November 2007.
• Best Practices: The Nonprofit Capacity Building Initiative (NCBI) is designed to secure federal support through grants to organizations that have a proven ability to deliver training, technical assistance, and other support to small and midsize nonprofits. The promotion of best practices will be developed and based on research, knowledge, and experience of nonprofit capacity building efforts across the country.
• Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network (NVEN) recognizes that individuals least likely to vote are often most likely to receive services from nonprofits. NVEN is working hard in several states to assist nonprofits in engaging their constituents in civic life. The Nonprofit Congress has partnered with NVEN to publicize the launch of their new website which features resources, toolkits, state-specific information, legal guidelines, and much, much more.
• The Public Awareness Project Work Group is engaged in efforts to increase positive public awareness of the nonprofit sector. The Work Group will develop practices based, in part, on two key principles. First, nonprofits are valuable assets - builders and weavers of society and of communities. Second, a well informed public and media will ensure that the important work of nonprofits is duly recognized and appreciated.
• The Primary Project is designed to educate presidential candidates and others about the nonprofit sector. The New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits (NHCN) coordinated extensive ‘bird dogging’ of all candidates and received substantial press coverage. The lessons learned from the Primary Project will be compiled for use in local and state elections, furthering encouraging nonprofit involvement in the election process.
• Now that thousands of nonprofits have signed the Declaration for America’s Nonprofits, the next step is to ratify the “Nonprofit Constitution” which affirms the values of our sector. The Nonprofit Constitution is a key document nonprofits can sign to proclaim their belief in and adherence to the guiding principles of the sector.
• Town Hall Meetings are one of the signature elements of the Nonprofit Congress. Almost 100 Town Halls were held throughout the country in 2007 and 2008 focused on sharing resources, fostering collaboration, and planning for future activity. Reports have been compiled and are available on our website.