Skip to main content
search

Frequently Asked Questions

You've got questions - we've got answers!

Membership

Frequently Asked Questions

Below, you will find answers to questions that we frequently respond to at The Nonprofit Partnership. Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have a question that isn't included on the list or if additional information is needed. 

  1. Where are The Nonprofit Partnership’s offices located?
  2. Is parking available at The Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Transformational Philanthropy?
  3. Is The Center wheelchair accessible?
  4. What are The Nonprofit Partnership’s hours of operation?
  5. Is The Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Transformational Philanthropy available for use by the public?
  6. What organizations are eligible to join The Nonprofit Partnership?
  7. What is the membership dues structure?
  8. How do I determine my organization's annual operating budget?
  9. I run an organization that is fiscally sponsored by a member organization or an organization that shares a tax ID with an existing member organization. How would we go about joining The Nonprofit Partnership?
  10. Is my organization’s membership renewal period based on the calendar year or the date that our membership was approved?
  11. How can my organization become a member of The Nonprofit Partnership?
  12. How do I pay for my organization’s membership with The Nonprofit Partnership?
  13. I can’t find my organization’s IRS determination letter. What should I do?
  14. My organization doesn’t have a 501(c)3 designation. Can NPP help us with our application?
  15. What are the benefits of membership with The Nonprofit Partnership?
  16. Who is able to take advantage of membership from our organization once we join?
  17. Where does The Nonprofit Partnership hold their events?
  18. I was told to register my organization for membership with The Nonprofit Partnership in order to participate in Erie Gives Day. After the membership application is complete, am I all set to participate in Erie Gives Day?
  19. Why do I need to be a member with The Nonprofit Partnership to participate in Erie Gives Day?
  20. My organization is a member of The Nonprofit Partnership but our annual operating budget has changed. How do I change our organizational information in the Membership Portal to reflect a new payment level?
  21. My organization is a member of The Nonprofit Partnership but we have had a change in [address, web address, phone number, etc.]. How do I change our organizational information in the Membership Portal to reflect our updated information?
  22. I own or work for a for-profit. Do you have any business membership opportunities?
  23. Do you provide a list of your current member organizations?
  24. I want to receive The Nonprofit Partnership’s Nonprofit Insider e-Newsletter. How do I sign up?
  25. I signed up for the Nonprofit Insider e-Newsletter but haven’t received anything. What should I do?
  26. I’m looking for potential Board members for my organization. Do you have a listing?
  27. Does The Nonprofit Partnership provide tours?
  28. My organization is interested in starting a capital campaign. Can The Nonprofit Partnership help?
  29. I’m interested in being part of your annual conference. How can I get involved?
  30. I’m looking for specific information but I can’t find it in your Resource Library. Can you help?
  31. Does NPP provide funding of any sort?
  32. Does NPP write grants?
  1. We are located at The Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Transformational Philanthropy at 609 Walnut St., Erie, PA 16502. Our building is located behind The Erie Community Foundation near the corner of West 6th Street and Walnut St.

  2. Is parking available at The Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Transformational Philanthropy?

    There is a parking lot adjacent to the building and parking is free for visitors. If the lot is full, parking is available on both West 6th Street and Walnut Street.

  3. Is The Center wheelchair accessible?

    Yes, we are! If you need any additional accommodations, please let us know prior to your visit.

  4. What are The Nonprofit Partnership’s hours of operation?

    Our offices are open Monday through Friday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

  5. Is The Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Transformational Philanthropy available for use by the public?

    Due to construction, The Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Transformational Philanthropy is not currently available for rent (Fall 2023).

  6. What organizations are eligible to join The Nonprofit Partnership?

    Your organization must be a nonprofit recognized by the IRS to join The Nonprofit Partnership. When you begin the application process, you will be asked to provide your organization’s IRS determination letter, basic contact information, and dues payment.

  7. What is the membership dues structure?

    The membership levels are based upon an organization’s annual operating budget.

    Organizations with an annual operating budget below $250,000 pay $150 per year.
    Organizations with an annual operating budget between $250,000 and $1,000,000 pay $350 per year.
    Organizations with an annual operating budget above $1,000,000 pay $675 per year.

  8. How do I determine my organization's annual operating budget?

    To determine your nonprofit's annual operating budget, please refer to line 18 - part 1 of your most current 990.

  9. I run an organization that is fiscally sponsored by a member organization or an organization that shares a tax ID with an existing member organization. How would we go about joining The Nonprofit Partnership?

    Your organization would be added under the umbrella of the larger entity. You would be able to access the benefits of membership but the main entity would be responsible for renewal. Please note – it is possible that your organization would not be able to participate in Erie Gives Day if you share a tax ID. Please contact Ellen at ekehl@yournpp.org to learn about being added under a member organization’s umbrella. Please contact Khristina with The Erie Community Foundation to check about your specific tax ID situation in regards to Erie Gives Day. Khristina can be reached at kbowman@eriecommunityfoundation.org or at (814) 454-0843.

  10. Is my organization’s membership renewal period based on the calendar year or the date that our membership was approved?

    Membership renewal periods are based on the month in which the organization begins their membership. For example, if an organization joins in May of 2018, then the organization’s renewal date will be in May of 2019. All renewal dates are the 15th of the month. An email reminder and a postal mail reminder are sent to the organizational contact on file prior to the renewal date.

  11. To become a member, please visit our Membership Portal at www.tnp.wildapricot.org and click on the Membership tab at the top of the page. From here, you will be able to begin a membership application. After submitting a basic application, NPP’s Director of Member Engagement & Education, Ellen Kehl, will reach out for additional information. *Please be sure your organization doesn’t have an existing membership with NPP before starting a new application. Email Ellen at ekehl@yournpp.org with any questions.

  12. How do I pay for my organization’s membership with The Nonprofit Partnership?

    Once you submit your organization’s application for membership, the Membership Portal will generate an email invoice for you. You can follow the directions included with this invoice to pay online using a debit or credit card, or you can send a check made out to The Nonprofit Partnership to 609 Walnut Street, Erie, PA 16502. We do not accept cash and cannot process payments by phone.

  13. If your nonprofit has misplaced your IRS determination letter, you can get a copy of an affirmation letter to have “proof” of your tax-exempt status. Call the IRS Customer Service line for nonprofit organizations at 1-877-829-5500 and give them your nonprofit’s name and Employer Identification Number (EIN). More information on how to obtain an affirmation letter can be found on the IRS website here.

  14. My organization doesn’t have a 501(c)3 designation. Can NPP help us with our application?

    Click here to access our Resource Library which has a special section dedicated to starting a nonprofit. We also hold a “Starting a Nonprofit” workshop every few months. Please visit our events page on this site to see when the next workshop is being held.

  15. What are the benefits of membership with The Nonprofit Partnership?

    Membership benefits include:

    • Free admission to all of our regularly-scheduled educational workshops
    • Exclusive admission to forum gatherings
    • Discounted pricing for NPP’s intensive training programs
    • Discounted pricing for NPP’s annual conference - Keystone Nonprofit Conference
    • Access to our in-house library and digital Resource Library
    • Access to NPP’s Help Desk services (if we don’t have the answer, we’ll find someone who does!)
    • Free one-on-one training opportunities
    • Opportunity to participate in Erie Gives Day
    • Ability to post job opportunities to our Job Board, free of charge
    • And more!

  16. Who is able to take advantage of membership from our organization once we join?

    Your membership benefits are for your organization as a whole. This includes your staff, Board members, and key volunteers.

  17. Where does The Nonprofit Partnership hold their events?

    Most of our regular educational programming is held at our offices at The Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Transformational Philanthropy unless otherwise specified. Our annual conference is held at the Bayfront Convention Center each October.

  18. No! After your membership application is complete and approved, you then must register your nonprofit at www.ErieGives.org. The Nonprofit Partnership is a separate entity from The Erie Community Foundation and registration for Erie Gives Day is a separate process.

  19. Why do I need to be a member with The Nonprofit Partnership to participate in Erie Gives Day?

    To protect donors, The Erie Community Foundation wants to make sure that the nonprofits that participate in Erie Gives Day are legitimate organizations; having a membership with The Nonprofit Partnership is one way of demonstrating that your organization is both recognized as a nonprofit entity by the IRS and in good standing. (In order to meet ECF’s eligibility requirements, organizations that want to participate in Erie Gives also have the option of establishing an agency endowment with The Erie Community Foundation.)
    That being said, we want you to know that there is much more to membership than Erie Gives eligibility! Let us show you what else we have to offer – come by for a tour!

  20. My organization is a member of The Nonprofit Partnership but our annual operating budget has changed. How do I change our organizational information in the Membership Portal to reflect a new payment level?

    Please contact Ellen at ekehl@yournpp.org to change your organization’s membership level.

  21. My organization is a member of The Nonprofit Partnership but we have had a change in [address, web address, phone number, etc.]. How do I change our organizational information in the Membership Portal to reflect our updated information?

    Please contact Ellen at ekehl@yournpp.org with any changes to your organizational profile.

  22. I own or work for a for-profit. Do you have any business membership opportunities?

    Yes! The Nonprofit Partnership offers Associate Memberships to our for-profit partners. Visit our Associate Membership page to learn more and to view the current list of Associate Members. If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, please contact Ellen Kehl at ekehl@yournpp.org or (814) 240-2490 ext. 5.

  23. Whereas we do not share contact information, we do have a Member Directory available to the public. This directory includes the organization’s name, web address, and cause area. View this directory here.

  24. I want to receive The Nonprofit Partnership’s Nonprofit Insider e-Newsletter. How do I sign up?

    You can fill out this form OR email Ellen at ekehl@yournpp.org to be added to the list!

  25. I signed up for the Nonprofit Insider e-Newsletter but haven’t received anything. What should I do?

    Technology – a love/hate relationship! Please check your spam folders for messages from abratton@yournpp.org. Archived editions of the Nonprofit Insider can also be accessed here.

  26. I’m looking for potential Board members for my organization. Do you have a listing?

    We have been accepting Interest Forms for potential Board members. Please email Adam at abratton@yournpp.org to see if any of the submissions would be appropriate for your organization.

  27. Does The Nonprofit Partnership provide tours?

    Yes! We love to give tours. We are very grateful for our space and love to show you all that we can do for you, our members or potential members. Email Ellen at ekehl@yournpp.org to set up a tour.

  28. If your organization is planning to solicit funds in excess of $500,000 you are encouraged to engage with our Community Fund Drives Committee. The Community Fund Drives Committee is in place to assist and endorse organization’s embarking upon large campaigns. If you are interested in learning more about this, please visit our Community Fund Drives Committee page here.

  29. There are speaker, exhibitor, and sponsor opportunities each year for the Keystone Nonprofit Conference.

  30. Yes! That’s what we are here for. As a benefit to membership, you can feel free to come to us with your nonprofit-related questions. If we don’t have the answer, we will hunt for it. Please note: we do not answer legal questions. If there is something that isn’t in our wheelhouse, we will attempt to find someone to help.

  31. Does NPP provide funding of any sort?

    No, The Nonprofit Partnership does not participate in any grant making. This task has been left to the pros at The Erie Community Foundation. However, we are more than happy to consult with members if they are preparing to submit a grant with The Erie Community Foundation.

  32. Does NPP write grants?

    No, we do not write grants. We provide educational programming to members in an attempt to increase your likelihood of securing grants. We are also happy to suggest consultants that can help with grant writing.

For additional questions regarding membership with The Nonprofit Partnership, please contact our Associate Director, Ellen Kehl via email – ekehl@yournpp.org or phone – (814) 240-2490 ext. 5.

The Nonprofit Partnership's offices at The Susan Hirt Hagen Center for Transformational Philanthropy are open Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM.

Phone 814.240.2490
MENU CLOSE