Fairfield County nonprofits discuss how to increase their influence

By R.A. Schuetz

NEW CANAAN — More than 130 nonprofit workers from throughout Fairfield County gathered in the ethereal Grace Farms on Thursday morning for Advocacy Day, an event organized by Fairfield County’s Community Foundation.

During a break between sessions, Craig Glover, CEO of the Norwalk Community Health Center, nodded out at the crowd.

“I think every nonprofit here has worried about funding at some point in the past year,” he said.

In addition to budget troubles on the state level, nonprofits have had to contend with policy changes on the federal level.

“I think it’s easy for someone in Washington to say we’ll make changes to the food stamp program,” Glover said as an example of the type of policy change that could impact a large number of people that nonprofits support. By working together, nonprofits can both share resources in the face of tightening budgets and make their voices heard in Hartford and Washington.