Cambridge Volunteers joins Cambridge Nonprofit Coalition
For years, our two organizations have strengthened Cambridge's nonprofit community. Cambridge Nonprofit Coalition built the connections between nonprofit leaders and gave them a voice at City Hall. Cambridge Volunteers built the bridge between community members who want to help and the organizations that need them.
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Cambridge’s nonprofit community now has one front door to access these resources instead of two. Cambridge Volunteers has become part of Cambridge Nonprofit Coalition, creating one place where residents ready to give their time can find the organization that needs them, and where nonprofits can recruit those volunteers, network, strengthen their staff and add their voice to what the sector tells the city.
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We're deeply grateful to the people behind this work — our members, boards, staff, donors, and community partners — whose care and commitment make our work possible. We also want to thank the Massachusetts Collaboration Fund and SeaChange Capital Partners, whose generous contribution helped bring this collaboration to life.
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Two respected organizations chose each other, after close to a decade of working in each other’s orbit. We are glad to unite and do the work together as one.
Laurie Rothstein, Executive Director, Cambridge Volunteers
Elena Sokolow-Kaufman, Executive Director, Cambridge Nonprofit Coalition
Kavish Gandhi, CV Advisory Board
Sinclair Meggitt, CV Advisory Board
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Cambridge Nonprofit Coalition Board of Directors
Maggie Moore Abdow, Central Square Theater
Jessica Cantin, Food for Free
Darrin Korte, Cambridge Community Center
Cassandra Ling, YWCA Cambridge
Erin Muirhead McCarty, Community Art Center
Anne Riesenfeld, New School of Music
Matthew Stephens, Mount Auburn Cemetery
FAQs
Why is Cambridge Volunteers joining Cambridge Nonprofit Coalition?
Cambridge Nonprofit Coalition and Cambridge Volunteers have been working side by side for close to a decade. By bringing that work under one roof, they create a single hub for nonprofit leaders, volunteers, community members and the city. A combined organization has a larger network of supporters, more visibility and more financial durability than either had alone. We have three main goals: 1) program continuity, 2) a larger, more diverse coalition, and 3) financial growth and stability.
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What changes can we expect?
For now, you’ll see that we still have two websites and separate events scheduled in the coming months. We’ll communicate regularly about any upcoming changes so people can still find the resources and information they have come to rely on us for.​
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What will happen to CV’s database?
CNC takes over managing it. As we transition management of the database, our goal is to maintain the database without interruption with no change in how people access it.
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Will there still be a Volunteer Fair?
Yes! The 2026 Volunteer Fair is scheduled for Sept. 30, 2026. We are grateful to our sponsors for their commitment and support. More details are coming soon, and we hope to see you there!
Who will lead the combined organization? What happens to staff?
Elena Sokolow-Kaufman will continue as the executive director. After over a decade of outstanding service to Cambridge Volunteers, Laurie Rothstein is retiring in August 2026. As part of the transition. CV’s Operations and Communications Manager is joining CNC in a full-time staff position, providing program continuity. No other staff changes are anticipated at CNC as a result of the combination.
How can I support the ongoing work of Cambridge Volunteers and Cambridge Nonprofit Coalition?
Thanks for asking! Your support is critical as we become the premier hub for all things nonprofit and volunteer in Cambridge. Starting September 1, all donations to support CV programming should be directed to CNC. CNC donors can continue to give through CNC.
I’m a CV member. What happens to my membership?
Nothing changes for now. The terms of your current membership are honored through September 2027. Stay tuned for announcements about how to continue receiving all the benefits of your CV membership as well as all that CNC offers.
I’m part of a CNC member organization. How can my organization begin working with CV?
Stay tuned! As we integrate operations, we’ll share more information. For now, if an organization would like to have CV member services this fall/winter (including the volunteer fair), they will need to be a CV member. A plan is in place to unite memberships in 2027.
Does CV disappear?
The programs, the database, the events, and the relationships continue inside CNC. What changes is the organizational structure behind them. CV’s advisory board and stakeholders will be part of planning how the work carries forward.