In towns and communities across the country, nonprofit support groups exist to help provide their friends and neighbors with essential resources, tools, aid, and encouragement to meet life’s challenges and give them a better chance to overcome them and thrive.
Whether its poverty, mental health, addiction, disability, hunger, illness, housing insecurity, or access to quality healthcare and education — there’s no shortage of difficulties that a person may encounter in their lives. Facing those challenges alone can be intimidating and overwhelming.
Because these support groups are so diverse, supporting all manner of people facing all manner of difficulties, each group has insurance needs specific to their missions and priorities — so “one-size-fits-all” coverage usually isn’t enough.
When it comes to the insurance these support groups need to stay open, what do they need most from their coverage?
Meet some nonprofit support groups and support networks.
We talked with several nonprofit support groups that are insured by NIA, and asked them to describe how their missions, and the needs of the individuals they serve, determine what they need most from their insurance coverage.
In their own words…
Anchor of Hope (Atlanta, GA)
“Anchor of Hope, Inc. transforms lives by providing rental/utility assistance, as well as case management to families on the brink of homelessness.
With community partnerships, we restore stability and dignity, ensuring every family has a safe place to call home. Together, we build hope.”
— Sharon Ajayi, Founder & CEO, Anchor of Hope
NAMI Southern Nevada (Las Vegas, NV)
“NAMI Southern Nevada is an organization of families, friends and individuals whose lives have been affected by mental illness. Together, we advocate for better lives for those individuals who have a mental illness.
We offer several key programs and services aimed at supporting individuals affected by mental health conditions and promoting mental health awareness, including education programs for parents and caregivers of children and adolescents with mental health conditions; family support programs; recovery support groups; advocacy and awareness; crisis intervention training; mental health education and resources; and more.
These programs are designed to provide support, education, and advocacy for those affected by mental illness and to reduce stigma around mental health in the community.”
— Trinh Dang-Mai, Executive Director, NAMI Southern Nevada
International Stillbirth Alliance (Millburn, NJ)
“The International Stillbirth Alliance (ISA) is a global network connecting bereaved parents, support groups, healthcare providers, and researchers across 50+ countries.
Together, we work to prevent stillbirth and enhance bereavement care through powerful advocacy, compassionate community support, and evidence-based resources that empower families and professionals to drive meaningful change.
ISA directly contributes to women’s well-being by fostering a supportive global community, reducing the isolation and stigma frequently experienced after stillbirth.
Through collaborative initiatives, we develop and disseminate evidence-based resources, empowering bereaved parents and healthcare providers with vital information and support.
These resources, co-created with community members, improve access to appropriate care, promote healing, and facilitate open dialogue between families and healthcare professionals.”
— Paula Quigley, Board Chair, International Stillbirth Alliance
The STEPS Foundation (San Diego, CA)
“The STEPS Foundation provides a vital lifeline to female military personnel and spouses globally, empowering them with individualized, holistic, evidence-based programming radically transforming their mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health by overcoming systemic inequities.
Recognizing that women’s health is fundamental to maximizing their full potential, our holistic approach addresses the four cornerstones of well-being: Mental health, physical health, community and career/education. Our dynamic services range from somatic coaching, endocrine balancing, nutrition, to financial readiness and professional development, and much more.
Led by a team of highly experienced women possessing unparalleled first-hand knowledge, we serve 100–120 participants annually. STEPS measurably improves health, career, and family dynamics with trauma-informed compassion, lived experience, and expertise.”
— Angela DeJarnette, Executive Director, The STEPS Foundation
What did these nonprofit support groups need most from their insurer?
Affordable coverage designed for nonprofits
“We wanted an insurer that was cost effective and that specialized in insuring nonprofits.”
— Sharon Ajayi, Anchor of Hope
Comprehensive coverage for working with vulnerable people
“NAMI Southern Nevada’s most important need when looking for insurance coverage was ensuring comprehensive protection for its operations and programs. This included liability coverage for their services, property insurance for their office and equipment, and protection for employees and volunteers. Given the nature of their work with vulnerable populations, it was essential to have insurance that supports their mission while mitigating risks.”
— Trinh Dang-Mai, NAMI Southern Nevada
Affordable coverage that fits the mission
“As we strive to obtain more funding to expand our work, our most important need when looking for insurance coverage is to ensure that our organization, our board members, and any consultants hired to support our efforts are adequately protected against any sort of fraud or misuse of funds.
Also, as we operate mostly on small donations and grants, we needed affordable coverage.”
— Paula Quigley, International Stillbirth Alliance
A broad scope of coverages
“The STEPS Foundation needed an insurer that could provide us with a D&O policy, a liability policy, Worker’s Comp coverage, and event liability coverage.”
— Angela DeJarnette, The STEPS Foundation
How did these support nonprofits hear about NIA?
NIA outreach communications
“We received an email solicitation from NIA. They became our obvious choice when we discovered coverage was cost effective and specialized for nonprofits.”
— Sharon Ajayi, Anchor of Hope
Referrals and a search for nonprofit-specializing insurers
“NAMI Southern Nevada discovered NIA through referrals from other nonprofits, industry connections, and research to find an insurance provider that specializes in nonprofit organizations.”
— Trinh Dang-Mai, NAMI Southern Nevada
Colleagues’ recommendation
“NIA is the first insurer we have worked with. It began initially with a search through our contacts for reliable recommendations, which led to a discussion with NIA and a quick agreement.”
— Paula Quigley, International Stillbirth Alliance
A partner from the start
“We’ve been with NIA since our inception in 2023. We first learned of NIA from the recommendation of another nonprofit.”
— Angela DeJarnette, The STEPS Foundation
Since becoming an NIA member, how has that relationship helped these support groups?
Additional risk management resources
“We recently became aware of the wide array of free and discounted risk management services offered by NIA, and we are eager to leverage these resources to strengthen our organization’s operations.”
— Sharon Ajayi, Anchor of Hope
A commitment to supporting nonprofits
“Prior to working with Nonprofits Insurance Alliance, NAMI Southern Nevada faced challenges in finding an insurance provider that fully understood the unique needs of a nonprofit focused on mental health. Common difficulties could include high premiums, limited coverage options, or difficulty securing liability insurance for activities involving vulnerable populations.
Working with NIA has been a game-changer for NAMI Southern Nevada. Their comprehensive coverage, tailored specifically for nonprofits, gives us peace of mind knowing that our operations and programs are fully protected.
NIA’s affordable rates and exceptional customer service make them a trusted partner. Their risk management resources and expert support have been invaluable in helping us navigate challenges.
We’re grateful for NIA’s commitment to nonprofits like ours and couldn’t ask for a better insurance provider.”
— Trinh Dang-Mai, NAMI Southern Nevada
Appropriate, affordable coverage — and strong customer service
“We highly recommend NIA as they provide appropriate, affordable, insurance — depending on your specific needs. The team is very responsive and helpful, and aware of our particular situation and context.”
— Paula Quigley, International Stillbirth Alliance
Reliable, straightforward insurance
“As a nonprofit organization, managing our resources efficiently is essential, and NIA has been a game-changer for us. The ease of analyzing comparative pricing allowed us to quickly identify the best coverage options tailored to our needs, saving us both time and money.
Their user-friendly payment process is seamless and stress-free, which means we can focus more on our mission and less on administrative tasks.
We highly recommend NIA to any nonprofit looking for reliable, straightforward insurance solutions!”
— Angela DeJarnette, The STEPS Foundation
Nonprofit support networks and groups need insurance that fits their diverse missions.
Why do nonprofit support groups choose to get their insurance coverage from NIA?
It’s easy: NIA understands that no two support groups have the exact same mission or serve the exact same people, and that means coverage that works for one nonprofit may not work at all for another.
That’s why NIA provides coverage that’s customizable and made to fit each organization’s specific mission, all at prices that understand that nonprofits’ budgets aren’t infinite.
After all, when your mission is to support the vulnerable people of your community — you need an insurance provider that’s going to be there to support you just as well.
