Quad Cities Community Foundation Launches Two New Cohort Programs to Support Non-Profit Sector and Regional Community
BETTENDORF, IOWA (November 16, 2024) — The Quad Cities Community Foundation has announced the launch of two cohort-based programs that will support the growth and development of local non-profits. Beginning in January 2025, nearly 100 non-profit professionals and volunteers — made up of teams from dozens of non-profits—will participate in the programs, gaining valuable knowledge and creating networks that will support the development of non-profits across the region.
The launch of the programs is part of the Community Foundation’s efforts to double down on their support of the non-profit sector through the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, which was founded one year ago to strengthen the systems, structures, cultures, skills, and resources that non-profits need to serve the community with excellence.
“This is a crucial moment for the non-profit sector and its workers and volunteers in the Quad Cities,” said Sue Hafkemeyer, the Community Foundation’s president and CEO. “The two cohort programs we are launching were developed by an advisory committee and with the direct input of the non-profit sector. We listened to what local organizations need to grow their mission, and this is the result. Non-profits touch all of our lives. Our donors are supporting initiatives like this to ensure the stability and continued growth of our amazing non-profit sector.”
The two inaugural cohorts will focus on non-profit management and board governance. The first cohort, “Putting Principals into Practice: Effective Nonprofit Management,” will emphasize sound financial management and human resources, smart strategic planning, impactful fundraising, high-visibility communications, and other tools needed to achieve a non-profit’s mission. Sessions will also be designed to reflect participant interests and needs. In the second cohort, “Putting Principals into Practice: Strong Board Governance,” board members and non-profit professionals will come together to learn and implement proven ways to build powerful partnerships for impact.
The cohort structure is foundational to these programs. Participants will move through the curriculum in groups over a five-month period, encouraging them to create networks of support that will extend beyond the conclusion of the course. To ensure equitable access to this opportunity, the registration fee will follow a sliding scale. Future programs will be tailored to the needs and interests of local organizations.
“The new cohort program expands our existing resources for organizations, giving non-profits access to an extended curriculum, one-on-one coaching, and rich networking opportunities. said Daisy Moran, director of the Community Foundation’s Center for Nonprofit Excellence. Teams from organizations will attend together, connect with other nonprofits, and take away learnings that will strengthen the sector as a whole. By learning together, participants will benefit not only their organization but the Quad Cities non-profit and philanthropic sector as a whole. We can’t wait to see the transformation that comes from this experience.”
Nonprofit workers and volunteers interested in participating in this year’s cohorts can find more information at qccommunityfoundation.org/centerfornonprofitexcellence.
Registration for “Putting Principals into Practice: Effective Nonprofit Management” formally opens on November 13, 2024, and the deadline to apply is December 11, 2024. Registration for “Putting Principals into Practice: Strong Board Governance” will open in December 2024.
