NANA Clubs

Partner Highlight: NANA Clubs

NANA Clubs stands for the Nonprofit Advocates Networking Alliance. It is a mission-driven networking and community engagement organization that combines:

  • professional networking,
  • nonprofit support,
  • civic involvement,
  • and business relationship building

into one collaborative model.

Their tagline is:

“Making the World a Better Place. One Hour at a Time.”

Where Wisdom Meets Community

NANA’s core concept is creating local “clubs” centered around a specific nonprofit organization. Each club consists of:

  • business professionals,
  • community leaders,
  • retirees,
  • donors,
  • volunteers,
  • and mission advocates

who meet monthly to support that nonprofit through:

  • ideas,
  • networking,
  • strategic input,
  • connections,
  • and collaborative problem-solving.

 

Rather than traditional networking groups focused mainly on referrals or sales, NANA positions itself as:

  • purpose-driven networking
  • with a strong emphasis on community impact.

Each nonprofit can host its own NANA Club, which:

  • meets monthly,
  • usually for one hour,
  • and includes a structured “Nonprofit Advisory Session.”

 

Meeting format typically includes:

  • networking/mingling,
  • introductions,
  • collaborative advisory discussion,
  • and follow-up commitments.

 

The advisory portion is designed to help nonprofits think through:

  • fundraising,
  • outreach,
  • volunteer recruitment,
  • partnerships,
  • sponsorships,
  • marketing,
  • events,
  • and organizational challenges.

The tone and branding of NANA is:

  • collaborative,
  • community-centered,
  • entrepreneurial,
  • mission-focused,
  • and relationship-driven.

 

They strongly emphasize:

  • long-term relationships over transactional networking,
  • meaningful impact over superficial business card exchanges,
  • and connecting professionals around shared causes.

 

The organization appears heavily rooted in:

  • local community development,
  • nonprofit sustainability,
  • and business-community partnerships in Maryland’s Harford/Cecil County region.