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Programs | Affinity Groups

Alliance members have created a space to meet and exchange experiences with others who share in their interests or identities.  Join the Alliance today to get involved!  Only Alliance members may join an affinity group and learn more about its activities via the member area of the Alliance website or write to education@allianceonline.org. 

The currently active affinity groups are listed below.  In addition, potential new groups include (1) professionals who focus on international work, (2) coaching, and (3) independent consultants.

Governance

The Governance affinity group provides a forum within the Alliance community to forward creative thinking in the field of board governance and development, including the generation of new approaches and models for community–based organizations. Through sharing of new approaches, practices, and research among a diverse group of consultants, MSO's and researchers, this affinity group hopes to not only further the field, but also to increase the knowledge base, generative thinking, and consulting skills of its members.  

Executive Transitions

This affinity group brings together capacity builders who focus on strengthening nonprofits during times of executive transition.  Search consultants, interim executive directors, researchers, MSO leaders, and other organizational development professionals share experiences in the wide range of issues facing this relatively new field.  Helping the organization think about more than the hiring process – especially about the development of healthy processes and structures during the search – can mean that a new executive director has the chance to truly succeed.  

MSO Executive Directors

A thriving nonprofit sector is one that embraces dynamic change—the kind fostered by high quality capacity building.  Among the people best positioned to ensure capacity building and expand a constituency for change are executive directors (EDs) of "management support organizations" (MSOs).  MSOs—nonprofit organizations that offer ongoing learning activities, broker or directly offer consulting services, and bring a pool of resources to capacity building and to nonprofits—need knowledgeable, innovative, determined leadership.  The MSO EDs meet to exchange information and renew themselves—offering a support group and a leadership cohort. 

People of Color (POC):  

The POC affinity group, formed in 2001, has been the trailblazer for all Alliance affinity groups.  The POC group offers a forum for capacity builders of color to share experiences and work to expand the presence of people of color in the Alliance and in the field, as well as catalyzing change in the field, the nonprofit sector, and ultimately the larger society.  The POC group is currently in the process of defining and advancing "cultural competency" in nonprofit capacity building—which will result in a book, professional development activities, and peer exchange.  By gathering people of African, Asian, Latino, Native/American Indian ancestry, and other people of color, the POC group accelerates peer learning, challenges business as usual, and generates ways and means to honor the journey of these groups in the Americas through capacity building practice.   

Interested in Joining an Affinity Group?

Taking part in affinity groups is a benefit of membership in the Alliance for Nonprofit Management.  Join the Alliance online see or call 202-955-8406 for more information.  Alliance members may join affinity groups online by visiting the member area of our website or by writing to education@allianceonline.org.