DANA

What DANA does

DANA (Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization founded in 1986 that operates as the primary statewide alliance supporting Delaware's nonprofit sector. Headquartered in Wilmington with a secondary office in Georgetown, DANA serves the more than 3,000 tax-exempt organizations in Delaware that collectively generate approximately $8 billion in spending power, with 481 nonprofit members listed in its online directory. The organization delivers services through six Centers of Excellence covering Board Governance, Nonprofit Leadership, Diversity Equity & Inclusion, Sustaining Strategies, Program Evaluation, and Public Policy, and runs flagship convening programs including the annual IMPACT Delaware Conference (held at the University of Delaware) and the Board Chair & CEO Leadership Series, now in its eighth year.

The technology stack is modest and service-oriented rather than product-oriented. DANA runs its operations on a public-facing website (delawarenonprofit.org) and a member portal (alliance.delawarenonprofit.org) powered by GrowthZone membership management software, which handles member profiles, event registration, job postings, donations, and renewal billing. Self-paced online learning is delivered through a third-party catalog platform (MindEdge). DANA does not develop proprietary software products, does not maintain a mobile app, and does not expose a public API or SDK.

DANA's business model combines recurring membership dues (pricing not publicly disclosed), fee-based programs such as the $1,000 per-organization Board Chair & CEO Leadership Series, professional consulting engagements, workshop and on-demand course fees, donations, and a health insurance member benefit. The go-to-market is sales-led and community-driven: DANA acquires members through direct outreach, industry events, the annual conference, and digital channels (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, email newsletter). A scholarship mechanism is administered in partnership with the Endsley P. Fairman Fund at the Delaware Community Foundation, and the organization adheres to the Standards for Excellence Institute's Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector.

Name

DANA

Legal name

Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement

Website

https://delawarenonprofit.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

DANA is a Delaware-based nonprofit membership alliance that supports the state's 3,000+ tax-exempt organizations through consulting, training, governance programs, and the annual IMPACT Delaware Conference, serving 481 member nonprofits.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Support Services

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Volunteer Management & Alumni Leadership Programs (EDALAOAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning (MEL) & Reporting for Donor Programs (BPADAOAL)

Keywords

• Nonprofit support services
• Board governance training
• Nonprofit leadership development
• Capacity building programs
• Nonprofit sector advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Wilmington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: DANA generates revenue through membership fees from Delaware nonprofits. Members receive access to consulting services, education programs, workshops, and the member directory. The membership provides 'unparalleled access to partnerships, education, support and solutions.'
2. Program Fees: Revenue generated from fee-based programs including the Board Chair & CEO Leadership Series ($1,000 per organization), workshops, DANA On-Demand Courses, and the annual IMPACT Delaware Conference.
3. Consulting Services: DANA offers consulting services to nonprofit organizations for governance, leadership, and sustainable strategies. These professional services generate revenue for the organization.
4. Donations: DANA accepts donations to support its mission of advancing nonprofit excellence in Delaware. Contact information for donations is available on the website.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

DANA is a membership-based nonprofit support organization that provides Delaware tax-exempt organizations with consulting, training, workshops, on-demand courses, leadership development programs, an annual IMPACT Delaware Conference, and a member directory and resource portal. Its Centers of Excellence deliver focused expertise in board governance, nonprofit leadership, diversity/equity/inclusion, sustaining operations, program evaluation, and public policy. Revenue is generated through annual membership fees, program fees, consulting engagements, and donations.

Product overview

DANA (Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement) is a membership-based nonprofit support organization rather than a technology product company. It offers a unified suite of services including membership access, consulting, workshops, on-demand courses, and a Nonprofit Accelerator Program. The organization operates through Centers of Excellence covering governance, leadership, DEI, sustainability, and public policy. Key programs include the Board Chair & CEO Leadership Series and the annual IMPACT Delaware Conference. DANA also provides a member directory with 481 Delaware nonprofits and health insurance solutions for members. All offerings are service-based rather than software products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Membership Services
• Consulting Services
• Workshops
• DANA On-Demand Courses
• Nonprofit Accelerator Program
• Board Chair & CEO Leadership Series
• Centers of Excellence
• Member Directory
• IMPACT Delaware Conference
• DANA Health Insurance Solutions
• Board Connections
• Sector Advancement

Quantifiable outcome

• DANA supports nonprofits generating $8 billion in spending power across Delaware

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Standards for Excellence InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDANA adheres to the Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector as developed by the Standards for Excellence Institute. This partnership provides DANA with a governance and ethics framework that DANA promotes to its member organizations, establishing industry standards for nonprofit operations.
• GrowthZonecoreTechnology or IntegrationGrowthZone provides the membership management system powering DANA's online operations. When members renew or join, update profiles, donate, post jobs, register for classes or the conference, they access the GrowthZone platform. DANA's member directory and communications are powered through this system.
• University of DelawareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe IMPACT Delaware Conference is hosted at the University of Delaware, with the event scheduled for May 1 at the university campus, indicating a venue partnership for DANA's flagship annual event.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Maryland Nonprofits: Statewide membership alliance for Maryland nonprofits providing advocacy, training, consulting, and capacity-building — directly comparable to DANA's model but operating in a neighboring mid-Atlantic state.
• New Jersey Center for Nonprofits: Statewide nonprofit support organization offering training, consulting, and policy advocacy for New Jersey's nonprofit sector — the closest operational analog to DANA in another U.S. state.
• Nonprofit New York: Statewide membership alliance serving New York nonprofits with training, policy advocacy, and capacity-building services — directly comparable in mission and service portfolio to DANA.
• Massachusetts Nonprofit Network: State-level nonprofit membership association providing advocacy, training, and networking for Massachusetts nonprofits — operates an essentially identical service model to DANA at state scale.
• North Carolina Center for Nonprofits: Statewide nonprofit support organization delivering consulting, training, and advocacy to North Carolina's nonprofit sector — a direct functional peer with comparable service mix to DANA.
• Forefront (Illinois/Midwest): Regional nonprofit membership association serving Illinois and the Midwest with training, consulting, and policy advocacy — comparable state/regional alliance serving as a peer to DANA in a different geography.
• Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (PANO): Statewide membership organization supporting Pennsylvania nonprofits through advocacy, education, and resources — directly analogous to DANA's statewide nonprofit alliance model.

Broad incumbents

• National Council of Nonprofits: National network of state and regional nonprofit associations; serves as a broad umbrella and policy voice that competes with state-level alliances like DANA for member mindshare and federal policy representation.
• Independent Sector: National membership coalition of nonprofits, foundations, and corporate giving programs that conducts research and policy advocacy; overlaps with DANA's research and policy education mission at a national scale.

Others

• Standards for Excellence Institute: National nonprofit ethics and accountability standards body that DANA already partners with; provides the accreditation framework and ethical code DANA promotes, making it a closely adjacent enabling organization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/DANAinDE
• Facebookfacebook.com/DENonprofit
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/delaware-alliance-for-nonprofit-advancement
• Instagraminstagram.com/de_nonprofit
• Xx.com/DE_Nonprofit

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about DANA