Three organizations merge to optimize non-profit support

Nonprofits face a perpetual struggle to serve clients, develop their organizations, and procure funding sources. Support structures exist to enhance 501(c)(3) professionals, plus organizational and financial development, but nonprofits tend to maintain leaner staffs than for-profit counterparts, making it more difficult to allocate time for working on their organizations.

It’s appropriate to prioritize their customers, but the unintended consequence of this dedication is losing opportunities to perfect an organization’s operations, as well as missing opportunities to access funding sources.

With these challenges in mind, three well-respected regional organizations providing non-profit support including—OneSource Center for Nonprofit Excellence (its emphasis was consulting, leadership development and training, and access to its nonprofit store), the Leadership Council for Nonprofits (which provided members leadership programs and peer networks), and Social Venture Partners Cincinnati (SVP facilitated innovation, engaged philanthropy, and investment opportunities with nonprofits)—have joined forces to provide BEAM Center for Nonprofits; a single, more dynamic way to efficiently serve 501(c)(3) organizations of all sizes, budgets and sectors.

Beth Benson, formerly the Leadership Council’s executive director, will serve as the BEAM Center’s CEO. Her four-decade journey within the nonprofit space has included working for arts, environmentalism, and housing-focused organizations before assuming the Leadership Council role and, ultimately, the BEAM Center role. The merger was official on August 1 and formally announced on August 17 to coincide with National Nonprofit Day. According to the merged organization, its new moniker refers to both the brightness of light and the strength of a broad wooden beam. Benson said conversations about unifying the organizations had begun years ago.

“Nonprofit organizations are typically lean by nature, so we’re not going to eliminate any roles,” she said. “We do not want to necessarily eliminate redundancies, because we want our coverage of nonprofits to optimally serve organizations. Our goal is to synergize each prior organization’s strengths and capabilities to provide better, more efficient services through a broader gamut of resources and development opportunities.”

The organization headquarters are located at 936 Dalton St. at the former OneSource Center base of operations, with the non-profit store accessible to all member organizations also onsite. The BEAM Center launches with an 11-employee staff, with the team members of the merging organizations retained. The Leadership Center and OneSource will formally dissolve, and Social Venture Partners will maintain a satellite office at Alloy Growth Lab in Norwood.

Benson noted the single, larger organization will make it better equipped to engage with organizations at diverse life-cycle points.

“There are start-ups and 100-year-old organizations that can have needs that are similar and others that are very different,” she said. “Some have a well-defined mission, and others need help on that front. A unified organization is more capable to meet diverse organizations where they are.”

Benson also noted that a single access point simplifies making connections with funding sources and sponsors, volunteers and development opportunities.

“If there are active professionals or retirees who have expertise in financial management, marketing, branding, or other services useful to nonprofits, we want to simplify outreach to get them involved,” she said.

Rob Reifsnyder, who previously functioned as the OneSource Center board leader, will serve as the inaugural chairperson of the BEAM Center’s 25-member board that provides a broad spectrum of expertise. He said: “This new organization reflects a shared commitment to helping nonprofits succeed. By combining resources and expertise, BEAM will provide greater value, encourage collaboration, and increase community impact.”

To learn more about the organization, visit BEAM Center’s website which provides a contact form for organizations to connect. Find BEAM Center on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

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The new organization combines OneSource’s consulting, leadership development and training, and nonprofit store; Leadership Council’s leadership programs and peer networks, and SVP Cincinnati’s innovation, engaged philanthropy, and investments in nonprofits.

What will BEAM Center for Nonprofits provide?

• Consulting and operational support
• Leadership development and training
• Peer networks
• Strategic investments
• Philanthropic partnerships
• The Common Good Store