2026 Wisconsin Civic Health Challenge – Thank you for participating!
For the third year in a row, the Civic Health of Wisconsin Initiative organized and hosted Wisconsin’s Civic Health Challenge to celebrate National Civic Health Month in August. The Civic Health Challenge is a month-long …
June 25, 2026Wisconsin’s Civic Health: A Snapshot of Recent Years
A new article by CommNS Executive Director Mary Beth Collins appeared in the April issue of the WISCONSIN COUNTIES ASSOCIATION. “Wisconsin’s Civic Health: A Snapshot of Recent Years” provides an update on Wisconsin’s civic health …
June 1, 20262026-2027 CommNS Community Fellowship: Apply by May 19, 2026
The Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies (CommNS) is excited to open applications for the Community Fellowship, an opportunity for a community practitioner to collaborate with our center. Through the Community Fellowship, the CommNS seeks …
April 21, 2026The New North: Supporting Community-Led Strategies for a Strong, Sustainable, and Connected Ashland County in Changing Times
Since early 2025, the CommNS has been collaborating with UW-Extension Ashland County on a project titled The New North: Integrating Newcomers and Communities In Northern Wisconsin for Civic Health and Sustainable Rural Futures. Funded by an …
March 16, 2026Building Bridges: The CommNS and Civil Society Capacity-Building in Timor-Leste
How a year-long partnership nurtured connection and exchange, and contributed to capacity-building efforts for civil society organizations and future leaders in one of the world’s youngest democracies A Partnership Across Continents Imagine running a nonprofit …
March 15, 2026Meeting the Moment: Defining Civic Health in Wisconsin
A new article by CommNS Executive Director Mary Beth Collins will appear in the March issue of the WISCONSIN COUNTIES ASSOCIATION.
March 11, 2026Faith-Based Organizations as Community Anchors: Key Insights from the 2/19/26 CommUniversity Session Panel
Last week, The CommNS kicked off our Spring Semester 2026 CommUniversity sessions with a panel discussion on Faith-Based Organizations as community anchor points, which often offer support to communities which go well beyond worship, and …
March 11, 2026By the People and For the People: An Urgent Call to Democratize the Future of AI
The recent, inevitable explosion of the presence of artificial intelligence (“AI”) in our lives has invoked concern and excitement across communities, institutions, and enterprises. The abrupt integration – in just a couple of years – of an entirely new level of technological power most of us don’t really understand is unnerving and yet, already an accepted part of our daily life.
February 4, 2026How will recent and anticipated federal policy changes impact Wisconsin communities and the nonprofits that serve them?
This timely project supported by the United Way of Dane County, the Madison Community Foundation, and the UW-Madison Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies collects and distills information for stakeholders …
November 6, 20252025 Chicago Friends of the CommNS Event Recap
In the fall of 2023, the CommNS kicked off an effort to reach out to our neighbors in Chicago. Staff, faculty and students were able to connect and share what we do and why we …
July 24, 2025Participate in Wisconsin’s 2025 Civic Health Challenge
Thank you to everyone who participated in our Civic Health Challenge in August! And remember, to keep your Civic Health activities going throughout the year! August is Civic Health Month! The Civic Health of …
July 23, 2025Beyond Land Acknowledgements: The Importance of Community History in Honoring Native Voices
The guidance from this brief is derived from The Community and Nonprofit Studies Affiliate and Civil Society & Community Studies and American Indian & Indigenous Studies Associate Professor, Kasey Keeler and her project Ȟaȟá Wakpádaŋ …
July 11, 2025
Nonprofits and Philanthropy Working Abroad in 2025: Navigating Recent Developments in Government and Regulation
By Mary Beth Collins, J.D., M.A., Executive Director of the UW-Madison Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies, Professor Mark Sidel of the UW-Madison Law School, and Dr. Vincenzo Bollettino of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative. On …
April 4, 2025
Community Fellowship: Apply by April 7, 2025
The Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies (CommNS) is excited to announce a new opportunity for a community practitioner to collaborate with our center: the Community Fellowship. Through its new Community Fellowship, the CommNS seeks …
March 10, 2025
Save the Date: Chicago Friends of the CommNS Event April 9th!
It’s official, our spring Chicago Friends of the CommNS event is scheduled for Wednesday, April 9th, 2025! Our social reception will begin at 4:30 pm with some brief programming around 5:15 pm. Please be on the lookout for an invitation …
February 4, 2025Creating connections on campus to support Wisconsin communities
Recently published on UniverCity Alliance website: https://univercity.wisc.edu/2025/02/03/creating-connections-on-campus-to-support-wisconsin-communities/ When the City of Madison was interested in evaluating a pop-up shop program, UniverCity Alliance connected the project and city staff with an initiative at the Center for …
February 3, 2025Co-Create: Students gain career insights while furthering the Wisconsin Idea
Recently published by the UW School of Human Ecology: https://humanecology.wisc.edu/co-create-students-gain-career-insights-while-furthering-the-wisconsin-idea/ Audrey Treptow x‘25 has always had a passion for public service. After her experience with Co-Create, a community-led research, evaluation and facilitation initiative, she has …
January 27, 2025Going From the Classroom to the Boardroom Helps Students Learn How Nonprofits Work
A class at the University of Wisconsin-Madison business school gives an overview of how nonprofits are structured and regulated, as well as how boards support the transparency and compliance of these organizations, which must serve …
October 9, 2024What Evaluators Can Learn From Doulas
Recently published on AEA365: https://aea365.org/blog/what-evaluators-can-learn-from-doulas-by-amy-washbush/ Hi! I’m Amy Washbush, Associate Director of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies. Through our Co-Create team we partner with nonprofit organizations and others to answer the evaluation and research …
October 9, 2024What difference can Co-Create make for your organization? Reflections from our clients and partners
As Co-Create has continued to grow and engage in more projects with nonprofits, funders, and government agencies to lift up and answer the most important questions to advance their efforts, we’ve taken the time …
October 4, 2024Celebrity Philanthropy and Activism: A Call for Higher Standards and Optimal Impact
By Mary Beth Collins, J.D., M.A., Executive Director of the UW-Madison Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies With special thanks to an important contributor to the conceptual basis of this article, Dr. Troy Williams, Ph.D., …
July 20, 2024
Participate in Wisconsin’s August 2024 Civic Health Challenge
Complete a challenge, build a habit, connect with others, and enter to win! You can participate in the Wisconsin Civic Health Challenge in one of two ways: Join us on goosechase! Download the Goosechase app …
July 13, 2024
Students Reflect Upon Their Experiences in Co-Create
As the Co-Create team celebrated our 50-project milestone at the end of 2023, we took the opportunity to look back on where we’ve been and what we can learn from that. (If you’re wondering, our …
July 1, 2024
Join our “Social Innovation” Summer Book Club!
Social Innovation”, “Social Enterprise”, and “Social Entrepreneurship” are terms that are commonly used in current popular and professional parlance to describe efforts that aim or claim to offer effective and creative solutions to difficult challenges …
June 25, 2024
4 Insightful Takeaways from the 2024 CommUnity Conference
Our biannual 2024 CommUnity Conference was a success! In collaboration with partners from the Civic Health of Wisconsin Initiative, dedicated community leaders, students, faculty, researchers, and nonprofit professionals came together for a day of engagement …
June 17, 2024
Co-Create Reaches 50 Projects!
As we usher in spring, we offer congratulations to our Co-Create team who hit a major milestone toward the end of 2023: their 50th project. It began in 2017 as a small wish by Associate …
March 8, 2024
Goodwill Industries of North Central WI partners with Co-Create to refine their evaluation
As the CommNS Co-Create team we believe in the value of strong evaluation for nonprofit organizations. At its best, evaluation provides organizations with the data to track progress in programs and activities that advance their …
January 18, 2024
Nonprofit Capacity Building Efforts Across Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Nonprofit Resources Group (WisNRG) was formed to connect programs and organizations that support “front lines” nonprofits across Wisconsin. Over the past few years, WisNRG has organized informal quarterly meetings that bring together nonprofit-serving …
October 11, 2023
New CommNS partnership with Urban Rural Action sparks dialogue across Wisconsin
Through the generous support of the Schlecht Family Foundation, the CommNS began a collaboration this summer with Urban Rural Action (URA). URA is a nonprofit organization which works to bring together Americans across divides to …
September 7, 2023
CommNS contributes to new book on UW-Madison’s global partnerships
Wisconsin in the World (ed. Elise S. Ahn) is a recently published book exploring the long and ongoing story of internationalization at the University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW). Against that backdrop, each chapter takes a unique …
September 7, 2023
CommNS Executive Director Speaks on Declining Volunteerism in Wisconsin
CommNS Executive Director, Mary Beth Collins, was featured on a NBC 15 news piece, “Study finds volunteering in Wisconsin dropped double digits.”
June 27, 2023
Executive Director Mary Beth Collins speaks on churches’ tax exempt status and political activity
Mary Beth Collins, Executive Director of the CommNS, was featured in a recent news story released by ABC 27, WKOW, “Cottage Grove priest stirs up controversy by urging people to not vote for specific Supreme …
April 20, 2023
CommNS-funded projects foster positive community change through engaged research
At the Fall CommUniversity session, UW-Madison researchers shared out about their CommNS-funded research projects. Each project reflected a deep commitment to community voice and leadership, and to translating research into positive social impact. Session speakers …
December 13, 2022
Apply Now for the Community and Nonprofit Leadership Capstone Certificate Program
The Community and Nonprofit Leadership Capstone Certificate equips both emerging and established change agents working in the nonprofit, community, and civil society efforts with skills and knowledge to expand their impact and develop in their career path. …
June 29, 2022Learn about Top Trends and Promising Strategies in Revenue Model and Funds Development
The Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies (“The CommNS”) invites you to join us for our first ever webinar series, Top Trends and Promising Strategies in Revenue Model and Funds Development. Co-hosted by AFP Greater …
June 13, 2022
Join our Summer Book Club on Trends in the Third Sector
As we transition from our academic year to summer, we are looking forward to getting some space and time for catching up on bigger-picture thinking and reflection about community work, nonprofit organizations, social enterprise, and …
June 9, 2022
Follow-up Survey Shows How COVID-19 Continues to Impact Wisconsin Nonprofits
Wisconsin’s nonprofit sector has stepped up to meet increased needs for support in the wake of COVID-19 and have found creative ways to safely pursue their missions. But nonprofit organizations have also faced significant challenges. …
August 17, 2021
Co-Create Connects Community and Campus to Answer Important Questions
The above image shows Co-Create Director Amy Hilgendorf sharing a report generated by a Co-Create facilitated community input process, at the CommNS Spring 2019 event focused on “Where Mission Meets Advocacy.” Since 2018, the Center …
August 16, 2021
Learn More About Organizational Structures Within the Mission-Based Food Production Movement
The Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies (CommNS) Executive Director Mary Beth Collins and Co-Create Graduate Research Assistant Allison Crook recently collaborated on an article entitled “Choosing the Right Structure for Organizations Participating in the …
July 28, 2021
Thank You to Our AmeriCorps VISTA Member!
This past year the Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies (CommNS) has been fortunate to host AmeriCorps VISTA member Adrienne Theune as part of the Campus Compact AmeriCorps VISTA project. AmeriCorps VISTA members help local …
July 12, 2021Recording Available for CommUniversity Session: “Whether and How to Form a Nonprofit”
The CommNS partnered with the UW-Madison Law School and Marquette Law School to offer an in-demand CommUniversity session this past April. The session was titled “Whether and How to Form a Nonprofit,” and presenters were: …
June 14, 2021
CommNS Teams Present at Madison Nonprofit Day
Members of the CommNS Team had a great time once again this year at Madison Nonprofit Day. This event is always a great opportunity to connect and learn with others working in the sector, and …
May 31, 2021
Congratulations, farewells and hellos at the CommNS
The end of the academic year always brings the bittersweetness of bidding farewell — and saying thank you — to our student team members who are graduating. Congratulations to the following Master of Science in …
May 21, 2021
WisNRG Town Hall Informs Development of a Nonprofit Resource Inventory
The Wisconsin Nonprofit Resources Group (WisNRG) is an effort by the CommNS and the Morgridge Center to connect Wisconsin nonprofit organizations to the resources they need. WisNRG participants convene regularly to share events and opportunities …
April 27, 2021
Get to Know the CommNS
The CommNS Knowledge website has been undergoing some big changes over the past few months. The site is now the official online home of the Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies (the CommNS), a Center …
March 24, 2021
Fall 2020
The sixth CommNS Ties newsletter, with updates from the spring and summer of 2020. Download here
November 6, 2020
New Study Shows the “COVID-19 Effect” on Wisconsin’s Nonprofit Sector
The COVID-19 pandemic has had dramatic impacts on Wisconsin communities and nonprofit organizations. Nonprofits are often at the front lines of the COVID-19 response, given that the epidemic has caused a spike in community demand …
July 29, 2020
“COVID-19 + Third Sector” Resources, Materials, Insights, Opportunities
Friends and Colleagues: We are starting a collection of information and resources related to COVID-19 and the Third Sector. Please check it out here. We will be updating and adding to it regularly. Anyone with …
April 1, 2020
The Great “Reveal” of Critical Third Sector Questions in the COVID19 Era
Mary Beth Collins, J.D. M.S., Executive Director of the UW-Madison Center for Community and Nonprofit Studies. Even at this relatively early moment in what I have come to think of as the “COVID19 Era”, it …
March 27, 2020
Early Winter 2020
The fifth CommNS Ties newsletter, with updates from the fall of 2020. Download here
January 6, 2020
Late Summer 2019
The fourth CommNS Ties newsletter, with updates from the spring and summer of 2019. Download here
September 6, 2019
Early Summer 2019
The third CommNS Ties newsletter, with updates from the spring of 2019. Download here
July 6, 2019
Winter 2019
The second CommNS Ties newsletter, with updates from the fall and winter of 2018. Download here
February 6, 2019
Fall 2018
The first CommNS Ties newsletter, with updates from the spring and summer of 2018. Download here
December 6, 2018
Timely updates on the nonprofit sector, community efforts, and civil society.