The Quality Enhancement for Nonprofit Organizations (QENO) is a newly established campus/community initiative designed to improve the capabilities and competencies of nonprofit organizations in New Hanover and surrounding counties. In the counties involved there are hundreds of nonprofit entities, at vastly differential levels of funding and operational capability. The region is one experiencing dramatic economic, demographic, political and social change with profound consequences both positive and negative. In this circumstance the University of North Carolina Wilmington is committed to a regional engagement effort that will enhance the capacity of government, NGOs, and citizen groups to consider issues of social and economic development and to organize for effective service, educational, or other activities. This particular initiative will focus specifically on nonprofit organizations. There is currently no mechanism in the southeastern counties that provides an effective resource for communication, technical assistance, training, or organizational development for nonprofits and this initiative, utilizing the resources in the university and the surrounding area, will develop such a capacity.
Goal I: |
Increase the management capabilities and leadership skills of executive directors and staff, leading to improved efficiency and effectiveness of the region’s nonprofit organizations, as defined by better outcomes from the point of view of both client and funder or donor. |
Goal II: |
Strengthen the sustainability of nonprofit organizations through increased philanthropic giving by building public confidence in the ability of nonprofit organizations to offer services effectively and efficiently and improving the capability of the organizations to attract grants and contracts which support their efforts. |
Activity |
Status |
Conduct a nonprofit needs assessment |
COMPLETED |
Deliver professional development programs |
ONGOING |
Organize and sustain an Executive Mentoring Program |
UNDERWAY |
Establish Standards of Organizational Excellence |
|
Celebrate best practices |
ONGOING |
Engage faculty in community-based applied research |
ONGOING |
Develop service-learning opportunities for undergraduates |
|
Secure resources to sustain QENO |
ONGOING |
