August 2, 2012; Source: MinnPost

The Young Nonprofit Professionals Network (YNPN) has been in existence for 15 years, but has really begun to thrive in more recent years, as evidenced by its growing base, which now includes 34 chapters across the U.S. Today through Sunday, YNPN will hold its annual conference in San Francisco. The conference agenda features sessions geared toward beginners (for example, “Engaging the Establishment: First Steps to Connecting to the Larger Nonprofit Community”) as well as more seasoned attendees who are heavily involved in one of the organization’s local chapters (such as “Aligning Infrastructure with Your Chapter’s Strategic Priorities”). Today’s festivities include a “focus on leadership and management across staff levels, across generations and across issues.”

According to its website, YNPN “promotes an efficient, viable, and inclusive nonprofit sector that supports the growth, learning, and development of young professionals.” One such young professional, Trisha Reinwald, who serves on the YNPN national board and founded the Twin Cities chapter, tells MinnPost that, “YNPN’s exponential growth nationally has a lot to do with young people’s interest in being connected and working together to meet community needs.”

What are those community needs and how can young nonprofit sector professionals help meet them? NPQ would like to hear from some of those in attendance. What are you and your fellow young nonprofit professionals talking about as you gather together today and this weekend? What are some of the issues that you see transcending any one particular chapter and applying more broadly throughout the sector? –Mike Keefe-Feldman