This month marks a year of healing since Hurricane Helene rained down on western North Carolina, leaving families and communities facing devastating loss. Throughout it all, nonprofits have been essential to recovery – providing shelter, food, financial assistance, emotional support, and much more while helping communities rebuild both physically and spiritually. Their work has been a lifeline and continual. Recovery is not finished, but thanks to the commitment of nonprofits and resilience of community partners, WNC communities grow more stable every day. Here are community events bringing people together to recognize the hardships and milestones.

Tip of the month: information & technology

Our Tips of the Month share simple, practical advice inspired by our Principles & Practices guide to help you strengthen your organization, connect with your community, and reach your mission.

Check out this month's tip on making technology work for you so you’re mission-focused, data-informed, and digitally secure.

Building leadership

Nonprofit leadership is all about resilience, growth, and shared responsibility. Working through challenges, embracing honesty and equity in our daily work, and leading with courage and reflection are what keep our organizations and our sector strong. With nonprofits facing ever-changing demands and tight resources, these approaches are more important than ever. The leaders who keep learning, take care of themselves, and support one another make the biggest difference. 

If this resonates with you, join the fall Nonprofit Management Institute beginning on September 23 and experience firsthand the growth, connection, and skills achieved by ten cohorts of NPMI alumni.

Changes to Health Plan Costs

For the past few years, many people have received enhanced premium tax credits that made Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace health plans more affordable. Those credits will expire at the end of this year, meaning health coverage costs will increase for many individuals and families starting in 2026 – including the people our nonprofits serve as well as nonprofit staff whose employers don’t provide health insurance.

Check out BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina’s blog post and one-page fact sheet to understand what’s changing before ACA Marketplace enrollment opens in November.

Center Members can also review health benefit options, among a menu of other benefits and coverage for your employees, through the Center's Association Health Plan. There’s no obligation to request a quote, however, organizations must be a member to participate in the AHP.

Nonprofits *are* getting it done

Nonprofits are AMAZING! Check out how #NonprofitsGetItDone here in our home state and all across the country. Join in to showcase your own mission and impact so together, we can shine a light on the causes changing our communities and inspire others to give, volunteer, and get involved!

You’re invited

Registration for the 2025 Conference for North Carolina’s Nonprofits is open! This 2-day gathering of nonprofit leaders from across the state to build knowledge, skills, and connections is more important than ever as the political and funding landscape continues to shift and our organizations step up in big ways to advocate for our communities and protect the heart of our missions and teams.

Join us November 19-20 in Research Triangle Park for:

• 25 concurrent sessions on the issues nonprofits face day-to-day
• 3 in-depth plenaries on nonprofit legal compliance policies & rules, a fundraising outlook, and building nonprofit leadership pipelines
• Lightning sessions for quick insights and inspiration
• A celebration of NC nonprofits to launch the Center’s 35th anniversary
• Plenty of networking at the welcome reception, session breaks and throughout the Nonprofit Marketplace Exhibit Hall
• And stay tuned for the keynote announcement!

Get details, check out registration rates – including Center Member and Early Bird discounts – and register now!

Every vote counts

We’ve said before and we’ll say it again: empowering voters is nonprofit mission work. Making sure everyone can cast their vote means the voices of the people we serve are “at the table” when important decisions are made. And because local elections have the most direct impact on our daily lives, every vote matters. 

Thanks to all the nonprofits that participated in National Voter Registration Day earlier this week! Get ready for National Voter Education Week on October 6–10 to keep spreading the word – ready-made messaging, graphics, handouts, slide decks, and more make it easy.

What We're Reading

• The Most Underrated Skill for Creating Social Change (video), Amber Melanie Smith
• Rethinking Nonprofit Survival: Why Partnership Is the New Leadership, Nonprofit Quarterly
• #GivingTuesday Ultimate Guide, Bloomerang

Upcoming Training

• Nonprofit Management Institute, September 23-October 28
• Nonprofit Accounting Basics (For Non-Accountants), September 25
• Trauma Informed Instruction, September 30
• The Nonprofit's Guide to Sustainable Success: Mastering Governance & Fiduciary Duty, October 2
• Creating a Culture of Financial Transparency, October 9
• From Boring to Bold: Visual Design Skills for Trainers, October 28
• QuickBooks for Online, November 4-5
• Am I the Problem…Or Is It AI? How Nonprofits Work Smarter, Not Harder with AI, November 6
• Stories That Stick: How Real-World Scenarios Spark Change, November 13
• 2025 Conference for NC’s Nonprofits, November 19-20
• AI Certification for Nonprofit Leaders (on-demand, 12-session course)
• The Ultimate Grant Proposal Blueprint: Your Step-by-Step Roadmap and Build-It-Yourself Toolkit for Crafting an A+ Proposal (on-demand, 8-session course)
• The Trainer Academy (on-demand, 16-session course)
• Bookmark the Nonprofit Calendar for ongoing training and events

Powering Nonprofits: Spotlight on Our Business Sustainers

Thank you to the incredible businesses that are helping drive impact across North Carolina’s nonprofit sector. These Business Sustainers invest not just in the Center but in the strength, resilience, and reach of nonprofits statewide. Their support fuels high-quality training, bold advocacy efforts, and coaching that helps nonprofits thrive.

In return, Business Sustainers receive exclusive visibility, connection, and engagement opportunities including Business Finder listings, newsletter promotions, discounted registrations, and pro bono volunteer pathways.

This month, we proudly recognize:

Welcome, New Members!

We appreciate the members of our growing nonprofit network. Your support and partnership make it possible for us to educate, connect, and advocate for and with nonprofits across North Carolina.

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