NorthSky Nonprofit Network is a nonprofit management support program of Rotary Charities of Traverse City that assists northern Michigan nonprofit organizations in strengthening their capabilities through capacity building and sustainability support. NorthSky provides a wide range of services and resources to help nonprofit organizations deliver programs effectively and efficiently. Services include the professional development series, fee-based consulting, free business development counseling, an extensive online resource center and support to consortium groups. It also serves as an advocate—securing state and national political support and technical and financial resources, bringing them home to the nonprofits in the region.
NorthSky’s primary service area includes the counties of Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee and Wexford. Within this predominantly rural area, more than 1800 nonprofit organizations serve sectors that include arts and culture, education, environment, faith-based, health care and social services. The nonprofit sector within this region is a critical component of the economy with one in every ten workers employed by the nonprofit sector, providing approximately 15,000 jobs in ten counties with a quarterly payroll in third quarter 2006 of $102,492,000. This proportion is on par with state and national statistics and represent the most recent data available.
In two years, NorthSky has provided 204 nonprofit organizations with 5,247 hours of counseling/consulting services and presented 88 professional development sessions to 1,258 people. The NorthSky website receives over 5,000 unique visits/month.
Mission
To build strong communities by helping nonprofit organizations achieve and sustain excellence.
Our Partners
Through NorthSky’s network approach to delivery of services, it has established relationships with several organizations including Northwestern Michigan College, Northwest Michigan United Way Volunteer Center, Northwest Michigan Council of Governments, NorthSky Consultant Network, Traverse City Area Chamber of Commerce, SCORE of Traverse City, SBTDC Region 2, Community Legal Resources, Michigan Nonprofit Association, and the Association of Fundraising Professionals. NorthSky also encourages collaborations among other organizations as well by supporting the Cultural Organization Coalitions, Freshwater Roundtable, Historic Barns Park User Groups and City of Traverse City and Township of Garfield Recreational Authority, Grand Traverse Bay Alliance and the Commission on Youth study. NorthSky also worked with several client groups to facilitate development of strategic relationships that resulted in collaborations on several levels.
Staff
Debbie McKeon, Executive Director
dmckeon@northskynonprofitnetwork.org
Consultants
Pamela Evans, Professional Development Series and
Communications Project Manager
pevans@northskynonprofitnetwork.org
Freya Bradford, Michigan Now! and Evaluation Coordinator
fbradford@northskynonprofitnetwork.org
