The People’s Nonprofit Accelerator was previously known as WVDO (Willamette Valley Development Officers). The organization was founded in 1977 by a group of nonprofit fundraising professionals based in Portland, OR. This group formed out of the desire to create a community that fostered radical generosity through sharing skills, resources, and connections all while lifting up one another through joy, networking, celebration, compassion, and solidarity.

With decades of community building, we have addressed the most pressing and timely social, economic and political issues through a lens of resource and skill building. Today, we are a majority Black, Indigenous and People of Color led staff and board and we seek to shift the power dynamics in the nonprofit sector to be in favor of those who have been historically excluded from justice, equity and inclusion.

We invite you to learn more about us, our programming, our community, and our theory of change through our website and connect with us directly.

We welcome you with that same spirit of radical generosity as we learn together, support one another, and improve nonprofits and the communities and movements they serve.

Our Mission

The mission of The People’s Nonprofit Accelerator is to serve people raising funds for nonprofit organizations by linking them with others in the development community and providing affordable opportunities for their professional growth and education.

Our Vision

We envision a future where all people work together to dismantle the systems that profit from the oppression of ourselves and others, centering the wisdom and leadership of those who are most affected by those oppressive systems.

Our Values

Equity

We are BIPOC/LGBTQ+ led. We center the voices of the most marginalized among us, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because those most affected by the systems we work in have the best perspective on how to dismantle them.

Diversity

We are a dynamic group of professionals who have a diversity of marginalization, privilege, experience, perspective, and knowledge. We work together and are respectful of our differences.

Inclusion

Our strategy is member-informed. As uniquely qualified individuals, we know best what we need and we seek learning from each other. We offer scholarships that center BIPOC, marginalized people, and grassroots organizations that are led by the communities they serve. We employ a sliding fee membership model that makes programming accessible to all nonprofit professionals.

Transparency

We are transparent about budgets, policies, and strategic direction and we seek leadership and guidance from our membership.

Collaboration

We share what we have; we ask for what we need.

Openness to Change

We know that change is the only constant. We’re committed to remaining open to allow for necessary corrections and bold innovation. We learn from our mistakes and come back stronger.