Benefits

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Benefits

Florida Nonprofit Coalition

Benefits currently provided by the Florida Nonprofit Coalition

. Advancement
FNPC is actively advancing alternative ways for the nonprofit community to do business. Working to shift from simply "struggle, survive and compete" to a more balanced approach that includes collaboration, sharing, and long-term proactive planning and development of the entire sector.

2. Networking opportunities (EVENTS)
Bringing together nonprofits of all shapes and sizes to collaborate and find news ways to support one another.

3. Resource opportunities
Providing a space online and in e-newsletters for information on resources (meeting space, etc.) offered and needed by nonprofits in our region.

4. Sub-sector unity
Bringing together the existing strength of the many organizations supporting smaller sub-sectors of the nonprofits sector (ex., arts, mental health, faith-based, and human services organizations).

5. Critical
An active centralized portal directing nonprofits to key resources and information on the internet and current issues of concern to nonprofits.

6. Advocacy information and legislative alerts
Providing information on relevant local, state and national policy and legislative issues and access to those organizations that specialize in advocating for the nonprofit sector.

7. Public Awareness (News)
Working to increase public awareness about issues faced by nonprofits and the affect the nonprofit sector has on our communities. Developing relationships with the media, elected officials and other opinion leaders in order to deliver information about the impact of the nonprofit sector.

8. Spotlight on Greatness!
Each month nonprofits submit a profile of their organization or a specific program demonstrating innovation and greatness in the area of collaboration. The profile is an opportunity to highlight unique skills to the community and to current or potential funders.

9. Nonprofit groups in Florida

Actively building relationships with similar efforts throughout the state in order to exchange information and resources and providing regular updates on these efforts to you.

10. Research
Active and ongoing research that tells us how you want to proceed and tells us how you want to be supported.

Benefits potentially provided by the FNPC

1. Training and technical assistance
FNPC could provide a centralized venue for trainings and a place for all community training and event information to available. FNPC could work actively with all area-training providers to develop trainings that more precisely meet the varied needs of our sector.

2. Public Awareness and Advocacy
FNPC could do direct lobbying on policy issues that affect all nonprofit organizations such as tax and charitable giving law) and/or FNPC could work closely with those organizations that already provide lobbying for specific sub-sectors. FNPC could develop a comprehensive public awareness campaign that increases the awareness of the general public, elected officials and opinion leaders about the impact of the nonprofit sector on our communities.

3. Collective purchasing
FNPC contract for our group with vendors of all kinds to provide discounted products and services including health, D&O, and liability insurance, office equipment, supplies and furniture, advertising space and more. All nonprofits could have the same buying power that large universities and hospitals already have.

4. Collaboration
FNPC could provide detailed information, training and consulting services for those looking to increase collaboration with other organizations. Although FNPC will never direct a merger or recommend a collaboration, we could become an active resource for those who decide these options are right for them.

5. Web-based services
FNPC could harness current technology to provide a centralized location for information about nonprofit jobs, resources, trainings and events in a user friendly and interactive format.

6. Learning, action and resource conferences
FNPC could work together with similar organizations throughout the state to hold an annual nonprofit learning, action and resource conference where training providers, activists, and other providing resources for the nonprofit sector can come together.

7. Incubation of new nonprofits
FNPC could become a place where the brightest in our community, with great ideas about creating new nonprofit programs are supported and educated about the process. By providing direction and support, FNPC could turn these ventures into new resources and energy that benefit everyone rather than a just another drain on our limited resources.

8. Rural communities, building partnerships
FNPC could connect the larger metropolitan areas with rural communities to allow for an exchange of information and resources.

Building a partnership

Welcome! Thank you for visiting this site. We are building a grassroots organization from the ground up that represents nonprofits of all different shapes and sizes at all different levels of development, working on all different types of missions. A very daunting task.

Other initiatives started in Florida have stressed the need or desire to "include" rural communities. We don't want to just include you. FNPC wants to form a lasting partnership with you to better support the entire nonprofit sector and our local communities.

There are many hurdles and certain challenges that might cause some to say this isn't worth trying. We believe it is worth trying and that it can be done. With your support, partnership and commitment, we will build a powerful alliance and become a powerful sector.

Communications

Email lists and contact information
In order for this emerging group to begin to build relationships and partnerships with rural nonprofits, we need to be able to contact everyone. If you are part of a network or coalition of nonprofits, please consider allowing us to send an welcome message to the group. These communication lines will eventually be the path that FNPC services will be made available top rural groups.

Meetings

Let's start a rural sub-committee of FNPC that works to connect the different areas, open lines of communication, identify areas of collaboration, secures needed services and addresses unique concerns. To get this sub-committee started contact us at nonprofitcoalition@myway.com

Large group meetings

We need to develop systems and policies that ensure that rural groups are represented at large group meetings as full partners. If tele/video conferencing can be established this will become much easier. However, we will also need to consider identifying funding for driving expenses (when needed) and to consider voting policies that allow for a single representative to speak for the interests of several.

Unique challenges

Rural organizations face unique challenges around how collective purchasing will benefit them, how to manage large coverage areas, and capatilizing on the limited resources available to them. We will need to work together to identify these challenges and find ways to address them together.

Five committees will be formed as a result of direct requests from meeting participants. These committees are focused on providing organizational leadership and development as well as inspiring action in each specific area. They are -

Steering Committee
A small steering committee has formed to develop a strategic plan for the development of a strong and successful nonprofit sector in Florida. The groups first objective is to more clearly define our short and long term goals, develop an identity (including a name), and support the other sub-committees described below.
Advocacy and Public Awareness Committee
This is the largest of the three sub-committees currently meeting. The group's goals are to work with the steering committee to clearly define the groups identity and short and long term goals so that a clear and coherent image of the larger group is communicated to other nonprofits and the general public.

In addition, the group is developing a specific action plan that will allow us to make some progress in the short-term.

3. Collective Purchasing Committee
This sub-committee is currently researching the potential for fledgling collaborative groups such as this one to begin the process of developing a collective purchasing plan. In order to take advantage of the experience of others, they are reaching out to other groups that have already gone through this process with some success.

4. Training and Technical Assistance Committee
This sub-committee will rely heavily on the results of the current Survey of Nonprofit Training Opportunities that is being conducted with the support of the Florida Grantmakers. They will work with the survey project interns to interpret and present the findings and with implementing any recommendations that result from the study.

5. Collaboration Committee
This sub-committee will look to develop resources to support collaborative efforts in programming and other areas of nonprofit management.

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Other committee/volunteer action areas

We have created a monthly showcase for local, regional and state nonprofit sector organizations and programs that take an innovative and collaborative approach. The intention behind the Spotlight of Greatness is to improve the nonprofit sector's imagine, provide people with unique ideas for programming and call attention to programs providing excellent services.
Recently a group has formed to provide a forum for nonprofit executives to confidentially share information and ideas and learn from one another in a supportive environment. The group's name is Non-profit Executives Together and is intended for Florida nonprofit executives. Feel free to email us at nonprorfitcoalition@myway.com. if you would like a referral to this group.
Research, design, implement and promote a centralized location where all nonprofits know they can go to find existing resources that are available to them.

Ideas for potential future action

Create a nonprofit resource exchange opportunity, either online through a listserv or a live meeting schedule. A venue where nonprofit leaders can exchange information and resources.
Community meetings in cities Florida to debrief the Florida Nonprofit Capacity Building Initiative's Final Report. What did they accomplish? What actions can we, in Florida, take now? All cities south of Florida have had limited exposure to this effort.
Schedule a lobbying action or event that nonprofits can galvanize around and get in communication with the legislature here in Florida.
Work with other regions to schedule, plan and execute a statewide nonprofit sector conference or summit