idealist.org

HR Networking | Coordinate Events, Trainings, and Educational Programs |
Real Life Examples

Can you describe your organization's commitment to nonprofit human resources practitioners?
Our commitment is strengthening the nonprofit sector. We do this by helping individual nonprofits improve their internal operations. We provide a number of training courses each year that deal with different HR topics including hiring and firing, doing employee evaluations, and handbook development. We also keep our 1,500 members updated on new rules and regulations by including information in our monthly newsletter. We have several staff attorneys that are available to provide one-on-one technical assistance to our members. We have a number of group buying programs that enable even very small nonprofits to provide a full complement of benefits to their employees.

When did your organization begin offering training for nonprofit human resources?
We began providing training in 1992, shortly after we first opened our doors.

Why do you believe that this kind of training has been crucial to the communities you serve?
Educated staff makes strong nonprofits. Strong nonprofits mean strong communities. 

What has the response been to the nonprofit HR training you have facilitated? What kind of feedback have you received?
People vote with their feet. The HR trainings are consistently well-attended.     

What advice would you give to a practitioner who wants to advocate for more professional development opportunities from a local MSO?
HR training is not just for the HR professional. Hiring and firing training is a must for anyone who has supervisory responsibilities. There is a huge market for training of this type. 

What advice would you give to an MSO who is interested in offering more nonprofit HR training?
Training is not enough. You need to supplement training with one-on-one technical assistance. You also need to have resources available so that nonprofits can implement training recommendations, i.e. don’t tell groups that offering health insurance is good for retention, if you don't have a vendor to provide it. 

Are you available by email for any follow-up questions from Idealist readers or local MSOs?
Yes. 
Nancy Hall
Senior Advisor
Maryland Nonprofits
nhall (at) mdnonprofit.org