NANOE Contrasts Values With National Council of Nonprofits

The National Council of Nonprofits has taken a back seat to the ever expanding National Association of Nonprofit Organizations & Executives (NANOE) who is fast becoming the Nation’s largest network of charitable organizations. NANOE, now in its eighteen month of service, has grown to 873 agencies making it twenty-times larger than the National Council of Nonprofits (NCP) whose 41 members are State Nonprofit Associations a majority of whom NANOE has also surpassed in size. (It should be noted that National Council of Nonprofits repeatedly violates their own ethical codes by inflating their membership count to include the nonprofits associated with their 41 paid organizations as actual NCP members even though when polled most have never heard of NCP.)

When asked how NANOE has ended up outpacing their competition co-founder Jimmy LaRose responds, “It’s a contrast in values. We’re about growth. They’re about rules. We’re about scale. They’re about regulations. If you’re stealing from your donors get your CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive) they’ll teach you how to stop embezzling. If you’re unkind to others and don’t respect your fellow man join Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) they’ll train you to be diverse. If you’ve bought into the hoax that you need better board members join your State Association they’ve got a webinar for you that hasn’t worked in decades. But if you need money…if you really need to increase your financial capacity…join NANOE. The funding our members receive will take your breath away.”

It is widely acknowledged that charity has been paralyzed by a set of failed “best practices” that turned the Non-Profit Sector into a Non-Growth Sector decades ago. Present day systems were established in the late 1950’s by industry associations that knowingly persist in methodologies detrimental to the general public. Einstein’s well-known axiom, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them” accurately informs the present state of 501(c)3 organizations.

When asked about NANOE’s newly released Values Statement, LaRose’s demeanor softens, “Dr. Robinson‘s Values Statement gives nonprofit’s what they need most…FREEDOM. Freedom to use the principles we already know work in the for-profit sector. The modern charitable CEO has rejected the tired, outdated “ethical codes” and “best practices” of old. NANOE’s Values Statement transcends the status quo. They’re what I believe. They’re what our members crave most.”

Here’s NANOE’s 2017 Values Statement as adopted by their Board of Directors:

OUR MEMBERS ARE OUR MISSION

National Association of Nonprofit Organizations & Executives (NANOE) is a nationwide network of donors, volunteers and charitable leaders whose relentless commitment to significant and sustainable impact transforms the communities we serve. NANOE members are innovators who solve problems (not just service them) by deploying heroic missions of scale that confront social and environmental dilemmas so completely that money chases after their every need.

Here’s how NANOE members serve one another:

1. We connect philanthropists, funders and academics to people that transform the world;
2. We create platforms, programs and tools that supercharge financial capacity building;
3. We form economic impact engines infusing capital into charities to guarantee mission success;
4. We confront intellectual dishonesty using mass communications to dispel myths and disseminate truth;
5. We disrupt industry associations, organizations and media outlets whose activities injure nonprofits;
6. We build personal relationships with leaders that strengthen them and meet their needs;
7. We establish compensation standards that safeguard the financial success of those employed in our sector;
8. We credential executives in advanced management models, capacity-building and consulting;
9. We research and report on scale, sustainability and significant impact;
10. We host forums, conferences and events on scale, sustainability and significant impact;

Our values are OUR MINDSET:

• We regard all people and the environment as created and loved by God. Equality is guaranteed by the Creator.
• We act in ways that respect the dignity, uniqueness, and intrinsic worth of every person – our consumers, donors, investors, boards, governors, volunteers, staff and their families.
• We celebrate the richness of diversity in human personality, values, contributions, and cultures and require that our members do the same.

Our values are OUR METHOD:

• We speak and act honestly. We are open and factual in our dealings with investors, donors, project partners, governments, sector leaders, interested publics, those with whom we consult, and each other.
• We endeavor to convey a public image that conforms to reality. We strive for consistency between what we say and what we do.
• We practice a participative and open relationship style. We ensure our members, governors, staff, volunteers and board pursue a life of personal, spiritual and vocational development.
• We adhere to rigorous operational standards and are authentic when reporting. Our finances and programs are audited using external third-party review.
• We use organizational structures and processes to achieve these standards. We share these models, experiences and knowledge with others for their benefit.

Our values are OUR MANNER:

• We provide information and assessments, so leaders can make effective decisions.
• We reveal what’s working and what’s not working, even if it’s a prized sector practice. We do so openly, honestly, and sincerely, but also frankly.
• We are straightforward in highlighting associations, networks, media outlets and intermediary organizations that need to change the way they pursue mission, impact and sustainability.
• We refrain from and discourage disparaging talk about other organizations or individuals but are not passive if defamed, slandered, and/or libeled.

Our values are OUR MEMBERS:

• We are members of a network that transcends legal, structural, and cultural boundaries.
• We joyfully accept the obligations of joint participation, shared goals, and mutual accountability that networked organizations require.
• We affirm our interdependence. We are willing to yield autonomy as necessary for the common good. We commit ourselves to know, understand, and respect each other.
• We are partners with nonprofits of all sizes but particularly with those that are at scale or intend to go to scale.
• We are partners with philanthropists and investors who share our passions and vision to improve the charitable sector’s value in America and the world.
• We pursue relationships with all nonprofits and mutually participate in building each other’s organizations and services.
• We maintain a cooperative stance and a spirit of openness towards other organizations in all business sectors. We welcome honest feedback when based on facts.
• We are stewards of our member’s financial resources who expect us to use their monies to improve sector effectiveness, thereby increasing the value of charity to the public.

Our values are OUR MODIFICATIONS:

• When times and circumstances change, we alter what we do and how we do it. Our aim is to maximize positive results in sustainable ways.
• We are responsive to nonprofit leaders’ requests where our involvement is needed and appropriate.
• We are willing to take intelligent risks and act quickly. We do this from a foundation of experience and sensitivity to what a situation may require.
• While we seek to coach, train, and consult with nonprofit leaders about matters related to scale, sustainability and impact, we also recognize that during organizational crisis, leaders must be engaged and in charge.
• We encourage change, innovation, creativity, flexibility and adaptability in individual and organizational practices.
• We partner to create change by learning, reflecting, discovering and innovating together. As we change and respond to challenges, we all grow in understanding, skill and experience.

Our values are OUR METRICS:

• We value effective nonprofit performance that leads to significant impact on people’s quality of life and a sustainable environment.
• We are accountable for results. The means we use are as important as the ends we create.

In closing, NANOE is a fellowship of individuals who believe that “innovation never fears a challenge” and that the greatest contribution donors, volunteers and practitioners can make to charity is to become the creative, thinking enterprise-leaders our sector so desperately needs.

(National Council of Nonprofits is a Washington D.C. Based Nonprofit Organization)

(Ted Delaney is the President/CEO of National Council of Nonprofits)