Symposium to focus on nonprofit collaboration

Contraction and consolidation of the private sector is putting ever-increasing demands on nonprofits to find more efficient ways to deliver products and services.

“The question that’s being asked of nonprofits is, ‘How do you put more money on mission, extract cost out of your operation and deliver a high-quality product?’ ” said Michael Brennan, CEO of the United Way for Southeastern Michigan.

Corporate and private foundations are increasingly more apt to fund proposals that are more collaborative in nature, making it imperative that nonprofits take a new look at how they deliver services in today’s economic environment.

“Inevitably, that asks the question, ‘Are their different ways to deliver our products and services than we have historically?’ ” namely through collaborations and consolidations, Brennan said.

Brennan will speak at a March 12 nonprofit management symposium on the topic, “Best Practices from the Best-Managed Nonprofits: The Collaboration Imperative” March 12 at Lawrence Technological University in Southfield.

The cost for the program, which runs from 8-11:30 a.m., is $35. To register, call (248) 478-6076 or visit www.afpdetroit.org.

Read more