Message from the Executive Director

I hope you are taking some time to enjoy this beautiful weather even if that means just finding a nice spot outside to read this month's newsletter. We were so pleased to offer seats in our fall training cohorts to every organization that applied, and we look forward to reconnecting with last year's participants in an upcoming networking event. The building renovation at 41 Community Place is well underway and the Center's work will compliment the vision for Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park. If you haven't seen the draft master plan, take a look below. We've included a long list of external training opportunities this month and want to remind you that the grant cycles for Fiscal Year 26 are beginning now. Finally, mark March 7, 2024 on your calendars now for our second annual conference. We'll send the details soon.

-- Jennifer

23 Local Nonprofits Accepted into the Fall 2024 Training Cohorts

The Nonprofit Center is thrilled to welcome 23 organizations into our Fall 2024 Cohort, starting tomorrow! The 5 sessions will focus on fundraising and sustainability. All 23 organizations are local and serve Anne Arundel County in a variety of ways, with missions ranging from the arts to youth, the environment, and health & wellness.

To view the full list of organizations, check out our Facebook page. Be sure to click on each organization to learn more and follow their pages. We're proud of the work they do and are honored to be supporting their efforts!

This fundraising cohort is offered by the Nonprofit Center in partnership with the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County and facilitated by Lili Leonard of Black Dog Philanthropic.

Pictured: 2023 Grant Writing Cohort with Lili Leonard.

In The Spotlight: The Ballet Theatre of Maryland

As the Nonprofit Center continues to highlight the impactful work of Anne Arundel nonprofits, we're happy to feature The Ballet Theatre of Maryland In The Spotlight section of our website.

As part of the nonprofit’s mission, The Ballet Theatre of Maryland connects local communities to the art of dance by expanding access to live performances and dance education. Learn more here.

New Report Shows Shared Spaces Help Nonprofits Run More Efficiently and Effectively

Nonprofit shared spaces (also known as nonprofit centers) are a key example of social purpose real estate that provides high quality and affordable workspace, meeting space, and community infrastructure. Tenants of these spaces experience opportunities for collaboration and cost sharing that ultimately support a greater community impact.

In this recent report about the State of the Shared Space Sector, we’re presented with data that assess the impact of these spaces. The survey captures the tenant and community benefits, best practices, and innovations happening in these spaces every day. As you see the in chart below, nonprofit organizations overwhelmingly claimed that working in a shared space has many benefits for them.

Nonprofit shared spaces create vibrant, collaborative spaces that benefit both their nonprofit tenants and the broader community. As a shared space organization, the Nonprofit Center in Anne Arundel County hopes that you'll consider this data as we prepare to open our doors in late Spring / early Summer 2025!

What To Do When Closing The Doors: New Resources Listed on the Nonprofit Center's Website

Shutting down a nonprofit can feel like defeat, but sometimes it's the best course of action. If you've realized collaboration calls for consolidation, take heart! This can lead to an even more robust organization.

Your bylaws probably mention dissolution, but how do you know when it's time? And what steps do you take? The Nonprofit Center has a wide ranging list of resources on our website and we've just added a new section regarding dissolution. See our list of resource topics here.

Survey Results from the Nonprofit Center

In June of this year, 41 local nonprofits responded to an Interest Survey created by the Nonprofit Center. Some key findings and how we've responded include: 

Draft Plan Released for Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park

Anne Arundel County has been developing a master plan for the Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park (CHMP) and recently released the draft of this plan.

The plan defines a comprehensive vision for the future development of the historic Crownsville site, ensuring that any future improvements are thoughtful, supportable, and appropriate to the area. The master plan is a result of extensive public input and aims to establish a community-driven outcome for the future of the site.

The County is seeking feedback from residents and stakeholders as the master plan moves toward finalization. During the 45-day review period from October 10, 2024, to November 24, 2024, the public can send feedback to Crownsville-Park-Comments@aacounty.org.

In his 2022 inauguration speech, County Executive Pittman said "Today, in this place, we launch Crownsville Hospital Memorial Park, and its campus for the community-based nonprofit organizations that so effectively deliver behavioral health services, food assistance, job training, and anything and everything that promotes the social determinants of good health." The Nonprofit Center, located at 41 Community Place, will help support the vision.

"You fight for what’s right, you set that vision of where we could be — and then you go after it yourself." 

- Chandini Portteus, President and CEO of Wipe Out Kids’ Cancer

Other Nonprofit News and Announcements

☆ Anne Arundel County Public Libraries offers training on development topics through Candid tools. Sign up for a FREE 1:1 consultation on grant research with trained library staff at select branches.

☆ Grants from CFFAC's Help Our Neighbors Fund supports nonprofits that assist residents by providing emergency assistance. Deadline for Cycle 2: November 3, 2024. Learn more HERE.

☆ T.Rowe Price is offering a two-part webinar series titled Nonprofit Operations 101 and 201. Operations 101 will de-mystify what "operations" really means and explain how to break your organization into the who and the what. Operations 201 will dive deeper into the concepts presented in Operations 101 and help you pinpoint the exact positions, tools, practices, and systems you need to close key operational gaps. Learn more and register here.

☆ The Cyber Readiness Institute is offering a free course designed for small businesses and nonprofits who would like their employees and volunteers to attend training for cyber security. Register here.

☆ Free Post-Election Webinar: Impact of the Elections on Charitable Nonprofits. Attendees will learn the impact of the federal elections on nonprofits, their missions, and their communities. This webinar will focus on the election results, how they affect the lame-duck session of Congress starting next month, and what nonprofits from many different subsectors can expect from and achieve in the 119th Congress. Register here.

☆ BWI Airport is eager to strengthen its relationships with nonprofits in surrounding counties. BWI CEO Ricky Smith invites you to a "Coffee and Conversation with Ricky" to learn about BWI's remarkable development journey and its future vision, which promises to significantly impact our local economy and communities. Register here for the virtual event on October 24 at 9 AM.

☆ Embracing Best Practices, a Virtual Workshop on November 7, 2024.

For over 20 years, the Standards for Excellence® Code has helped nonprofits enhance sustainability and accountability. This 2-hour introductory course will guide you through the 67 performance indicators and provide tools to assess and strengthen your organization. You'll also gain access to a robust library of resources designed to support nonprofits of all sizes. Register here.

☆ Free Virtual Webinar: Ask Me Anything on the Standards for Excellence from Maryland Nonprofits. The Standards for Excellence are an A-Z resource on best practices for nonprofit organizational governance, management, policies and procedures, and legal compliance at any stage of a nonprofit’s lifecycle. Learn more and register here.

Grant Opportunities

☆ Department of Homeland Security Announces Funding to Protect Faith-Based Nonprofits

Additional details will be published in late October. Visit DHS for more information.

☆ United Way of Central Maryland announces 2024-2025 Neighborhood Grants

Neighborhood Grants are opportunities for organizations with total annual operating budgets of $500,000 or less to be eligible to receive $2,500 to $10,000 in funding to carry out community-centered projects that are resident-driven, connect community members, and create impact in Central Maryland. United Way of Central Maryland is accepting applications for our 2025 Neighborhood Grant opportunity!

☆ Arundel Community Development Services (ACDS) manages several grant programs for Anne Arundel County and the grant cycles for FY26 are beginning now. Specific details on each program can be found HERE.

Anne Arundel County's Nonprofit Events Hub

You can find a list of local nonprofit activities on our Events Hub!

Even better, you can add a submission to the Events Hub, making it even easier for county residents to find and attend your events, activities, and volunteer opportunities!

Did you know we post new events, grant opportunities, and other resources specifically for local nonprofits on our Facebook page? Follow us HERE!

The Nonprofit Center is a program of Anne Arundel County government. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Each NPC-sponsored event includes information about how to request an ADA Accommodation.

If someone forwarded this newsletter to you or you're viewing it online,

you can subscribe here.