I’m Joshua Solge and I’m currently studying for a Master’s in Urban Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Delaware. I am working with DANA to create a plan for improving the environment for Delaware’s nonprofits so our organizations can thrive during the coming years.

To date, I’ve been going through the research within the nonprofit industry. There is great work being done to identify what nonprofits are struggling with nationally and to develop strategies to cope with or correct these problems. DANA will focus on issues and practices that are most relevant to Delaware.

Our research has led us to topics like contract reform, nonprofit relationships with grant-makers and government, collaboration strategies, capacity building, demographic shifts, and technological trends in social media, productivity and analytics. We will be reaching out to the Delaware nonprofit community to learn what challenges local leaders are dealing with day-to-day. DANA will also be hosting several focus groups this Fall to get deeper into those topics that seem most relevant to our state.

It’s our hope at DANA that building a statewide plan for nonprofit sector advancement will help our nonprofits better serve those in need, forge healthier relationships with funders, build outstanding workplaces, find opportunities to work together, and tell the real story about the impact nonprofits have on the State of Delaware.

By Joshua Solge
Sector Advancement Research Assistant