As a kickoff to celebrating April as Nonprofit Impact Month, the Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement will host nonprofit advocates and policymakers at Nonprofit Advocacy Day Thursday, March 29, at Legislative Hall in Dover. Participants will honor the impact of their work with policymakers and advocate for stronger nonprofit and government partnership to serve the people of Delaware.

The fiscal year 2018 state budget reduced grant funding by over $25 million, including $8.6 million of grants-in-aid. These budget cuts resulted in a reduction in service hours and employee benefits, as well as numerous employee layoffs.

Despite these challenges, Delaware nonprofits are resilient and continue to provide critical services to improve the lives of Delaware residents, and enhance the quality of life in the state.

“Delaware nonprofits are creating enormous value to Delaware, and we are looking forward to celebrating our sector’s positive impact,” said Sheila Bravo, president and CEO of DANA. “We look forward to advocating for state investment into nonprofits and continued development of partnerships between government and nonprofit sectors so that we can collectively serve our state.”

The day will open with a rally on the east side steps of Legislative Hall to mark the impact of nonprofit work with policymakers and kick off advocacy efforts for stronger partnerships between nonprofits and government.

After the rally, DANA will provide lunch to registered participants, along with an opportunity to learn and discuss effective advocacy strategies.

Attendees are encouraged to schedule meetings with legislators to share how their nonprofit is a critical part of the Delaware economy, and how important it is to invest in the state’s nonprofits. All participants are asked to share their experiences on social media using #SupportDENonprofits.

DANA is grateful to M&T Bank for its generous support of the day’s events.

The Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen, enhance, and advance nonprofits and the sector of Delaware through advocacy, training, capacity building and research.