Dear GCN Member,
On behalf of the GCN team, I want to thank you for your involvement, through membership, in our efforts to serve, strengthen and support nonprofits in Georgia. Over the past decade, we have made it our mission to position Georgia’s nonprofit sector as the best nonprofit sector in the country. I am pleased to let you know that Georgia is nationally recognized as one of the leading centers for nonprofit activity and innovation in the country, and that the Georgia Center for Nonprofits is one of the three largest centers for nonprofit capacity building in the nation.
I want to take a moment to tell you about just a few of the accomplishments we have made with your involvement and help.
Policy Representation Highlights
- Organized and coordinated plaintiff’s group and secured law firm to handle class action lawsuit against Blue Cross Blue Shield resulting in the $117M Healthcare GA Foundation which has provided over $4.5M in funding each year since 2001 to health related nonprofits throughout Georgia
- Successfully led class action lawsuit against State of Georgia to abolish proposed ban on nonprofit lobbying.
- Assisted in the creation and passage of College Cost Reduction Act provisions for nonprofit professionals, which forgives educational loans for those choosing a career in public service.
- Acted as Georgia’s nonprofit voice in national efforts to respond to and curtail regulatory oversight by Senators Grassley and Bacus
- Acted as Georgia’s nonprofit voice to help reform the 990 tax form.
- Created the first economic impact report on the nonprofit sector in Georgia with UGA
- Created the first employment data report for nonprofits in Georgia with Johns Hopkins University
Capacity Building Highlights
- Provide over 3000 professionals each year with discounted professional development opportunities
- Performed over 3000 discounted and 300 free consulting engagements to nonprofits across Georgia.
- Raised over $4M in foundation investments for nonprofit capacity building efforts
- Began first nonprofit capacity building efforts in Columbus, Augusta, Savannah and Brunswick and co-created Rural Philanthropy Day events resulting in over $2M in grants to rural nonprofit agencies
- Provided over 2000 training scholarships
- Created GOOD CAUSE, a year-long section of the Atlanta Journal & Constitution profiling nonprofits and corporate philanthropy to the public; currently write the nonprofit column for the Savannah Daily News
- Expanded the Georgia Nonprofit Summit into the largest nonprofit event in the Southeast
- Co-created and launched national BoardNet USA website matching thousands of nonprofits with board members each year.
- Worked with numerous companies to bridge sector/corporate interests resulting in increased funding, board placements and partnerships between nonprofits and the corporate sector.
- Built Opportunity Knocks into the nation’s fastest growing online recruitment website focused exclusively on the nonprofit sector.
- Created free knowledge base of over 10,000 resources
- Secured and currently administer two rural Foundation Center library outlets
All of our work is focused on helping your nonprofit succeed in today’s environment. We do this with the conviction that nonprofits are essential to the lives of all Georgians. We do this with neutrality, representing the interests of all segments of our vast and diverse sector. We do this forcefully, protecting and proactively advocating for the business interests of our industry on local, state and national platforms.
It is with these accomplishments noted and our future plans in mind that I write to inform you that the Center will be raising member dues for the first time in a decade. I hope that you agree with me that the return on your membership investment is exponential - for your singular organization and for Georgia’s nonprofit sector.
Most of you have been part of the GCN family for many years. Your membership is critical to our ability to raise the bar for ALL nonprofits and to ensure that our services remain relevant and responsive to your needs. Through GCN membership, you are a part of all of this great work and influence. We hope that you remain committed to our collective mission to serve, strengthen and support Georgia’s nonprofit sector.
Warmly,
Karen
|