In New Hanover and surrounding counties, there are hundreds of nonprofit entities at vastly different levels of funding and operational capability. Until recently, there was no mechanism in the region to provide an effective resource for communication, techical assistance, training, or organizational development.
In 2007, faculty members from the UNCW Division of Academic Affiars and the Division for Public Service and Contiuing Studies united to form QENO. The Department of Political Science and Public Administration, along with faculty from the Department of Social Work, the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice, and School of Business are also involved with the project.
First, UNCW leaders developed a pilot plan that was exercised over the 2007-08 school year. During that time, nine local non-profits particiated in six QENO professional development events held on the topics of shared leadership, use of Quickbooks and the new 990. Three non-profit boards received individual consultations.
Meanwhile, eight additional professional development events were co-sponsored with community colleges, the Cape Fear Volunteer Center, the City of Wilmington and AFP on topics including grant writing, return on investment, fundraising and volunteerism. Attendance at events totaled approximately 450 persons and consumer satisfaction evaluations rated events consistently good to excellent.
QENO also participated as a sponsor of the MPA program's Public Service Recognition Reception.
Most recently, during the 2008-09 school year, QENO increased the number of non-profits it trains and consults to twenty. It held nonprofit board member recruitments and orientations at ten locations to attract fifty new interested and informed people. Networking sessions are organized for and directed by executive directors.
