Donate to the Center for Nonprofit and NGO Studies at NIU!

The Center for Nonprofit and NGO Studies

The Center for Nonprofit and NGO Studies was conceptualized in 2008 when NIU felt as though it was missing something for students that wanted to work within the nonprofit sector. The Center officially launched in 2010. Currently, the Center hosts the only Undergraduate program for nonprofit studies in Illinois at the university level, fueling students who want to make a difference in the world by working closely with nonprofit organizations. Through the Center, students learn about philanthropy, public service, and community engagement within real-world, community-based settings. The Center also offers internships, where classroom theory is put into practice as students work, grow, and serve the needs of nonprofit partners. 

Why Should You Donate?

The Center for Nonprofit and NGO Studies is creating nonprofit leaders of the future and consists of dozens of students who have a passion for helping others and for exploring the nonprofit sector comprehensively through their studies.

With your donations, the Center would be able to provide even more opportunities to help fulfill these passions! Your gift will help support priorities such as the following:

• In a field where hands-on experience is imperative, the ability to enhance and expand the horizon for internships and experiential learning would allow our students to further understand the nonprofit sector in applicable ways.
• We would also be able to provide networking affairs to encourage professional development. An example is the Center’s “Networking Extravaganza,” which allows students and professionals in the nonprofit field to come together and explore future jobs and opportunities.
• For our students who would benefit from financial assistance, more accessibility to scholarships would be a great source of support in their pursuit of the NNGO major.

About Us

This project has been put together by five passionate students, each with their own unique ties to the Center for Nonprofit and NGO Studies. Read a bit about our Team Leader below, and check out the rest of our bios to hear about our team and how the Center has impacted each of us.

My name is Erin Cronin and I am a Junior Nonprofit and NGO Studies major with a minor in Social Entrepreneurship. I have been a student within The Center for Nonprofit and NGO Studies since my freshman year. Along with fundraising for The Center with my fellow students, I am currently working on a project alongside Dr. Schatteman to dive deeper into the funding Northern Illinois University has received throughout the years as a tribute to NIU’s 125th anniversary. The support The Center has provided me with has been amazing and through this fundraiser, I hope that other students like me will continue to have these incredible opportunities. I am also a member of NNGO Ambassadors which is a group of NNGO students who work with The Center to create events around the community and fundraisers for nonprofits. Through my various classes and on and off campus experiences, I have learned so much about the nonprofit sector that I would not have been able to elsewhere.