Outreach

NGOLD's mission is to strengthen civil society through nonprofits and other avenues of public services, which means it is not only focused on academic programming. As such, NGOLD works to provide nonprofit practitioners with useful resources, valuable trainings, and opportunities to connect with NIU and other nonprofit leaders.

The following are just a few ways NGOLD reaches out to nonprofit organizations in the region and beyond:

DeKalb County Nonprofit Partnership: DCNP is a collaborative effort between Kishwaukee Community College, Kishwaukee United Way, DeKalb County Community Foundation, the NIU Masters of Public Administration Program, and NGOLD to provide professional development and access to resources for DeKalb County nonprofit organizations.  

Service Learning: NGOLD students learn about nonprofit organizations in the classroom and then carry out projects with nonprofits located in the region. Instructors provide ongoing support to help bridge the gap between theory and practice for students, and nonprofits benefit from the contribution of both student and faculty time.

Internships: NGOLD works to provide students with internship opportunities within the nonprofit sector, which also benefits the nonprofit organizations that host interns. 

Nonprofit Breakfast Speaker Series: Every month from August through May, NGOLD hosts a breakfast for nonprofit practitioners and leaders to come network with colleagues. Each breakfast has a different speaker covering topics such as: the use of social media in nonprofits, gaining press coverage and publicity, fundraising, entrepreneurial management and more.

Trainings, Workshops and Events: Throughout the year, NGOLD offers a variety of trainings, workshops, and special events for nonprofit organizations. The topic and focus of these events ranges broadly and NGOLD works to offer what will best serve the needs of nonprofits today. If you have ideas for future trainings or events that would be useful for nonprofits, please email ngoldcenter@niu.edu.