Our Mission
To strengthen, promote and represent nonprofit organizations, empowering them to meet the diverse, changing needs of our communities.
Our Members
Our member organizations touch the lives of countless adults, children and families throughout our region, and in some cases, throughout the nation and the world.
Our members protect our environment, help the homeless, support the arts, feed the hungry, advance education, provide employment assistance, nurture the sick, champion the underserved, and so much more. Their dedication and hard work have a direct, life-changing impact on our communities.
Member Highlight: DC SCORES
DC SCORES has been creating meaningful opportunities for young people in historically marginalized communities in Washington, DC, since 1994. Through afterschool programs in soccer, poetry, and service-learning, they help students build confidence, develop leadership skills, and improve their physical health and academic performance. They has grown from a small pilot program to a city-wide organization that serves thousands of students every year.
This organization is dedicated to making a lasting impact on the lives of the more than 3,000 young people they work with. By providing a safe and supportive environment for students to develop their skills and build their confidence, DC SCORES instills the importance of teamwork and leadership, encouraging students to take an active role in their communities. Through their programs, they has been able to make a significant difference in the lives of countless young people in DC. After a season of the program, 95% of participants say attending DC SCORES has made them care more about their school and 98% report that they feel more confident in themselves.
Tony Francavilla, Chief Development Officer, believes the Center plays an important role in fostering connections and promoting the success of the nonprofit sector. “At DC SCORES, we believe in the power of collective impact and collaboration in our sector. The Center has always been a shared community and reference point for DC nonprofits, and each year it gets better at adapting its offerings to the needs of its members. It will always be one of the first places we look for resources for just about any challenge we face.”
Our Team
Created in 1979, the Center for Nonprofit Advancement is the nation’s first state association for nonprofit organizations. For more than four decades, the Center has continued to grow and advance, thanks to the efforts of a dedicated group:
Our Impact
The Center’s primary service region includes Washington, DC, Prince George's and Montgomery Counties in Maryland and the state of Virginia. However, the Center welcomes any 501(c)(3) nonprofit that wishes to join.
Identifying, monitoring and sharing new and shifting trends within the nonprofit sector, the Center works collaboratively with local experts to develop custom programs and solutions. Through our training, resources and relationships with the corporate, philanthropic and government community, we help our member nonprofits save more … do more … and succeed more—ultimately achieving a more sustainable future.
The Center serves thousands of nonprofit staff, volunteers and board members, making it easier for nonprofits to fulfill their missions by helping them:
Strengthen capacity through training opportunities —
1,500+ participants a year
Reallocate more funds to programs with operational savings —
10%-50% discounts through group purchasing opportunities
Gain expert insights, market exposure and cash awards through competitions —
$29,000 cash grants awarded each year
Network with nonprofit colleagues, industry experts and leaders in the foundation and government sectors —
Countless invaluable connections
Our Values
We believe that...
Nonprofits are an essential ingredient in the health of our communities and our democracy. Strong nonprofits lead to better communities, better quality of life and a better democracy.
Nonprofits are stewards of public trust. Transparency and accountability are the foundation of that trust.
Diversity in all forms — organizations, people, religions, and culture — is part of our vitality. Promoting diversity and practicing inclusiveness makes us stronger.
The vibrancy and effectiveness of nonprofits hinge on information, education, celebration, collaboration, and representation. Nonprofits deserve a strong voice in the affairs that affect them. Together, we shape the future.
Intention, commitment, optimism, and a belief in a better tomorrow are vital ingredients in our growth and development and our service philosophy. Every day we strive to do better, be better, serve better.
Social Impact Vision
Effective nonprofits, thriving communities.