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: Drexel University’s Goodwin College of Professional Studies
Drexel University’s Goodwin College of Professional Studies is committed to providing equitable access to high-quality, career-focused education.
Drexel Goodwin offers flexible, online graduate programs designed to prepare professionals for leadership roles by focusing on essential skills like ethics, communication, teamwork and innovation. Their multidisciplinary curriculum allows students to deepen their knowledge and technical skills in their area of expertise, helping them become well-rounded leaders ready for the future of work.
Their online Master of Science in Nonprofit Management equips students with a solid foundation in nonprofit leadership, administration and management. Through coursework in fundraising, grant writing, governance strategic planning and marketing, students gain the tools needed to lead nonprofits effectively. The program can be completed online in just two years of part-time study, and students gain hands-on experience by engaging with nonprofit organizations, culminating in a capstone project that showcases their expertise and readiness to excel in the sector.
"At Drexel Goodwin, our students have the opportunity to build their professional networks — from our practitioner faculty to our nonprofit organization partners. By partnering with The Center for Nonprofit Advancement, we are adding to that network allowing us to empower our students to meet the changing needs of our communities."
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.