About Us
Mission and Vision
The mission of NPO Connect is to build the capacity of the non-profit sector by enabling individuals working in the sector to connect, to learn from one another, and to build their skills as non-profit professionals. Through April 2010, this service is offered exclusively through the Metrowest Nonprofit Network.
At NPO Connect, we envision a non-profit sector where individuals:
- Share Best Practices (or just what works) in particular operational areas by mentoring peers seeking to impove in those areas;
- Gain the tools and knowledge to more efficiently and cost-effectively meet the needs of their constituents;
- Strengthen the capacity of the sector as a whole by sharing their experience and skills.
Our Partnership
NPO Connect is a collaboration between K. Weill Consulting and Annkissam, which developed the platform in 2009. The Metrowest Nonprofit Network gratefully accepted NPO Connect's invitation to pilot the service beginning early November 2009. The Network sees NPO Connect as an exciting vehicle for nonprofit staff - at any level within their organizations - board members and other volunteers to share their invaluable knowledge, experiences and skills with peers throughout the region.
History
Kenny Weill of K. Weill Consulting came up with the idea for NPO Connect while working at a food bank. In his work with hundreds of food assistance programs, Kenny found that in many cases knowledge about how to start and operate a food program was not being shared as well as it could be. Kenny envisioned a platform that would allow nonprofit professionals to connect with each other and facilitate knowledge sharing in a way that would strengthen both their individual organizations and also the entire sector.
In the summer of 2008, Kenny discussed his idea with Gavin Murphy of Annkissam, who was looking for an opportunity to develop a technology platform that would in some way support the Massachusetts nonprofit sector. After several months of discussing the best way to implement the system, and getting feedback from many professionals in the field, the team began building in June 2009 with a goal to launch an initial release of the platform in July.
In summer 2009, Kenny reached out to the Metrowest Nonprofit Network, to explore whether the network would be interested in piloting NPO Connect. The Network's steering committee expressed great enthusiasm for the idea. NPO Connect and the Metrowest Nonprofit Network have established a partnership to test the site for a six-month period, beginning autumn 2009. Quantitative and qualitative feedback from Metrowest non-profits will enable the NPO Connect Team to further shape the platform to serve as an effective tool for non-profit professionals. After the pilot period (April 2010), the goal is to expand it over time to provide additional functionality and serve a larger geographic area.
If you have any ideas about how to improve NPO Connect, or would like to discuss becoming a partner in this effort, please contact us. Thank you for visiting the site!
Bios
Kenny Weill brings more than a dozen years experience in the non-profit sector to his consulting work. Kenny received a Masters of Science degree in Health Policy and Management from Harvard University School of Public Health and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wesleyan University. Since launching K. Weill Consulting in 2002, Kenny's grant development work has helped his diverse clients raise on average $1.5 million each year. He has delivered additional services to help build his non-profit clients’ capacity, including program development and operations management; research such as literature reviews, best practices, needs assessments and industry trends; and other writing and editing services such as web text, newsletters, correspondence and press releases. Kenny has held management, research and direct care positions in community-based, academic, health care and government settings. He is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and the Non-Profit Consultants Network.
Gavin Murphy founded Annkissam in the summer of 2007 with the goal of bringing innovative technology solutions to the nonprofit sector. Mr. Murphy has been a technology consultant to a wide range of clients since graduating from Duke University with a double major in Economics and Computer Science. He volunteers 10% or more of the workweek to being President of the Duke Club of Boston.
For 17 years, the Metrowest Nonprofit Network has strengthened nonprofit organizatinos by improving interagency communication, sharing ideas and information, and providing expertise on topics of mutual interest. Governed by a volunteer Steering Committee, the Network also creates opportunities for peers to share their invaluable source of knowledge with one another in order to strengthen our skillsets, our organizations, and our communities. The Network is not a membership organization; its services are open to the public. If you have any concerns or questions about your peer mentor relationship, please contact us at peermentoring@metrowestnonprofit.org.