The first conference was held in Denver, Colorado in 1974. The first solo conference was held in 1982 in Lansing, Michigan. These annual conventions allowed the organization to fulfill its purpose, as stated in the by-laws, to "stimulate, coordinate, and otherwise aid the efforts of those engaged in research, other scholarship and professional activity related to the understanding and improvement of nonprofit organizations and voluntary action" by creating a face-to-face forum for idea exchange.[2]