Tools & RESOURCES
Our team of professionals has extensive experience and deep knowledge of the nonprofit landscape. We’ve gathered some of our favorites here for quick access, and will
continue to add new discoveries to the mix.
Nonprofit Reports
COVID-19: NONPROFIT RESOURCES
We believe in the power and resiliency of the nonprofit community. We know that our colleagues and communities have had to work with changes in staffing, shut-downs, working-from-home, and an overall difference in the way we used to work to how we work now. Nonprofit leaders have made it through the tumultuous few years of the worst of this pandemic, and know we’ve come through this pandemic stronger, working together.
We are still here to support you as we all rebuild after this worldwide crisis and into a bright future — stronger together.
We’ve kept our COVID-19 Resources page with links to all the Webinars, articles, and guidebooks.
Bay Area Nonprofits and the Impact of Our Changing Times
We recently asked nonprofits to tell us how COVID-19 has impacted their organization and those they serve. Over 100 nonprofits from the Bay Area responded, and the stories they’ve shared are rich with lessons in resiliency, struggle, and adaptation.
CVNL launched the “Bay Area Nonprofits and the Impact of Our Changing Times: Nonprofit Sector Survey” to take the temperature of the sector, and to capture the impact of COVID-19 on nonprofits and the communities they support.
What follows are our top-level findings from this survey data, as well as themes and patterns that have been identified. This report is a snapshot in time: our goal is to continue to check in with our nonprofit community to see how needs are changing.
Summary: While not true for all, the data shows that the nonprofit sector is hurting financially and many organizations have had to cut programming or make staffing changes in response to the pandemic. However, opportunities have emerged for “pivots” and shifts in strategies/goals to keep serving communities who need these services more than ever.
Creating Community: Napa County Nonprofits at Work
Center for Volunteer & Nonprofit Leadership (CVNL) and the Napa Valley Coalition of Nonprofit Agencies (Coalition) debuted the comprehensive study of Napa County’s nonprofit sector at a forum on Thursday, June 23, 2016. The report reveals contributions to the local economy, and the significant social and community impact of Napa’s nonprofit organizations.
Forum attendees included over 50 business and nonprofit leaders, government and elected officials as well as philanthropic partners. The report was presented and a discussion followed, exploring ways people can leverage the value of Napa County’s nonprofits both now and into the future.
The report presents baseline information on the state of the nonprofit sector that community members can access in order to more effectively address community needs. CVNL and the Coalition worked with Potrero Group to produce the report.
2013 Marin County Nonprofit Landscape Study
The first-ever study of Marin County’s nonprofit landscape by Center for Volunteer & Nonprofit Leadership (CVNL) was published in 2008. The study provided baseline information on the state of nonprofit community members — specifically donors, funders, nonprofit leaders, service providers, and policy-makers — accessing community needs. This report was released just as the U.S. economy suffered what many called the “Great Recession” — one of the worst financial crises in the last decade.
In response, CVNL commissioned a second study released in 2013, to re-examine the state of Marin’s nonprofit community and explore the ways in which organizations have dealt with fiscal challenges against the growing backdrop of increasing service demands. The intended audiences of this report included nonprofit leadership and staff, businesses, foundations, and government entities.
The 2013 report includes a Recommendations section that outlines specific strategies for adapting to the county’s changing demands and demographics. CVNL is committed to aligning its strategies and resources to better support and continue to build the capacity of organizations struggling to manage under the weight of unprecedented demands.
We call upon everyone — philanthropic and public leaders, the citizens of Marin County, nonprofit leaders, and our business community — to read this report and utilize its Recommendations as guideposts to engage, support, and further the impact nonprofits can have on our community.
Volunteer Engagement 2.0: Ideas and Insights Changing the World
Our CEO Linda Davis is a contributor to the book!
This book explores the innovative volunteer engagement approaches that are reshaping nonprofits and their communities, and shows how you can bring these approaches to your own organization. Curated and edited by VolunteerMatch, this insightful collection contains actionable advice on strengthening volunteer programs, as well as broader explorations on the nature of volunteer engagement. Contributors include 35 experts in the volunteer engagement field, from organizations such as CVNL, DoSomething.org, NTEN, Realized Worth, LinkedIn and the Corporation for National Community Service.
The world of volunteerism is changing. How will your volunteer program grow and thrive? Volunteer Engagement 2.0: Ideas and Insights Changing the World gives you the innovation and inspiration — you just need to supply the action.
Regional, State, & National Resources
Nonprofit Resources: California
A great resource for the intricacies of California nonprofits including tips for starting a nonprofit, and access to legal resources, management/technical assistance providers, and funding information.
Statewide membership organization that brings nonprofits together to advocate for communities. Great resource for connecting with other nonprofits.
Nonprofit Resources: National
An organization that makes business talent available to organizations working to improve society through professionals doing pro bono services. Learn more about, getting pro bono work done for you, doing pro bono work yourself, and supporting pro bono work.
For tech in nonprofits. Also includes information on startup of nonprofit, etc.
The National Council of Nonprofits
produces and curates tools, resources, and samples for nonprofits. Exceptional resource for various factors such as, accountability, governance, and ethics of nonprofits.
Volunteerism
A national organization that can help those who are searching for volunteer opportunities outside of California.
Great site for learning the fundamentals of volunteerism with helpful guides such as What is volunteering? Why is volunteering important? Benefits of volunteering?
An international training, consulting and publishing firm specializing in volunteerism. Great resource for its library of sources and information on the intricacies of specific volunteer groups including, older volunteers, people with disabilities, and millenials, as well as various fields of volunteering.
An organization that helps mobilize people to take action to on the causes they have through innovative programs and campaigns. Resource for sparking the interest into a particular form of volunteerism.