Background

It is time to define a strong collective voice, to develop a collaborative vision and plan of action that builds upon the strength and effectiveness of all Wisconsin nonprofits as a catalyst for our state's future. It is increasingly obvious that our nonprofits are not frills, but an integral part of a healthy, artistic, vitally economic, and productive state. This is our opportunity to take pro-active steps to form a state association of Wisconsin's nonprofits that will make the most of our sector and its people, resources, and opportunities.

Wisconsin's nonprofits meet an array of our community's needs. How do we help Wisconsin's nonprofit organizations reach their fullest capacity and better serve their constituents? State associations now exist in 38 other states supporting local nonprofit organizations by strengthening their capacity and speaking on behalf of their concerns to evoke meaningful and lasting change, while also keeping the public informed on the latest challenges and achievements in the nonprofit field. Through state associations, local nonprofit organizations collaborate to manage and lead themselves more effectively, increase their impact in their communities, and strengthen their collaborative voice on issues that affect both society and the nonprofit sector.

HISTORY

The State Association of Wisconsin Nonprofits Project began in 2004, when project co-leaders JoAnn Stormer, Executive Director, Wisconsin Rural Leadership Program and Heidi Fisher, Director of Annual Giving and Major Gifts Officer, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Foundation conducted research to determine the initial interest in forming a state association of nonprofits in Wisconsin. The research included interviews with more than 50 individuals around the state; discussions with the staff of the National Council of Nonprofit Associations; conversations with directors of several other state associations around the country; and analysis of many of the state association organizational models. The research indicated that there was strong interest in having a statewide association in Wisconsin.

Based on this initial research, Ms. Stormer and Ms. Fisher secured almost $50,000 in funding and in-kind services from seven foundations, consultants, and nonprofit organizations around the state, to conduct a feasibility study. In 2005 they recruited 20 other nonprofit leaders from around the state to form the feasibility study volunteer steering team. Within just six months the team completed the feasibility study, which included personal interviews, 11 focus groups held at various locations around the state, a statewide written survey to assess capacity-building needs, and an economic impact survey. The collective and comprehensive information gathered from more than 1,000 nonprofit leaders from rural and urban locations, small to large organizations, and each nonprofit subsector overwhelmingly supported the formation of a state association and gave clear, data-driven direction for its success.

Prominent themes that emerged from the nonprofit leaders that participation in the study include:

1. The majority of these nonprofit leaders are interested in the formation of a state association to more fully accomplish their missions in serving the people of Wisconsin. Yet if a state association is formed, it must be strategic in the products and services to be offered.
2. There are very similar challenges for nonprofits across the state regardless of their varying demographics and missions, including:

• Funding challenges, such as the increasing costs of operations and employee benefits.
• An increasing demand for services within the nonprofit sector.

1. Nonprofit leaders across the state also shared similar needs:

• Public policy advocacy and education efforts to educate the public on the value of the nonprofit sector
• Public policy advocacy to address issues that impact all of Wisconsin’s nonprofits
• Collective purchasing of personnel benefits and other services and products
• Collaboration among nonprofits to help them serve more needs

The results of the feasibility study clearly identified four service areas that Wisconsin nonprofit leaders deem important enough to justify the formation of this association. These service areas are:

1. Public Policy Advocacy and Education. The membership-driven public policy advocacy efforts will develop a common language and conceptual framework for advocacy of Wisconsin's nonprofit sector as a whole and will encourage public discourse through the use of advocacy information. The association will address overarching issues, such as emphasizing stronger governance oversight, protecting the sector's tax-exempt status, and increasing state and local funding. The association will provide advocacy education, training, and resources so members and other constituents can develop and strengthen the skills and knowledge needed to speak out for themselves and together for their subsector missions.
2. Collective purchasing. Most interest in the collective purchasing lies in access to healthcare and other personnel benefits. However, a second strong priority is purchasing a wide range of supplies for the office, such as equipment, computers and technology-related hardware and software, and important services such as financial audits. Together, respondents hope the state association will help their nonprofit decrease their expenses. Survey respondents also indicated an interest in organizational insurance needs, such as general liability and Directors and Officers insurance.
3. Create visibility/legitimacy for the nonprofit sector. Many nonprofit leaders who participated in the feasibility study believe that a stronger public perception of nonprofits' legitimacy and value is important. Accordingly, respondents are looking for an effective and ongoing public relations campaign to improve the nonprofit sector's standing with Wisconsin residents and communities, businesses, government, and philanthropic leaders. Nonprofit leaders believe that this will help with their efforts to increase government and private philanthropic funding.
4. Facilitate collaboration among nonprofits. Many feasibility study participants realize that collaborating and/or partnering with other nonprofits can help them serve more needs, decrease their costs, and increase their funding opportunities.

To view the Feasibility Study Report click here.

CREATING A WISCONSIN STATE ASSOCIATION OF NONPROFITS

The idea of a statewide association of nonprofits is not new to Wisconsin. In 1993 WANO, the Wisconsin Association of Nonprofit Organizations was an attempt that didn't thrive. With only a small planning grant, its organizers were never able to expand membership by nonprofits or gain critical support from the philanthropic community primarily because they weren't able to develop services for the nonprofits. We are also aware that there are some efforts in specific locales in Wisconsin that seek to provide training and some networking for nonprofits. These consultants and groups concentrate their efforts with their local nonprofits and there is no attempt at statewide or sector-wide efforts. We look forward to the opportunity to connect with and build upon and not duplicate these local efforts in order to offer more opportunities and services to all nonprofits across the state and not just to those in certain locations or subsectors. We anticipate that the data-driven information in the feasibility study, the completion of a business plan along with a thorough planning and implementation of services requested by nonprofit leaders and the creation of partnerships will encourage membership by nonprofits and support from the philanthropic community.

We recognize this is still very much of a beginning point. However, we believe the time is right to manage these challenges and needs as well as our sector's responsibilities and opportunities. We anticipate that the data-driven information in the feasibility study, the completion of a business plan along with thorough planning and implementation of services requested by nonprofit leaders and the creation of partnerships will encourage membership by nonprofits and support from the philanthropic community in a state association of Wisconsin's nonprofits.

It is time to define a strong collective voice, develop a collaborative vision and a plan of action that builds on the strengths and effectiveness of Wisconsin nonprofits as a catalyst for Wisconsin's future. It is increasingly obvious that our state's nonprofits are not frills, but an integral part of a healthy, artistic, vitally economic, and productive state. This is our opportunity to take pro-active steps to make the most of our sector, its people, resources and opportunities, and to meet the challenges posed. Wisconsin's nonprofit organizations will become better equipped to respond not only to the current societal challenges but also prepare for future challenges. A state association will enhance capacity building, provide increased access to knowledge and resources, give a state and national voice to nonprofits and collaborate to leverage resources for all nonprofits, regardless of size, or service area in the state.

We anticipate the launching of the WISCONSIN NONPROFITS ASSOCIATION in the early part of 2007. We hope that you will join in supporting this effort that will go a long way toward building the capacity of all Wisconsin's nonprofits.

Thanks to all those who have been involved since the beginning in making this project happen:

David G. Cochrane
Executive Director, Family Forum, Inc. Superior

Heidi L. Fisher, Project Co-Leader
Director of Annual Giving and Major Gifts Officer, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Foundation, now Executive Director, Literacy Volunteers Chippewa Valley

Boris Frank
President, Boris Frank Associates, Verona

Deborah Fugenschuh
President, Donors Forum of Wisconsin, Milwaukee

Carol L. Gabler
Executive Director, Literacy Volunteers Chippewa Valley, Eau Claire

Elaine Friedman Glowacki
Sole Proprietor, “A Person to Person Business”, Madison

Sarah Halstead
Executive Director, Family Resource Centers of Portage County, Stevens Point

Kelly Haverkampf
Executive Director, Wisconsin Rural Partners, Waunakee

Nancy Heykes
Executive Director, Multicultural Center, Appleton

Sheryl Homan
Professor, UW Superior, Center for Continuing Education/Extension University of Wisconsin-Superior

Gary Horvat
Retired Nonprofit Director, Rice Lake

Anne Katz
Executive Director, Arts Wisconsin, Madison

Margaret Larson
Mental Health Association, LaCrosse

Andrew Lewis
Community Development Specialist, Center for Community Economic Development, University of Wisconsin Extension, Madison

Joyce Mallory
Organizational Development/Consultant, The Nonprofit Center of Milwaukee

Carol N. Maria
Executive Director, Urban Economic Development Association of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, now President, Wisconsin Business Development Service Corporation, Waukesha

Salli Martyniak
Executive Director, The Dane Fund now Forward Community Investments, Madison

Bill Rizzo
Community Resource Development Educator, UW-Extension of Dane County, Madison

John Palmer Smith
Executive Director, Helen Bader Institute of Nonprofit Management, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

JoAnn Stormer, Project Co-Leader
Executive Director, Wisconsin Rural Leadership Program, Madison

Betsy Swenson
Organizational Development Consultant, Janesville, now Community Grants Specialist, Northern Illinois Nonprofit Management Center, Rockford, Ill

Jose Vasquez
Diversity Initiative Specialist, University of Wisconsin-Cooperative Extension, Milwaukee, now Director, BoardStar, Milwaukee