When Networking Turns Into Real Support: Inside CNE’s First Offers & Needs Market

Imagine a networking event that goes beyond just about making connections and actually solves problems in real time…

That idea came to life earlier this month at the Center for Nonprofit Excellence’s first Offers & Needs Market, a facilitated gathering designed by the Post Growth Institute to help nonprofit professionals, consultants, and service providers exchange resources in a more intentional way. Instead of small talk and business cards, participants were invited to name two things: what they need and what they can offer. From there, the room became a live exchange—connecting people, ideas, and solutions on the spot.

Many attendees arrived unsure of what to expect. What they found was something different.

“I didn’t know what to expect when I arrived,” shared Felecia Edwards-Smith of Future Forward CT in a LinkedIn post. “What I experienced instead was an afternoon rooted in real connection, collaboration, and community…a reminder that we’re not doing this work alone.”

That sense of openness was by design. Guided by Offers & Needs Market facilitator Jason Fredlund, the session created space for candid, sometimes unexpected exchanges—everything from fundraising strategy and marketing support to accountability partners and even violin lessons. By normalizing both giving and asking, the model helps shift the sector away from scarcity thinking and toward shared abundance.

And it worked. Post-event survey results were striking:

• 100% of participants identified at least one offer or need to pursue
• 100% said they would attend again
• 100% reported greater trust in exchanging resources
• 92% felt more confident sharing what they can offer
• 77% felt more confident expressing what they need
• 85% reported feeling more positive overall

For CNE Director Rebecca Cordero, that last data point stood out.

“People came in expecting a typical networking event, thinking they’d maybe drop into for an hour,” she said. “Instead, they stayed, engaged deeply, and left feeling genuinely supported. When 85% of participants say they feel more positive after an afternoon together, that tells you something powerful is happening.”

In a sector often defined by limited resources, the Offers & Needs Market offers a simple but powerful reminder: while funding may be constrained, community is not. And when you create the right conditions, generosity, knowledge, and collaboration show up in ways that can move the work, and the people behind it, forward.

Photos from the event: