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Join Your Nonprofit State Association
By Tamara Berry
Most states offer nonprofit associations that are open to licensed organizations functioning within state borders. Although most of them come with an annual membership fee, costs are generally pretty minimal (most offer year-long options for under $500).
For your subscription fee, you get a great networking opportunity with like-minded organizations as well as suppliers in the area. Oftentimes, companies without a nonprofit status (but ones that sell goods or services that can be of profound help to nonprofits) offer discounts when a connection is made through the association.
Although most nonprofits already know about the substantial benefits that can be derived from networking to share resources, information technology, strategies, and funding opportunities, these associations go a little bit further by addressing things on a state-wide level. Issues of governance, state and city license requirements, and other legal and ethical ramifications that vary according to location are often addressed through these associations. This is especially true for organizations that work directly with advocacy and public policy as a part of their everyday operations.
Another benefit of nonprofit state associations is access to conferences and training opportunities provided locally. Oftentimes, the primary barrier to attending conferences is the lack of travel budget. By keeping things within state and even city borders, you can oftentimes cut out the need for costly air travel or overnight expenses.
While networking on a national or even international level should certainly never be ignored, it’s important for nonprofits to also remember the impact they can have on a local level. Whether your organization is seeking to open new avenues of resource acquisition or looking to serve in a mentorship capacity to smaller, struggling nonprofits, there is much to be gained from reaching out to those in your community.
To learn more about state associations for nonprofits, please visit the National Council for Nonprofit Associations.
Topics: Networking, Online Resources |