Mission and History
MNA Mission
The Montana Nonprofit Association (MNA) is a membership organization of charitable nonprofits that promotes a stronger nonprofit sector, a supportive public climate, and the ability of nonprofits to accomplish their missions. MNA achieves its mission through:
- Advocacy and public policy on sector-wide issues;
- Affordable products and services to save administrative costs;
- Organizational development to build nonprofit capacity;
- Research and information sharing on issues of importance to nonprofits; and
- Network building to connect and strengthen nonprofits.
Read Milestones - MNA's Ten Year Report that chronicles MNA’s development and milestones, profiles a number of the partnerships that have been and will continue to be so important to our success, tells the story of our members at work through words and pictures, and highlights our accomplishments and impact through the years.
MNA History
In the early spring of 2001, the Big Sky Institute for the Advancement of Nonprofits (BSI) convened a small group of Montana nonprofit leaders met in Bozeman to discuss how to generate more resources, goods, and services for their organizations and other nonprofits across the state. All involved were deeply committed to a vision of nonprofits working together in ways that would strengthen our sector and benefit organizations of all sizes and missions. Out of these discussions and many Town Hall Meetings across the state, MNA was officially launched and developed in the late fall of 2001.
Over the first several years, MNA focused on building a strong membership base, annual conference, and high quality group buying programs including major medical health insurance, teleconferencing services, and office supplies. More recently, MNA has expanded its services and benefits to include principles and practices, year-round training opportunities, advocacy and public policy development, and research and information sharing.
Today, MNA is vibrant, strong, and growing and staffed by a full complement of dedicated professionals. Representing the richness and diversity of Montana's charitable sector, MNA members address a broad array of missions in education, health and human services, arts and culture, religious and spiritual development, environmental protection, animal welfare, economic and workforce development, and more. MNA members come from all four corners of the state and range in size from the largest organizations to the smallest unstaffed nonprofits. We are many missions with one voice.
MNA Case Study
The National Council of Nonprofits documented the early development of MNA through a case study created from in-depth interviews with Mike Schechtman, Executive Director of BSI, and Brian Magee, the first and current Executive Director of the Montana Nonprofit Association.