One Voice Growing Louder - The Nonprofit Congress - Washington D.C.

In 2006, over 400 nonprofit representatives from across the country convened in Washington D.C. for the first ever National Nonprofit Congress.  This was an unprecedented historic event (see http://www.nonprofitcongress.org/).  Frank Rene Lopez from the Nonprofit Enterprise Center (NpEC) was the delegate representing the El Paso area.  The NpEC hosted town hall meetings in El Paso and Las Cruces. During the town hall meetings, participants stressed the need for greater collaboration in areas such as programming, fundraising, and human resources and expressed a need to educate the public regarding the multiple services and improved quality of life which nonprofits provide to the community. The Nonprofit Congress voted on top priorities based on hundreds of town hall meetings across the country.

The priorities are:

• Nonprofit Organizational Effectiveness: Ensure that the sector has the resources it needs to server communities and is effectively and efficiently managed. This priority emphasizes Accountability / Best Practices and Leadership.
• Advocacy and Grassroots Community Activities: Advocate for the sector at large and engage our constituents to solve problems at the grassroots level.
• Public Awareness and Support of the Sector: Increase public understanding and support so that nonprofits can continue to do their best work.

El Paso Nonprofit Community

There are over 800 active 501(c)3 organizations in El Paso County alone.  Many organizations provide essential quality of life programs in our region, in the areas of healthcare, arts, culture, environment, leadership, spirituality and youth development.   In addition to quality of life services, the nonprofit sector wields tremendous economic impact.  In one year alone, the nonprofit sector contributed over $677 million in gross receipts and maintained over $817 million in total assets.  If the nonprofit sector were viewed as a single employer, it would be the 5^th largest employer in El Paso. 

El Paso's Nonprofit Congress

Despite its tremendous impact, the nonprofit sector has been a sleeping giant.  This is no longer the case.  This year marks the birth of the El Paso Nonprofit Congress. The El Paso Nonprofit Congress may in fact be the first of its kind in the country at a local level.  The notion of hundreds of nonprofit organizations coming together as one for the purpose of greater synergies and impact has never been done before in our community.  El Paso is turning a corner that will bring greater quality of life. 

For More Information, please contact:

Frank R Lopez

915-590-1333