Shared Space Community: Expansion Complete and Space Now Available

It is hard to find a home when you’re a small nonprofit with a lean budget. Increasing rates for commercial real estate make it especially tough for those seeking space in Boston. Developed by Third Sector New England, the NonProfit Center provides accommodating space for nonprofits dedicated to progressive change. The NonProfit Center’s Shared Space Community provides organizations opportunities for efficiency and collaboration at reasonable cost.

Perfect For a Growing Nonprofit or Local Branch

The NonProfit Center’s Shared Space Community joins workstations in an open environment with a limited number of private offices. All organizations in our shared space have access to shared office equipment, Internet access and conference rooms. They also have access to a kitchen.

The first Shared Space Community area opened in fall 2006 with tenant organizations hailing it as a collaborative, high-quality, affordable work environment. The space quickly filled, and TSNE began planning for a second area, now open, to accommodate an additional eight to 12 tenant organizations.

Part of a Larger Community 

There are three main reasons why Christine Ellersick, New England regional manager of Roots and Shoots, finds the NonProfit Center’s first Shared Space Community area a good fit. “First, economics,” she explains. “Being in the shared space is financially smart. We pay only for office space we use, and we can share the costs of a T1 line Internet connection, fax and copier.

“Second, networking. There are many events held in the building that are of interest to our staff. These offer opportunities to network and collaborate with other nonprofits. Third, environmentally-friendly facilities. The NonProfit center is a LEED certified green building which shares the same environmentally-friendly philosophy of Roots and Shoots.”

The office of Chefs Collaborative, a tenant organization in the Shared Space Community

Other Benefits of Shared Space

Organizations located in the shared space enjoy the amenities of the broader NonProfit Center community. Shared space tenants have access to:

• Multiple meeting and conference rooms offered at no or low cost
• Regularly scheduled personal and professional development trainings
• Information technology consulting services

“We love the sense of community and the support we get from our neighbors in the shared space,” explains Elizabeth Kennedy, membership and office coordinator of Chefs Collaborative. “We guide members towards them, and they guide members towards us. It’s a wonderful relationship.”

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