We have pulled together a list of community resources to assist nonprofit professionals in their personal and professional development and growth organized by associations, learning, research & industry news, and career development.

A to Z Staffing was launched in May 2024 by Agnes Zach to house the flexible staffing solutions and provide benefits for their temporary employees. 

As the sister organization to NPN, they support clients in a wide range of industries–including nonprofits, benefit corporations, small businesses, corporations, family offices, and public sector/government agencies, but they share a common goal: to do good work, well.

They provide access to flexible staffing solutions through temporary, interim, and fractional staffing, and can support with direct hiring through their pool of over 1,500 skilled candidates.

Associations & Groups

• Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP): The Association of Fundraising Professionals empowers individuals and organizations to practice ethical fundraising through professional education, networking, research and advocacy. The national organization of AFP is represented locally by: Oregon and SW Washington Chapter of AFP. They strengthen local nonprofit organizations by sharing and refining fundraising best practices and building a supportive network in the development profession. AFP Oregon & SW Washington combines the resources of a global organization with the benefits of a locally-run chapter.
• Community Centric Funrdaising (CCF): Community-Centric Fundraising is a movement to evolve how fundraising is done in the nonprofit sector. Its goal is to support fundraisers and other nonprofit professionals to re-examine every fundraising philosophy and practice they have been taught, engage in vigorous ongoing conversations, and explore doing fundraising in ways that reduce harm and further social justice.
• Compass Point: CompassPoint helps leaders, nonprofit organizations, and movements committed to social justice realize their full power. They are a 45-year-old nonprofit leadership development practice based in Oakland, CA. They believe that nonprofits are powerful vehicles for positive social change and that creating a world free of oppression means practicing liberation inside and out.
• Emerald Valley Development Professionals: Emerald Valley Development Professionals is a membership organization. You may become a member of EVDP if you are working in the area of fund development as an employee in a non-profit organization, or are a fundraising consultant, allied professional, or volunteer for non-profit organizations. EVDP welcomes Executive Directors and Board members of non-profit organizations as well.
• Grant Professionals Association (GPA): The Grant Professionals Association (GPA), is a nonprofit membership association that builds and supports an international community of grant professionals committed to serving the greater public good by practicing the highest ethical and professional standards.  GPA values, embraces, and supports the rich diversity within the grant profession.
• Nonprofit Association of Oregon (NAO): The Nonprofit Association of Oregon is the statewide nonprofit membership organization representing and supporting charitable nonprofits of all sizes, geographic locations and missions across Oregon. NAO’s mission is to serve public benefit nonprofits by strengthening the collective voice, leadership, and capacity of nonprofits to enrich the lives of all Oregonians.
• Nonprofit Network of Southwest Washington: They strengthen Southwest Washington communities by strengthening local nonprofits through education, relationship building, and advocacy. They are the only membership organization in Southwest Washington exclusively for nonprofits, serving and representing the entire sector.
• Northwest Planned Giving Roundtable: NWPGRT is an organization designed to meet the specialized needs of planned giving professionals in the Oregon and SW Washington area. Their membership is comprised of a dynamic and diverse group of planned giving professionals from academic, religious, health, cultural, and social institutions. Allied professionals such as attorneys, accountants, financial planners, and others are also welcome to join the Roundtable.
• Partners in Diversity: Partners in Diversity is a membership-based organization that operates as an affiliate of the Portland Business Alliance Charitable Institute, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization. Partners in Diversity (PiD) works with employers to address critical needs for achieving and empowering a workforce that reflects the rapidly changing demographics of the Pacific Northwest. They accomplish these goals through educational programs, a career center and resources for CEOs, human resources professionals and diversity influencers. PiD also helps recently relocated professionals of color connect with the multicultural community through major networking events such as their signature Say Hey! event, civic engagement opportunities, social media and personal relationships.
• Regional Arts and Culture Council (RACC): RACC connects artists and creatives to opportunity and access. An independent nonprofit organization, the Regional Arts & Culture Council supports the creative economy in greater Portland by equitably providing funding and services to artists and art organizations; managing and growing a diverse, nationally acclaimed, public art program; and developing enduring public and private partnerships. Through advocacy and engagement, they are building support for their community of artists, arts education, and arts and culture.

Learning

• Portland State University Nonprofit Institute: Their mission is to support the Oregon nonprofit sector so that it can fulfill its promise of bringing people together to build a more just, inclusive, and sustainable society. To support their mission, they will endeavor in partnership to:
  • Build the nonprofit sector’s capacity to organize and lead
  • Strengthen and grow its networks
  • Tell the sector’s story and articulate its promise
  • Advance vanguard issues affecting the sector and those it serves
  • Facilitate collaborations to address issues collectively across sectors
• University of Portland – Masters in Nonprofit Management: Connect to social enterprise, sustainable economics and strategic leadership with an MBA in Nonprofit management. Gain the confidence to tackle some of the major challenges non-profits currently face.
• Willamette University – Masters in Nonprofit Management: The Willamette MBA offers an exceptional and unique opportunity for students interested in government, not-for-profit management and public service. As one of only two MBA programs in the world dually accredited by AACSB International (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business) and NASPAA: the Network of Schools of Public Policy, Affairs, and Administration, Willamette students pursuing the concentration in Public and Not-for-Profit Management gain direct understanding and experience with the issues of government and not-for-profit organizations and the proven management tools of business.

Research & Industry News

• Blue Avocado: Blue Avocado is a free online magazine fueled by a monthly newsletter designed to provide practical, tactical tips and tools to nonprofit leaders. A small but mighty team of committed social sector leaders produces the publication, enlisting content from a wide range of practitioners, funders, and experts.
• The Ethical Rainmaker: From grounding practices in donor experiences instead of a community’s needs, to a lack of political, race, class, and power analyses, traditional fundraising practices often perpetuate the very injustices the nonprofit sector wishes to end. The Ethical Rainmaker is a podcast that hosts authentic conversations grappling with the questions that we don’t often ask in the nonprofit world.
• Resource Connector: The Resource Connector is a grantmaking tool that showcases nonprofit funding requests made through a simple application process that introduces them to over +100 funding organizations and individuals. Funders benefit from having access to a vetted clearinghouse of requests from nonprofits, access to a Funder’s Bulletin Board for advice, and opportunities to effortlessly collaborate with other funders in order to fulfill nonprofit resource needs. The Resource Connector is available for use by all 501(c)(3) nonprofits in good standing that serve communities in Oregon and southwest Washington.

Have a resource you think should be listed here? Let us know, send an email to ashlan@thepeoplesnonprofit.org with the link to the resource, short description, and category it should be listed under.