| During recent months, members of CNEN have engaged in active
discussion
about the next phase in CNEN’s life as a professional
organization.
With the principal goal of taking steps to “professionalize” and make
more
attractive the field of nonprofit consulting, we are planning to offer
new CNEN membership benefits outlined below. To support further
our
enhanced program plans and to advance CNEN’s organizational goals, we
have
established a number of criteria for CNEN membership, and have
increased
annual membership fees. Please review the benefits and
expectations
of membership.
BENEFITS of MEMBERSHIP
-
We have established a special CNEN website that will permit you to
enter
extensive information about your background and consulting practice,
with
the capability of linking to a professional website you may currently
maintain.
The site will also include topics of interest to consultants and to
nonprofit
managers who hire consultants; information about professional
development
opportunities; and a calendar of CNEN and other activities that may be
of interest to our members. The CNEN website will be selectively
advertised in publications read by nonprofit managers, and will be
linked
to the Associated Grantmakers of Massachusetts (AGM) website and
potentially
other consultant databases. We plan to include a monthly
newsletter
feature designed to attract nonprofit managers to the site on a regular
basis. The new website has been up since Fall 1999. We
believe
that this innovation offers an unusually attractive and affordable
marketing
opportunity for the independent consultants who largely comprise our
membership.
-
You will receive invitations to monthly CNEN meetings during which we
offer
each other mutual support and discuss topics of interest to freelance
consultants,
including practice issues, marketing, networking, professional
development,
etc.
-
You will receive invitations to 3-4 annual presentations by outside
speakers
on issues pertinent to our field. Past speakers have included
CEOs
of community-based and other nonprofits, leaders of academic and other
organizations that focus on the nonprofit sector, and other
professionals
with expertise on issues and trends affecting nonprofit organizations.
-
You will have available assistance in developing summary information
about
your consulting practice on other websites, such as the AGM consultant
database, as well as potential linkages to other organizational
databases
and marketing resources.
-
It is also our goal to explore other potential membership benefits that
may be particularly attractive to independent consultants—as our
membership
base reaches a sufficient critical mass to ensure economies of scale.
ELIGIBILITY for CNEN MEMBERSHIP
You are eligible to be considered for membership in CNEN if
you:
-
Have a professional background that includes at least three years of
service
in the nonprofit sector, either as a staff member, volunteer, or
consultant.
-
Make a commitment to abide by the CNEN code of ethics.
-
Agree to assist in planning at least one monthly CNEN meeting and to
take
an active role in furthering CNEN’s mission and programs.
-
Agree to attend at least 50% (4-5) of CNEN meetings each year.
-
Are willing to include information about your consulting practice on
the
CNEN website.
ANNUAL DUES
To underwrite the costs of postage and meeting expenses, as
well as
the expense of establishing and maintaining the CNEN website, annual
dues
have been set at $100. While this represents an increase over the past
nominal annual membership fee, we believe the considerable marketing
potential
of the website makes the higher fee level a substantial value.
CNEN MEMBERSHIP FORMS
Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact:
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