Home of the Standards for Excellence Institute

29 Reasons to be Grateful to Nonprofits

By Heather Iliff, President & CEO, Maryland Nonprofits

Maryland Nonprofits exists to serve the nonprofit community. On this #GivingTuesday, we are taking a moment to reflect on the infinite reasons we are grateful that nonprofits in Maryland do what they do and are here for it, every day.

Why specifically 29 reasons? These are our last moments to celebrate 29 years of history at Maryland Nonprofits! Why wait for our 30th Anniversary in 2022? Maryland Nonprofits is proud to serve the nonprofit community in collective advocacy, capacity building and collaboration for 29 years. Please help us celebrate our 29th year and get ready for our 30th Anniversary with a gift today to support the important work of nonprofits throughout Maryland and the nation.

Donate Here

29 Reasons to be Grateful to Nonprofits

29. Nonprofits make people feel that they are not alone.
28. Nonprofits are supporting all of us to get through COVID-19 and caring for the most vulnerable among us.
27. As mission-centered businesses, nonprofits put people before profit.
26. Nonprofits make art, bring it to audiences who would not otherwise have it, and help give us the artists, musicians, and designers of the next generation.
25. Nonprofits are the heartbeat of the community and create space for people to feel loved and supported.
24. Nonprofits are the change we want to see in the world.
23. Nonprofits are flexible and develop innovative solutions to real problems.
22. Nonprofits keep the community’s interests at the center of what we do.
21. Nonprofits and their services often represent a turning point in people’s lives.
20. Nonprofits care for their staff, and understand that people who work for nonprofits are special kinds of humans.
19. Nonprofits are formed by passion and their missions are executed with the same deep care that they were formed with.
18. Nonprofits are the helping hand that communities need to run smoothly and efficiently.
17. Nonprofits put the “Fun” in “Functional Society.”
16. Nonprofits protect our environment by preserving land, protecting streams and the Bay, and protecting wildlife.
15. Nonprofits represent the connective tissue between communities and government services.
14. Nonprofits are hands, feet, voices, touch, work on the ground where the people are.
13. Nonprofits help people survive with food, clothing, and shelter, substance abuse or mental health care,
12. Nonprofits help people thrive with education, job readiness, and family supports.
11. Nonprofits make communities a great place to live with vibrant arts, culture, and neighborhood design.
10. Nonprofits protect the air we breathe and the water we drink.
9. Nonprofits care about people.
8. Nonprofit leaders exemplify the quote from Former US Congresswoman Pat Schroeder, “you can’t wring your hands and roll up your sleeves at the same time.
7. Love is present in nonprofits, whether it be birth of a new baby, ministering a space of worship, facilitating adoption, or officiating a wedding.
6. Nonprofits promote truth, beauty, and justice.
5. Nonprofits put a smile on the faces of so many.
4. Nonprofits represent the heartbeat of our communities.
3. Nonprofits are working together to uplift the quality of life and equity in all of our communities.
2. Nonprofits save lives.
1. Nonprofits give us reason to sing, see differently, come together, connect, share and work as one.

Finally, we are so grateful to YOU for walking the journey with us through the uncertain and difficult times of COVID-19 and working for greater equity and quality of life.

Donate Here

Thank you for donating today to help keep Maryland Nonprofits here for our nonprofit community, celebrating our 29th year and the 29 reasons to be grateful to our tremendous nonprofit community.

Sincerely yours,

Heather Iliff
President & CEO
Maryland Nonprofits

Heather Iliff is President & CEO of Maryland Nonprofits, responsible for advancing the organization’s vision to create a highly effective, ethical and accountable nonprofit sector that drives change through collective action and advocacy. Ms. Iliff previously served as Vice President of Maryland Nonprofits and Director of the Maryland Nonprofits Consulting Group. She is an experienced facilitator, trainer and manager with international, national and local nonprofit organizations. Ms. Iliff served a 4-year term as an elected member of the Prince George’s County, Maryland Board of Education, and was appointed to County Executive Rushern Baker’s Commission on Educational Excellence for Prince George’s County. Previously, Ms. Iliff was Deputy Director of Alliance for Nonprofit Management and Assistant Director of the Institute for Educational Policy at Open Society Institute – Budapest. Ms. Iliff has been featured as a speaker at national conferences including Organizational Development Network Annual Conference, The Philanthropy and Non-Profit Performance Conference, Alliance for Nonprofit Management Annual Conference, and the Association of Research on Nonprofit Organizations and Voluntary Action. Ms. Iliff holds a bachelor’s degree in international studies from The American University and a Masters in Political Science from the Central European University (University of the State of New York). She is a licensed consultant with the Standards for Excellence Institute.

Disclosure: The Maryland Association of Nonprofit Organizations (Maryland Nonprofits) is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, donations to which are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Maryland Nonprofits is the home of the Standards for Excellence Institute, Maryland Association of Resources for Families and Youth, and Maryland Latinos Unidos. A copy of our financial statement is available on our website, www.marylandnonprofits.org. Documents submitted to the State of Maryland under the Maryland Charitable Solicitations Act are available from the Secretary of State, State House, Annapolis, MD 21401 for the cost of copying and mailing.