Hands On Network

The Nonprofit Congress is an unprecedented effort to unite nonprofits and strengthen the charitable sector. In the best spirit of democracy, the Nonprofit Congress is bringing together nonprofit leaders and their allies from across the country to: identify and affirm the values that all nonprofits share; develop a vision and priorities for the nonprofit sector; and exercise a collective voice.

The Nonprofit Congress is driven by the idea that the nonprofit sector can be a more powerful force in our country if nonprofits acted collectively. To this end, the Nonprofit Congress is:

1. Proactive. The Nonprofit Congress seeks to help nonprofits set their own agenda rather than reacting to the actions of others. We envision a world where nonprofits play a central – and proactive – role in shaping the future of our communities.
2. Inclusive. The Nonprofit Congress reaches out to all charitable organizations and includes the voices of all different types and sizes of nonprofits in planning, prioritizing, and taking action. Since over 70% of nonprofits are small organizations, these groups play a central role.
3. Collective. The Nonprofit Congress is rooted in the power of collective action. We believe in the power of coalitions and strive to bring charitable organizations together across mission areas to find solutions to challenges faced by all nonprofits.
4. Bottom-Up. All of the work of the Nonprofit Congress – including the determination of values, priorities, and actions – is driven by nonprofits rather than being prescribed by a national organization. Developing local leadership is critical to the success of the Nonprofit Congress.
5. Striving to raise the voice of nonprofits. In addition to providing direct service to citizens, nonprofits are an important vehicle for educating policymakers and press, promoting citizen engagement, and creating systemic change. The Nonprofit Congress is designed to increase the collective impact of nonprofits at the local, state, and federal level.

The National Council of Nonprofit Associations (NCNA) is spearheading the Nonprofit Congress movement through its network of state associations and thousands of front-line nonprofits across the country.

Accomplishments to Date

In 2006, thousands of individuals engaged in the Nonprofit Congress movement, revealing a common and deep-seated belief that the time has come for nonprofits to work together to address our common challenges and opportunities. Activities to date include the following:
Declaration for America’s Nonprofits. Thousands of individuals from all 50 states and the District of Columbia demonstrated their commitment to nonprofits by signing the a call to unite nonprofit sector.

117 Town Hall Meetings in 43 States and Washington, DC. Nonprofit leaders came together through local Town Hall meetings to identify shared values, challenges, and visions for the future, and to develop proactive solutions for reaching collective goals.  Nonprofits of all sizes and mission-areas actively participated in these local meetings.

National Meeting.  Approximately 400 nonprofit delegates from 47 states gathered in Washington, D.C. in October 2006 to build on the work of the Town Hall Meetings. Delegates affirmed the shared values of nonprofits, voted to select to thre Top Priorities of the Nonprofit Congress, and developed preliminary action plans for their states.

Moving Forward

Hands On Ogeechee/Community Centered Foundation, Inc. will be taking the lead in hosting a Southeaster Summit & Presidential Candidate Debate in Savannah in collaboration with The Primary Project this fall.  Now is the time for nonprofits at the state and local level to develop action plans to address the Top Priorities and take the Nonprofit Congress movement to the next level.  Visit http://www.nonprofitcongress.org/getinvolved.htm for more information.  To find out how you can help, email Program Manager Jeremy Foreman for details.