A network of more than 52 local nonprofit organizations in Cambridge that recently joined to create the Cambridge Nonprofit Coalition has announced the hiring of a coordinator to develop the Coalition’s institutional profile and impact. Elena Sokolow-Kaufman comes to her new role from Mass Mentoring Partnership, where she served as senior manager of government relations and field resources. She was formerly with United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley, where she served as director of community impact.
Sokolow-Kaufman is a graduate of Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs Master’s Program in Bloomington, IN, and earned a bachelor’s degree from Barnard College in New York. In her new role, which is half-time, she will be based at the Cambridge Community Foundation and report to the steering committee of the Coalition.
The Coalition grew out of a series of community-wide meetings over two years that focused on issues related to providing services to residents of the City of Cambridge. The goal of the new network is to build strong partnerships, meet changing needs, close the opportunity gap and improve the quality of life for local residents.
“This is an exciting opportunity for the nonprofit organizations serving the people of Cambridge,” said Geeta Pradhan, President of the Cambridge Community Foundation, which sponsored efforts to create the Coalition. “This underscores the need for a culture of collaboration to make the most of the sector’s resources and meet the evolving needs of Cambridge residents.”
Duties of the coordinator will include serving as an advocate for member organizations within the nonprofit sector and with the City of Cambridge, conduct research on behalf of the Coalition, and create and maintain a database of services and resources offered by Coalition members.
“I’m thrilled to join the Coalition’s effort to provide further resources and a greater voice for the Cambridge nonprofit community, and by extension, the families and residents these organizations serve,” said Sokolow-Kaufman.
“The creation of the Coalition was an important step forward for a long list of nonprofits that work hard every day to support the people of Cambridge,” said Michael Delia, president and CEO of East End House, a community center serving Cambridge and surrounding communities, and a member of the Coalition’s steering committee. “Having a coordinator in place means we can advance our common commitment to strengthening the nonprofit sector. And we are delighted to welcome Elena to her new role. She is the ideal person to bring the Coalition to the next level, bringing deep experience and skill to this work.”
The position of coordinator is supported in part by a grant from the Cambridge Community Foundation.
Cambridge Community Foundation
Cambridge Community Foundation was established in 1916, making it one of the oldest community foundations in the country. The only foundation with the whole city of Cambridge in its purview, it is a key supporter of nonprofit organizations, distributing $1.2 million in grants in 2015 to meet local needs and support the aspirations of Cambridge residents. The Foundation provides advocacy and leadership support to deal with urgent local challenges and partners with donors to provide a permanent source of charitable funds for the community.
Cambridge Nonprofit Coalition
Beginning in 2013, senior leaders from a wide spectrum of nonprofit organizations in Cambridge have been meeting regularly to discuss issues of mutual concern in providing services to residents of Cambridge. Out of these initial meetings the Cambridge Nonprofit Coalition was created. The Cambridge Nonprofit Coalition strengthens the Cambridge nonprofit sector by building collective voice and promoting collaboration in order to meet changing needs and improve the quality of life for the community.
