Our Mission

The mission of the Human Service Forum is to create a powerful hub of knowledge, experience, and community, that supports and invigorates the human service providers of Massachusetts.

The Human Service Forum assists its membership by:

• Addressing contemporary issues and trends in the human service and nonprofit community.
• Maintaining a forum for member agencies to exchange ideas and to foster cooperation and collaboration.
• Providing opportunities to increase knowledge and skills.
• Creating significant partnerships between local organizations and  business and political leaders.
• Promoting professionalism and pride within the human service and nonprofit  industry.
• Enhancing the cultural competence of organizations to meet the needs of diverse populations.

Our History

The Human Service Forum was founded in 1986 as an association of nonprofit and public agencies as well as individuals providing human services in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts. The Forum was envisioned by its founders to be a “Chamber of Commerce” for human service providers that would be a vehicle for communicating the important contributions of those services to the quality of life in local communities, and to create a network for members to address problems of mutual concern and discuss major trends and changes impacting the sector.

Today the Forum is a key provider of professional development training and certification for the human services and nonprofit community. Its membership includes more than 100 organizations and individuals with collective budgets of approximately $400 million, employing more than 16,000 people. Public officials and the media recognize the Forum as an authoritative and effective voice for the human service and nonprofit sector in Massachusetts.

Our Staff