Welcome to our new Program Assistant, Marc!

Marc Hosmer joined the Charities Review Council last week, as the new part-time Nonprofit Services Program Assistant. His primary duties include helping nonprofits as they go through our Accountability Wizard review process and providing overall support to our program team.

1. What about this position and the Council sparked your interest?

I love the idea of being part of building the nonprofit sector as a whole by helping nonprofits to demonstrate the high-quality that already exists and to continually improve their organizations. 

2. Describe your ideal Saturday:

My ideal Saturday would involve sleeping late (which means at least until 8:00am), going out for breakfast, spending the day on the water (preferably in a sailboat), making a nice vegetarian meal for dinner, and cuddling up on the couch with my partner and two dogs for a good movie. 

3. What brought you to the great state of Minnesota?

Like so many other “transplants” that I have met, it was love that landed me in Minnesota.  During my senior year at St. Olaf I met my partner, Christie.  While she talked the talk about wanting to live on the east coast (where I grew up), I have come to realize that very few Minnesota girls ever truly end up anywhere else but Minnesota.  We spent four years out in the DC area, but Minnesota’s magnetism was just too much to resist.  We have been back in Minnesota for four years now and I can’t imagine living anywhere else. 

4. We hear your other “hat” has something to do with building boats. What’s that about?

While I haven’t built a boat myself yet, my other hat is as the director of Urban Boatbuilders.  This St. Paul based nonprofit uses the building of wooden boats as a vehicle to engage at-risk teens in the development of academic and vocational skills. 

5. What most excites you about the future of the nonprofit sector?

The idea of collective impact is exciting to me.  Instead of working in competition with one another, nonprofits are increasingly joining forces, each bringing their own strengths, to tackle a difficult societal issue.  I think that strategy has the potential to create immense change in our world. 

6. If you were handed $10 million today, no strings attached, what would you do with it?

I would take $8 million and start a foundation focused on building the capacity of youth development nonprofits.  With the other $2 million, I would buy a new car (to replace my ’93 Explorer), pay off the mortgage, and invest the rest for the future.