ONN becomes an international ally
ONN is proud to be the first International Ally of the US National Council of Nonprofits (Council of Nonprofits). Our work to create a vibrant and resilient nonprofit sector in Ontario is strengthened by the creative, collaborative and networked strategies and resources of the Council of Nonprofits and its 25,000-plus organizational members.
Leaders from the Council of Nonprofits, including the Chair of the Board, Donna Murray-Brown and President & CEO Tim Delaney, have provided valuable insights directly to ONN’s network at our annual conference, Nonprofit Driven. They have showcased examples of advocacy from the US and helped delegates connect the dots of our work serving communities as part of a broader movement. Our new partnership, as an international ally, was four years in the making, building trust and connections amongst our organizations’ staff and boards of directors.
ONN has learned valuable advocacy lessons from the Council of Nonprofits and its state association members. One example is the innovative approach from the Providers’ Council of Massachusetts and its 27,000-strong Caring Force of frontline workers who advocate for fair wages, additional funding to provide services and better educational benefits for their sector’s workforce. Another is the approach by a number of state associations to successfully address funding reform through legislation at the state level, with nonprofit-government task forces to move reform work forward.
Meanwhile, the Council of Nonprofits has already noted benefits of learning from ONN. They have shared policy and advocacy examples at our annual conference, and state associations have been importing innovative ideas and programs from ONN. For example, Lisa Maruyama, President and CEO of the Hawai`i Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations, recently shared: :
“When ONN attended the Confab a couple years back, they brought lovely gifts with them – one of which was their program Decent Work, highlighting wage and benefits issues for nonprofits in Canada. HANO borrowed their program concepts to build our own Decent Work campaign,
launched last year. We continue to be inspired by the great work of ONN and are grateful for their thought partnership and generous spirit.”
Tim Delaney, President and CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits, said: “We’re delighted to formally welcome ONN to our robust network because we’ve been so impressed by Cathy Taylor and her talented team. As we’ve seen them in action, the people at ONN have earned our trust through their practical innovations, commitment to excellence, and culture of sharing at ONN. Nonprofits and people across Ontario are lucky to have them, and we look forward to learning and sharing even more information to help nonprofits thrive everywhere.”
From public policy, advocacy and government relations, to membership and partnership strategies, ONN has learned a great deal from our collaboration with the National Council and its state nonprofit networks over the last four years. We know that we are stronger as a nonprofit sector when we advocate together, and we have learned that collective advocacy can also cross borders!
About the National Council of Nonprofits
The National Council of Nonprofits (Council of Nonprofits) is a trusted resource and proven advocate for America’s charitable nonprofits. Connecting the policy dots across all levels and branches of governments, the Council of Nonprofits keeps nonprofits informed and empowered to create a positive public policy environment that best supports nonprofits in advancing their missions. Working with and through the nation’s largest network of nonprofits—with 25,000-plus organizational members—we identify emerging trends, share proven practices, and promote solutions that benefit charitable nonprofits and the communities they serve.
