MADISON, Wis., Jan. 7, 2025 – The start of programming at the Irwin A. and Robert D. Goodman Nonprofit Center is getting closer with the announcement that Andy Davey, former Director of Research & Advocacy at Madison Community Foundation, has been selected as the Center’s new Director. Davey was chosen as the inaugural Director after an extensive search process.
“A committee of board and staff members interviewed many outstanding candidates for the position,” said Bob Sorge, MCF President & CEO, “Throughout the interview process, Andy’s knowledge of the local nonprofit landscape, his experience as part of the MCF Community Impact team, and his extensive research that precipitated the development of the Center, all made for a compelling and successful candidacy.”
The Goodman Nonprofit Center will address a critical gap in professional resources for local nonprofit organizations. In the absence of a statewide nonprofit association, area organizations are left to piece together resources for professional development on their own. This adds to the challenges they face to advance their missions and realize their full potential.
The need for a nonprofit center in Greater Madison is well established. A joint study conducted by Davey and UW-Madison Extension Dane County’s Sharon Lezberg, which engaged 80 nonprofits and was published in late 2021, concluded that the need for more in-depth capacity-building resources was a primary issue facing the local nonprofit field.
“The message from nonprofit leaders was clear,” said Davey. “They want to learn from and with their colleagues in deeper ways and want to build peer networks that can support them through the often-intense ups and downs of the work. It was also clear that what was needed was a more centralized hub that could be a dependable source of information, professional development and collaboration across organizations.”
Building a Resource to Enhance Nonprofit Excellence in the Heart of Madison
The Goodman Nonprofit Center will be located adjacent to MCF’s current offices, just steps from the capitol at the top of State Street. This central location will facilitate the gathering of nonprofits from across Greater Madison and the surrounding areas.
“Given the lack of a nonprofit center regionally, Center programming will be available to nonprofits serving Dane, Iowa, Sauk, Columbia and Green counties,” Sorge explained. “Having an institution dedicated to building stronger nonprofits and improving collaboration across the field will significantly expand the efficiency and the effectiveness of the sector overall.”
Initial Programming to Launch in Late 2025
Beginning in late 2025, the Goodman Nonprofit Center will launch the Goodman Fellows Program – a year-long professional leadership development training program for nonprofit leaders. Goodman Fellows will belong to a cohort that will learn together and build relationships as they enhance their skills in financial management, strategic planning, fundraising, marketing and communications, advocacy and other areas.
The Nonprofit Center also is planning to develop an online resource library, a calendar of local workshops and a consultant directory, and will provide space where organizations can gather to collaborate. Additional programming and resources are anticipated as the endowment that supports the Center grows.
Major Funders Helping Make Vision a Reality
The Irwin A. and Robert D. Goodman Nonprofit Center moved from vision to reality in May 2024, when the Irwin A. and Robert D. Goodman Foundation announced a $5 million grant to create an endowed fund to support the new Center at MCF. Since then, the Roots & Wings Foundation and United Way of Dane County have joined the Goodman Foundation and MCF as Founding Partners in the Center, building the endowment and expanding programming.
“One of the many challenges of the nonprofit field is the lack of access to professional development,” said E.G. Schramka, Executive Director of the Irwin A. and Robert D. Goodman Foundation. “We hope other funders will join us in supporting this new resource for the Greater Madison area.”
