What NANOE (National Association of Nonprofit Organizations & Executives) does

NANOE (National Association of Nonprofit Organizations & Executives) is a 501(c)(3) membership organization founded in 2018 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., that provides credentialing, training, and professional development for the U.S. charitable sector. The organization was established as a co-venture between Clemson University and the National Development Institute (NDI, founded 1990 by Jimmy LaRose) and operates under President Louis Fawcett with Kristi LaRose as COO. NANOE sells three annual membership tiers direct-to-consumer through nanoe.org: Practitioner ($100/year, single user), Organization ($200/year, 5 users), and Enterprise ($300/year), with separate one-time credentialing fees ($148-$248) for three proprietary designations: Certified Nonprofit Executive (CNE), Certified Development Executive (CDE), and Certified Nonprofit Consultant (CNC).

The core technology is NANOE Central, a cloud-based member dashboard that delivers automated credentialing, a 10,000-page Capacity Builder's Download Library, video and audio training, and an online research forum. NANOE's content moat rests on the 1,100-page New Guidelines for Nonprofits encyclopedia developed with Clemson University, supplemented by the DonorScope database of 5 million net-worth millionaire contacts and the Major Gifts Ramp-Up donor cultivation software. Media platforms Inside Charity and 501c3.Buzz extend reach, while the biennial Board of Governors Convention & Expo anchors in-person engagement. NANOE claims a network of 1,000+ Governors across all 50 states and a cumulative training footprint of 17,000+ nonprofit officers across 4,000+ organizations.

NANOE monetizes through a diversified stack: annual membership subscriptions, one-time credentialing fees, book sales (RE-IMAGINING NONPROFITS), biennial convention registration ($198-$498), donations via the Impact Innovation Campaign (targeting $6.7M over six years), and vendor marketplace fees through Downtown NANOE's Certified Vendor Program. Customer segments span nonprofit executives, board members, consultants, foundations/corporations, and for-profit service providers serving the sector. No revenue is publicly disclosed and no public funding rounds are recorded beyond the internal campaign.

Name

NANOE (National Association of Nonprofit Organizations & Executives)

Legal name

National Association of Nonprofit Organizations & Executives

Website

https://nanoe.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NANOE is a 501(c)(3) membership organization founded in 2018 that provides credentialing (CNE, CDE, CNC), training, and a cloud-based professional platform for U.S. nonprofit executives, board members, consultants, and capacity-building service providers across all 50 states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (61171), Book Publishers (513130)

SIC

Miscellaneous Publishing (2741)

akta.pro primary industry

Course Bundle Subscriptions & Learning Membership Marketplaces (EDAFAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Learning Content Bundling & Subscription Passes (All-Access Libraries) (MPACALAL), Standalone Creator Course Platforms (Branded Schools) (MPACALAB), Digital Learning & Course Subscriptions (CRAFAIAD)

Keywords

• Nonprofit membership association
• Capacity building services
• Professional credentialing programs
• Donor cultivation training
• Board governance resources

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Subscriptions: Annual membership subscriptions in three tiers: Practitioner ($100/year, single user), Organization ($200/year, 5 users), Enterprise ($300/year). Membership provides access to training, credentialing, resources, and member benefits. Billing is annual with automatic renewal.
2. Credentialing Fees: One-time credentialing fees: $148 for one credential (CNE, CDE, or CNC), $198 for two credentials, $248 for all three credentials. Credentials are maintained as long as annual membership is maintained with no recertification fees.
3. Book Sales: Sale of 'Re-Imagining Nonprofits' book by Louis Fawcett. Pricing ranges from $24.95 (single copy) to $623.75 (Foundation Pack of 50 copies) with bulk discounts.
4. Event Registration: Biennial Board of Governors Convention & Expo with separate event registration fees ($198 for Governors, $398 for members, $498 for non-members).
5. Donations and Impact Innovation Campaign: NANOE accepts tax-deductible donations through its Impact Innovation Campaign targeting $6.7 million over six years to fund sector transformation initiatives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

NANOE sells annual membership subscriptions ($100 Practitioner, $200 Organization, $300 Enterprise) that grant access to NANOE Central, an online training and credentialing platform, plus a 10,000-page capacity-building library and three credentials (CNE, CDE, CNC) priced separately at $148-$248. It complements these subscriptions with the New Guidelines for Nonprofits encyclopedia, the Major Gifts Ramp-Up donor cultivation model and software, a DonorScope millionaire prospect database, and a biennial convention and expo.

Product overview

NANOE operates as a membership-based nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive ecosystem of credentialing, training, and professional development products for the charitable sector. The core offering consists of three membership tiers (Practitioner at $100/year, Organization at $200/year, and Enterprise at $300/year) providing graduated access to NANOE Central's cloud-based training platform. NANOE Central serves as the unified dashboard for automated credentialing, the 10,000-page Capacity Builder's Download Library, video and audio training, and access to NANOE's online research forum. Three professional credentials are offered: Certified Nonprofit Executive (CNE), Certified Development Executive (CDE), and Certified Nonprofit Consultant (CNC), each with one-time fees ranging from $148-$248. Key publications include the 1,100-page New Guidelines for Nonprofits and the book RE-IMAGINING NONPROFITS. Media platforms include Inside Charity (news outlet) and 501c3.Buzz (broadcast resource). The Major Gifts Ramp-Up product line includes a donor cultivation model, software platform, cloud service, and event production. The biennial Board of Governors Convention & Expo serves as the flagship networking event. The Downtown NANOE marketplace provides vendor access, while DonorScope offers a database of 5 million millionaire prospects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NANOE Central: Cloud-based member dashboard providing access to credentialing portal, capacity builder's download library, video training, and member resources.
• New Guidelines for Nonprofits
• Inside Charity
• 501c3.Buzz
• Downtown NANOE
• DonorScope
• Major Gifts Ramp-Up

Products and services

• Practitioner Membership Individual nonprofit professional membership at $100/year providing single-user access to NANOE's training resources, credentialing renewals (CNE, CDE, CNC), the Board of Governors Convention & Expo, New Guidelines for Nonprofits, NANOE Impact Videos, Inside Charity, 501c3.Buzz, and Downtown NANOE Vendor Village.
• Organization Membership Nonprofit organization membership at $200/year providing 5 user seats and the Best Practice Charity Medallion designation, with full access to training resources, New Guidelines, video courses, credentialing portal, and media platforms.
• Enterprise Membership Business membership at $300/year for vendors serving the nonprofit sector, providing the Capacity Builder Enterprise Medallion, VIP placement in Downtown NANOE's virtual expo, discounted convention exhibitor packages, and access to all training and credentialing benefits.
• Certified Nonprofit Executive (CNE) Credential Professional credential for nonprofit executives (CEOs, CFOs, COOs, CDOs) covering advanced management models and capacity-building expertise. Delivered via a 200-question automated online exam with save-as-you-go function and a 70% pass rate; one-time fee of $148.
• Certified Development Executive (CDE) Credential Professional credential for fundraising professionals focused on donor psychology and creating lifetime partnerships with financial investors. Delivered through a 150-question automated online exam; one-time fee of $148.
• Certified Nonprofit Consultant (CNC) Credential Professional credential for consultants providing expert guidance to nonprofits, covering nonprofit management, consulting arts, and sustainable business development. Delivered through a 100-question automated online exam; one-time fee of $148.
• NANOE Central Cloud-based member dashboard providing automated credentialing, a 10,000-page Capacity Builder's download library, video/audio/tutorial training, and an online research forum for NANOE Governors. Included with all membership tiers.
• New Guidelines for Nonprofits Comprehensive 1,100-page encyclopedia of nonprofit capacity-building knowledge and guidance covering organizational management and sector transformation. Co-developed with Clemson University; used as desk reference and study material for credentialing exams.
• New Guidelines Video Course Training Video overview course covering each guideline from New Guidelines for Nonprofits, supported by corresponding NGN booklets, designed to prepare practitioners for the Certified Nonprofit Executive open-book exam.
• Board of Governors Convention & Expo Biennial national conference and expo gathering thought leaders from public, private, and nonprofit sectors, featuring training sessions for codifying New Guidelines for Tomorrow's Nonprofits, vendor exhibits, and networking; registration separate from membership ($198 Governors, $398 members, $498 non-members).
• Inside Charity America's Trusted Nonprofit News Source — one-stop online magazine curating capacity-building articles from industry leaders, included as a member benefit.
• 501c3.Buzz Online broadcast resource that allows nonprofits to raise visibility of their work through articles, posts, pictures, and videos; included free for NANOE members.
• DonorScope Directory Comprehensive donor directory containing contact information for 5 million net-worth millionaires, providing NANOE members with paid access to major-gift prospect identification and cultivation.
• Major Gifts Ramp-Up Donor cultivation model and software platform used by charities for financial capacity-building, enabling organizations to systematically raise $300,000-$400,000 or more in single evening events. Created by Jimmy LaRose.
• Major Gifts Ramp-Up Events Live event production service based on the Major Gifts Ramp-Up model, typically raising $300,000 to $1 million in a single 12-hour evening event for charities.
• Major Gifts Ramp-Up Cloud Cloud-based platform for the Major Gifts Ramp-Up donor cultivation model, providing ongoing access to tools, templates, and resources for major-gift fundraising campaigns.
• Downtown NANOE Virtual online expo featuring discounted services and products from vetted for-profit vendors serving the nonprofit sector; Enterprise members receive VIP placement.
• NANOE Medallion Directory Digital directory recognizing NANOE credential holders who achieve prestigious credentials, providing a digital medallion for use on member marketing materials and websites.
• NANOE Impact Videos Library of live keynote addresses from industry champions who pioneered the movement to transform charity, featuring engaging presentations challenging conventional nonprofit management thinking.
• Capacity Builder's Download Library 10,000-page resource library containing source material, research briefs, and doctoral thesis content supporting preparation for CNE, CDE, and CNC credentialing exams; accessible through NANOE Central.
• Re-Imagining Nonprofits Book Book by Louis Fawcett presenting free-market principles for nonprofit transformation, covering donor relationships, organizational structure, board management, and revenue generation. Available in single copy ($24.95) through bulk Foundation Pack of 50 copies ($623.75).
• Certified Vendor Program Program establishing for-profit vendors as NANOE CBE (Capacity-Building Enterprise) Preferred Service Providers, providing a Seal of Approval for nonprofit executives choosing cost-efficient services.

Quantifiable outcome

• 17,000+ nonprofit leaders trained across 4,000+ organizations
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature7 records

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Amazon BusinessminorOthersEnterprise partner exhibiting in Downtown NANOE vendor village. Provides nonprofit solutions and business services for charities.
• Blak Sheep MarketingminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing services partner exhibiting in Downtown NANOE. Provides promotional and marketing support for nonprofit sector.
• DonorScopecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore NANOE product - online prospect research platform with 5 million millionaire contacts. Created by Jimmy LaRose, integral to member services.
• Major Gifts Ramp-UpcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore NANOE methodology - donor cultivation model and software platform. Created by Jimmy LaRose, provides capacity-building framework.
• National Development Institute (NDI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNDI is co-founder of NANOE along with Clemson University. Founded by Jimmy LaRose in 1990. Assists funders and corporations with capacity-building goals. Co-developed New Guidelines for Nonprofits.
• Development Systems International (DSI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Jimmy LaRose in 1990. Ensures nonprofits have professional access to Major Gifts Ramp-Up Model. Downtown NANOE exhibitor.
• PAX GlobalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounded by Jimmy LaRose. Provides ministries, churches, and international organizations access to Major Gifts Ramp-Up Model. Downtown NANOE exhibitor.
• Clemson UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-founder of NANOE. Dr. Kathleen Robinson from Clemson co-lead development of New Guidelines for Nonprofits. NANOE founders trained at Clemson.
• Ecumenical Church of ChristcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBishop Redfern II is NANOE's founding Board Chair. Ecumenical Church of Christ is Downtown NANOE exhibitor. Faith-based leadership integrated into NANOE governance.
• Inside CharitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore NANOE media platform - America's Trusted Nonprofit News Source. Founded by Jimmy LaRose. One-stop magazine curating capacity-building articles.
• 501c3.BuzzcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCore NANOE media platform - online broadcast resource for nonprofits. Founded by Jimmy LaRose. Allows nonprofits to raise visibility.
• CineVantage ProductionsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFilm production company founded by Honnie Korngold. Provides multimedia content. Board member Communications Chair. Downtown NANOE exhibitor.
• Wegner CPAsminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAccounting firm partner. Scott Haumersen serves as NANOE Board Treasurer. Serves 700+ nonprofit organizations with annual budgets from under $100,000 to over $30M.
• TANGO AllianceminorOthersNonprofit alliance partner exhibiting in Downtown NANOE.
• Cause Inspired MediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital marketing agency serving nonprofits. Downtown NANOE exhibitor.
• Hotel PlannerminorOthersEvent services partner providing hotel booking for NANOE conventions. Downtown NANOE exhibitor.
• Largent MediaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner exhibiting in Downtown NANOE.
• Charity MaverickminorGTM or Marketing PartnerNonprofit resources platform. Downtown NANOE exhibitor.
• Eleva8minorGTM or Marketing PartnerNonprofit services partner. Downtown NANOE exhibitor with member discounts.
• Red BanyanminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic consulting partner. Downtown NANOE exhibitor.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Candid (formerly GuideStar + Foundation Center): Candid operates GuideStar (transparency seals and nonprofit data) and Foundation Center (funder intelligence) — comparable to NANOE's Downtown NANOE vendor visibility platform and the GuideStar Transparency Seal NANOE itself displays.
• Independent Sector: Independent Sector is a broad national membership organization for nonprofits, foundations, and corporate giving programs — comparable as a higher-level umbrella membership body serving the charitable sector with policy, research, and convening.
• American Society of Association Executives (ASAE): ASAE is the membership body for association professionals, of which NANOE itself is a member. It is broadly comparable as a higher-tier umbrella serving association executives, but operates at a much larger scale across all association verticals.

Others

• Charity Navigator: Charity Navigator is the leading charity evaluation and rating platform — adjacent to NANOE's Best Practice Charity Medallion and NANOE Medallion Directory, but focused on donor-facing ratings rather than executive credentialing.

Emerging players

• TechSoup: TechSoup provides discounted technology products and capacity-building resources to nonprofits — comparable to NANOE's Downtown NANOE vendor marketplace and capacity-building platform approach for small-budget charities.

Direct peers

• Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP): AFP is the largest association for fundraising professionals globally, offering the CFRE credential, training, and chapter-based networking — directly comparable to NANOE's CDE credentialing and fundraising focus. NANOE's own founder Jimmy LaRose founded AFP's Western Maryland Chapter.
• BoardSource: BoardSource is the national nonprofit focused on board governance and leadership — directly comparable to NANOE's board member training segment and capacity-building content around board effectiveness.
• National Council of Nonprofits: The National Council of Nonprofits is a network of state and regional nonprofit associations providing capacity-building support and policy advocacy — comparable to NANOE's role as a nationwide capacity-building network for small and mid-sized charities.
• Nonprofit Leadership Alliance: The Nonprofit Leadership Alliance runs the Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP) credential and a campus-based leadership program — directly comparable to NANOE's CNE/CNC credentialing model and nonprofit executive development.

Regional players

• Philanthropy Roundtable: The Philanthropy Roundtable is a membership association for individual donors and foundations focused on philanthropy effectiveness — thematically adjacent to NANOE's free-market capacity-building mission, serving donors rather than nonprofit executives directly.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nanoecentral
• YouTubeyoutube.com/nanoe
• Facebookfacebook.com/NANOEmembers
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-association-of-nonprofit-organizations-&-executives-nanoe-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 NANOE (National Association of Nonprofit Organizations & Executives)