ABOUT US

 Mission | Membership | Governance | History | Volunteering

 

Our mission

 MNN strengthens nonprofit organizations by improving interagency communication, sharing ideas and information, and providing expertise on topics of mutual interest.
 

Membership

 MNN is not a membership organization; its services are open to the public. Some of our events and services cost a nominal fee.
 

Governance

 MNN is led by a volunteer Steering Committee. We are pleased to collaborate with Crossroads Community Foundation, which also serves as our fiscal sponsor.

2007-08 Steering Committee

 Julia Blatt, Sudbury Foundation
Ann Budner, Carlisle & Company
Rebecca Donham, Metrowest Community Health Care Foundation
Heather Jack, Mass Nonprofit Support
Julia Khorana, Organization for the Assabet River
Helen Lemoine, Leadership MetroWest
Annie Murphy, Framingham Historical Society
Susan Nicholl (chair), Metrowest Nonprofit Network
Susan Pettit, Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable
Patsy Rossetti, Natick Visiting Nurse Association
Rachel Sagan, Sudbury Valley Trustees

Our Founding

 In 1991, nonprofits all over Metrowest were doing good work—but feeling isolated. There was no mechanism for sharing ideas and no low-cost forum for professional development. Nonprofit gatherings in Boston and Worcester offered such services, but travel and schedules made those gatherings fairly inaccessible for people working between Routes 128 and 495.

Meeting over coffee, four staff members of local nonprofits decided that a new network could fill the gaps in Metrowest by offering low-cost workshops where colleagues could meet, share ideas, develop professionally—and perhaps commiserate a little. The four colleagues formed the nucleus of a volunteer steering committee, known as the Metrowest Nonprofit Network. Their first workshop, held December 1992, was called Getting Grants.

Since then, MNN has offered three or four workshops each year; a steering committee—now composed of a dozen volunteers—governs the organization. In 1997, Crossroads Community Foundation became the permanent fiscal sponsor and began providing administrative support as well. That year, MNN’s 10th anniversary breakfast featured news legend Jack Williams.

In 2003, MNN began the Lone Rangers Brown Bag lunches. In 2007, its 15th anniversary year, MNN again expanded its services to share resources and information by creating online directories and a website.
 

Volunteering

 If you would like to join us as we offer programs and services for the nonprofit community, please email us. We are particularly interested in assistance planning and carrying out workshops. Please see the following information regarding committee volunteers, and the job description for our Steering Committee.








2008 © Metrowest Nonprofit Network
Connecting and Strengthening Our Community
steering.committee@metrowestnonprofit.org