Happy New Year! We’re excited to kick off a year of many exciting things ahead, including one milestone that you won’t want to miss — YNPN Boston is turning ten! To celebrate, we’re launching a year-long celebration that will include special events, digital resources (including a special anniversary theme — scroll down to the end of this post for a sneak peek!), and more goodies to continue supporting our mission as we hit double digits.
To start, we hope you’ll join us and start accomplishing your professional development resolutions at our next Networking with a Twist event (don’t forget to register here, if you haven’t already!) At this event, we challenge attendees to complete three networking tasks: 1. Meet new people. 2. Introduce two people to each other. 3. Make a plan to follow up with new connections.
Now it’s our turn to see how we’ve measured up over the last ten years!
Meet new people? We’ve certainly done that!
When YNPN Boston started ten years ago, we were a small but dedicated group of individuals focused on providing support and resources to nonprofit professionals in Boston. Since then, our own internal network has grown and now encompasses a more than 10-person Board of Directors, as well as a network of more than 30 ambassadors organized into seven different teams.
“In the three years that I’ve been involved, YNPN Boston has grown a lot, while staying true to its roots,” says Lindsay Brown, co-director of fundraising. “We’ve increased the size and capacity of our leadership team…and we’re gearing up for some really exciting opportunities in 2017!”
This growth, powered through meeting and recruiting new faces, means YNPN Boston is able to expand its reach and serve as an even greater resource for nonprofit professionals looking for introductions of their own, hopefully for decades to come.
Speaking of introducing others, we have that covered, too!
“What hasn’t changed is our commitment to professional development — both for our members and our leaders,” says Alyson Weiss, co-director of communications and marketing.
As we’ve continued to grow, we’ve created over 9,000 virtual connections through our social media channels and the YNPN Boston listserv, a robust resource perfect for finding events and trainings, and sharing job opportunities and other resources for young nonprofit professionals.
We’re also proud of the dozens of events we’ve held throughout the years. In 2016 alone, we held nine networking events with unique themes, as well as special professional development events on finance and intergenerational communication.
“It’s been wonderful to work with my great colleagues on the board to solve problems and make decisions that will not only help our organization but also the nonprofit sector as a whole!” says Laine Kyllonen, co-director of programming and events,
And now, for follow up!
This growth has been amazing to watch over the last ten years, but is only possible with your help and support. To celebrate and recognize this critical element of our anniversary, we’re excited to announce our official anniversary theme: Where Leaders Grow.
(And, of course, if you’re in a position to help support our growth, donations are always appreciated so we can continue extending our impact to even more young nonprofit professionals across the city!)
Stay tuned for more event announcements, and be sure to watch spaces like the YNPN Boston blog (watch for special entries like Channeling Wisdom posts that reflect on just how far we’ve come — and what lies ahead) and social media channels to learn how you can get involved and help us celebrate.
And to everyone who has shown their support over the years, thank you! Cheers to ten spectacular years so far — we can’t wait to see what’s ahead in the next ten!