For more than a century, nonprofits have shouldered the immense responsibility of addressing our most difficult social challenges in an environment that hinders innovation and sustainability. A need for new approaches is clear. The emergence of the fourth, or social enterprise, sector is one of the most significant economic innovations in the United States in more than a century. This sector's rise is creating new infrastructure that offers fresh hope in the battle against our most serious social issues.

Nonprofits will continue to have a crucial role in this environment, but they will no longer bear the burden alone. However, agencies must think of themselves as social impact organizations to access new funding streams and other support. Nonprofits embracing this emerging reality will be poised to thrive. Grant professionals can lead the way in establishing a social impact mindset in their organization and help redefine their agency's role in the new economy. 

Presenter:

Shelley Loethen, GPC, is a nonprofit strategist working to change practices in the sector that limit innovation and impact. She has an unwavering belief in the potential of the nonprofit sector and a bold vision to change the landscape in which they function. She is leading innovative efforts that challenge long-held beliefs about how these entities should operate, and advocating for practices that build healthy mission-driven organizations that create vibrant communities where people thrive.

Theresa Reyes-Cummings, MPA, GPC, has 30+ years of expertise as a social scientist in fields including nonprofit management, government relations, social service & community development programming, and grantsmanship. As the deputy director of a community mental health funder, she has led cultural competency initiatives and transformation of grantmaking structure to help nonprofits better articulate their social return on investment and receive incentive payments for delivering results.  

 
Skill Level:
Advanced-Career

Learning Path: 
Other

GPC Competencies:
Organizational development as it pertains to grant seeking

Methods and strategies that cultivate and maintain relationships between fund-seeking and recipient organizations and funders

Practices and services that raise the level of professionalism of grant developers

Ability to write a convincing case for funding