ABSTRACT
Background and Purpose of the Collaboration: The Memphis Metropolitan Statistical Area evidences social problems common to large urban areas, including crime, infant mortality, bankruptcy, and housing stock decay. Responding to these public issues and needs, the nonprofit sector in the Mid-South is a diverse and vibrant part of the local environment. In 1996, Memphis nonprofit leaders began discussing common staffing needs, identifying the national American Humanics (AH) program as a potential vehicle for improving the pool of entry-level professionals. At the same time, the national AH organization was advocating a collaborative model of program development. (Founded in 1948, the national alliance of American Humanics is made up of 22 national nonprofit partners and 70 higher education institutions around the United States with programs dedicated to educating, preparing, and certifying professionals to strengthen and lead nonprofit organizations.) In 1999, three higher education institutions and 27 local nonprofits began the Mid-South American Humanics Collaborative (MSAHC) with the stated mission “to recruit and prepare future nonprofit leaders” and the goal of improving the capacity of local nonprofit organizations to better meet the needs of the Memphis/Mid-South population.
