Have you known a teenager who could use a mentor in his life? How about an animal in need of rescuing? Have you attended a performance at one of Long Beach’s many local theaters? Do you enjoy the incredible art that is cultivated in our wonderful city? Do you know how many of these benefits, services, and installations are the result of the hard work and efforts of thousands of employees and volunteers from our local nonprofit sector?
There is a tremendous amount of pressure on nonprofits to produce results (save the environment, heal the sick, educate, etc.) while being efficient with resources. Efficiency requires updated practices, systems, and skills. That’s where The Nonprofit Partnership (TNP) comes into play. For 26 years, TNP has worked to strengthen the sector through capacity building by providing resources to connect, developing new skills or refreshing old ones, engineering new processes and increasing awareness of organizational behavior and culture. We offer a variety of ways to do this: coaching for leaders, training for boards of directors, strategic planning support, program evaluation services, grantsmanship training, and group learning experiences that encourage peer learning and invariably support the growth of networks for nonprofit professionals.
One of the most gratifying things we do is advocating for nonprofits. That is, promoting the stories that rise from the nonprofits themselves. This year, TNP supported the fundraising efforts of 93 organizations through Long Beach Gives, the city’s first online, 24-hour giving day, by providing strategy-planning workshops, ongoing technical support, and guidance in fundraising, marketing, and storytelling.
Working in concert with the Josephine S. Gumbiner Foundation and with support from local foundations and corporations, Long Beach Gives was a rousing success and raised over $800,000! Over half of these donations were made online and organizations were encouraged to connect with their contributors and share how their donations will make an impact. From working to save animals or the environment to providing shelter and food for those in need to highlighting and elevating cultures and arts, Long Beach Gives truly showcased the beauty of Long Beach’s nonprofit sector. Michelle Wells of Shared Science, one of the organizations that took part in Long Beach Gives, said that the campaign was “a fine example of community making a difference together.”
That is the beauty of Long Beach Gives and of Giving Tuesday (the international day of giving following the thrills of shopping after Thanksgiving) – they are designed to connect organizations to the community, to share the messages of hope, and to highlight the incredible power of community support. Long Beach residents have shown their love to their city and their community organizations and we have no doubt that they will continue to show that love on Giving Tuesday.
Today and during this holiday season, remember the nonprofits that have made a difference in your life or the life of a loved one. Remember that there is a lot of planning and good old fashioned “doing” that is involved in making the nonprofit magic happen. And, please give. Your community thanks you and we thank you too.
If you want to support nonprofits, but don’t have a chosen charity, please consider contributing to The Nonprofit Partnership. You can sponsor a nonprofit for a year of professional development and learning or contribute to our programs which offer affordable, high-quality education and projects for all nonprofits. Learn more at www.tnpsocal.org or call us for more information: 562-888-6530.