Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations
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| Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations | |
|---|---|
| Name | Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations |
| Type | Membership organization |
| Location | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Key people | Executive Director |
| Area served | Maryland |
Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations is a statewide membership organization supporting charitable, cultural, health, and social service entities across Maryland. The association engages with philanthropic funders, labor groups, academic institutions, and state regulatory bodies to strengthen civil society and organizational capacity. It collaborates with national networks, municipal partners, and advocacy coalitions to influence policy and practice affecting nonprofit operations.
History
The organization emerged during a period of sectoral growth when groups such as Community Chest, United Way of America, The Rockefeller Foundation, Ford Foundation, and Carnegie Corporation were reshaping philanthropy. Early leaders drew on models from National Council of Nonprofits, Independent Sector, Council on Foundations, Alliance for Nonprofit Management, and state associations in California, New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. The association navigated regulatory changes tied to statutes like the Internal Revenue Code provisions governing 501(c)(3) status and engaged with state agencies including the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation and the Maryland Attorney General. Over decades it responded to crises that involved institutions such as Johns Hopkins University, University System of Maryland, Baltimore City Health Department, and partnerships with hospitals like MedStar Health and University of Maryland Medical System.
Mission and Activities
The association's mission centers on capacity building, ethical stewardship, and sector resilience, aligning with standards advocated by Charity Navigator, GuideStar, Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance, Council on Foundations, and Independent Sector. Activities include convening nonprofit leaders from organizations such as AARP, AmeriCorps, Habitat for Humanity International, and museums like the Smithsonian Institution affiliates in the region, offering trainings modeled on curricula used by Stanford University, Harvard Kennedy School, and Nonprofit Leadership Alliance. It partners with labor stakeholders including Service Employees International Union and funders like The Abell Foundation and Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Governance and Membership
Governance uses a board format similar to boards at YMCA, Red Cross, American Heart Association, and university foundations such as the Johns Hopkins University Board of Trustees. Membership categories reflect organizational types found among Catholic Charities USA, YMCA of the USA, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Salvation Army (United States), and community development corporations. The association liaises with municipal leadership from Baltimore City Council, county executives, and state legislators in the Maryland General Assembly, and coordinates with accrediting bodies like National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education for program alignment.
Programs and Services
Programs encompass training, fiscal sponsorship, group purchasing, and insurance pools, paralleling services from GuideStar USA, Community Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, and National Endowment for the Humanities. Professional development offerings reference practices used by American Management Association, Project Management Institute, and Society for Human Resource Management. The association hosts conferences with speakers from institutions such as Brookings Institution, Urban Institute, Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and runs peer networks comparable to those of Grantmakers for Effective Organizations and Philanthropy Northwest.
Advocacy and Public Policy
Advocacy work places the association in coalitions with AARP, American Civil Liberties Union, National Federation of Independent Business, and state-level partners during legislative sessions of the Maryland State Senate and Maryland House of Delegates. It files amicus briefs and participates in rulemaking processes involving the Internal Revenue Service, Maryland Board of Physicians for health nonprofits, and labor-related rule discussions involving the National Labor Relations Board. Policy initiatives have intersected with programs like Medicaid reform debates, housing policy influenced by Department of Housing and Urban Development, and criminal justice reforms tied to organizations such as the Sentencing Project.
Funding and Financial Structure
Revenue streams include membership dues, program fees, grants from foundations like The Annie E. Casey Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Johns Hopkins University research funds, and contracts with state entities such as the Maryland Department of Human Services. The association manages reserves and endowment practices informed by guidelines from Council on Foundations and reporting standards used by Financial Accounting Standards Board and auditing procedures similar to those at KPMG and Deloitte. It administers pass-through funding for local nonprofits and compliance reporting aligned with Securities and Exchange Commission regulations when engaging with corporate partners.
Impact and Notable Initiatives
Notable initiatives include statewide capacity-building cohorts modeled after programs at Nonprofit Quarterly and Stanford Social Innovation Review, joint campaigns with Feeding America, disaster response coordination alongside Federal Emergency Management Agency and American Red Cross, and workforce development partnerships with Maryland Department of Labor and Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act-related programs. The association's influence is evident in collaborations with hospitals such as Mercy Health Services and cultural institutions like The Walters Art Museum, and in policy wins advanced in partnership with advocacy organizations including Maryland Citizens’ Health Initiative and Public Justice Center.