CAN History
Key markers in CAN’s history include:
1984 - CAN becomes the second statewide association for nonprofits in the country, established by Meredeth Clark, Robert Kardon, and Gary Richwald, MD.
1987 - CAN launches the CAN Alert, the first statewide newsletter targeted at tall nonprofit sub-sectors.
1988 - The Nonprofits Insurance Alliance spins off from CAN’s fiscal sponsorship and becomes the state’s first self-insured liability insurance pool for nonprofits, insuring thousands of California’s nonprofit organizations and becoming the industry’s model for insurance coverage and rates.
1989 - CAN founds the National Council of Nonprofit Associations and, for four years, manages it from CAN’s California office. In 1989, there were 11 statewide nonprofit associations across the country; today there are 40.
1991 - CAN is called “one of the top 10 associations in the United States” by Market-Driven Management, published by the American Society of Association Executives. The Chronicle of Philanthropy chooses CAN as one of the nine most innovative nonprofits in the country.
1992 - CAN holds the 1st Annual CAN Conference to bring nonprofit executives, staff, and volunteers together from across the state to network, learn cutting-edge management and fundraising skills, and build important relationships.
1993 - CAN Membership grows to more than 2,000, and CAN expands its membership to include businesses and consultants as Associate Members.
1993 - Robert Kardon, CAN's founding Executive Director, retires. Meredeth Clark, the President of CAN's subsidiary, becomes Acting Executive Director.
1994 - Alan Reed-Erickson, the Executive Director of the New Hampshire state association, is hired as CAN's new Executive Director.
1995 - Board Member Florence Green is hired to replace Alan Reed-Erickson as CAN's Executive Director. The association relocates from Santa Cruz, California to Los Angeles. The headquarters of CAN's subsidiary, CAN Insurance Services, remains in Santa Cruz.
1995 - CAN establishes its independent public policy advisory group, the Nonprofit Policy Council – now called the CAN Policy Council – to guide CAN in responding to policies, legislation, and regulations.
1996 - CAN first publishes the highly praised Facts and Fallacies: Setting the Record Straight on California’s Nonprofit Community. This biennial book presents real facts and dispels misinformation about the California nonprofit sector.
1996 - The CAN Policy Council holds the first annual Celebrating California Nonprofits and Philanthropy Week – the highlight of which is Nonprofit Policy Days in Sacramento. The event brings nonprofits, philanthropy, and government together to discuss and explore policy issues of mutual concern.
1998 - CAN kicks off its Nonprofit Quality Reporting Initiative (now called the National Nonprofit Financial Reporting Initiative) in partnership with the California Society of Certified Public Accountants to improve the content, quality, accuracy, and timeliness of Form 990 and other nonprofit financial reporting. With its partners, CAN develops and distributes the Unified Chart of Accounts (UCOA) to help nonprofits streamline accounting and reporting functions.
1999 - With funding from CAN Insurance Services, CAN establishes two (2) $5,000 Excellence in Leadership Award, given at the Annual CAN Conference.
2000 - CAN publishes the article “10 Things Nonprofits Must Do in the 21st Century” (also available in Spanish) by Executive Director Florence L. Green. The article becomes an instant hit and is eventually printed as a chapter in the book Improving Leadership in Nonprofit Organizations (Jossey-Bass, 2004).
2001 - CAN establishes a Sacramento office to increase nonprofit visibility and influence in the capital.
2001 - CAN launches the Energy Equity Program in response to the California energy crisis. Now retired, the program taught nonprofits how to reduce energy use; educated energy companies about nonprofit needs; and advocated for energy-related laws and regulations that treat nonprofits equitably.
2002 - CAN forms the Nonprofit Advisory Body to the State Attorney General and holds its first meeting with the AG’s office in Sacramento.
2002 - CAN expands its education and conference program to include Nonprofit Finance Conferences and CAN Regional Conferences.
2003 - CAN issues a white paper on the state budget, urging the radical reform of the budgeting process to ensure the growth of healthy communities across California.
2004 - CAN’s education and conference program continues to grow with the addition of the innovative Transform Your Board! day-long workshop.
2004 - CAN publishes Holes in the Safety-net, a study funded by The California Endowment. The study reveals devastating financial conditions among California’s safety-net nonprofits.
2004 - The CAN Regional Partners Network expands to 18 local coalitions across the state, networking CAN to the majority of California’s nonprofits for information-sharing and advocacy on behalf of the sector.
2004 - CAN celebrates its 20th birthday with eight events across the state, including a two-city Annual CAN Conference in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
2005 - CAN kicks off its Nonprofit Accounting Boot Camp, now a regular feature of CAN’s education and conference program.
2008 - After 13 years as Executive Director, Florence Green retires and a large, gala luncheon is given in her honor. CFO, Alan Strand, becomes Acting Executive Director. In late 2008, Alan Strand is replaced by Meredeth Clark as the Acting COO.
