Institute for Strong Nonprofits Strategy Cohort

Overview

The Westchester Community Foundation is partnering with Support Center to offer a cohort-based strategy and planning program for small – medium sized nonprofit visual and performing arts organizations located in Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, or Orange counties, aimed at refreshing and reframing strategic priorities to navigate these turbulent times.

Six to eight organizations will join in a community of practice centered around five virtual peer learning sessions from January – June 2021 on topics including:

• • Environmental realities and mysteries
  • Key community needs
  • Organizational capacity and focus
  • Strategic priorities
  • Results-based goals and objectives

Each organization will assemble a ‘task force’ (i.e. the executive director, a senior staff, and a board member) to participate together in all sessions.

Other program features include:

• • A board self-assessment to solicit input on organizational strengths and challenges
  • A staff survey to ensure input and buy-in on direction-setting
  • 2-hours per month of one-on-one targeted support for each organization
  • Tools , resources and ideas shared through Basecamp

Program Goals
Participants will:

• • create dialogue with staff and board on their focus, direction, and strategic priorities
  • create a cohort of colleagues they can reach out to for support in the future

This program is best suited for:

• • Organizations seeking to reassess their focus, given current environmental realities and organizational capacity
  • Organizations willing and able to commit leadership time to revisiting their strategic priorities
  • Organizations looking to refresh their current strategic plan or develop goals and objectives for the next 12-18 months

Timing
Five virtual peer learning sessions will be scheduled approximately 3 weeks apart (dates TBD), from January – June 2021.

Eligibility, requirements and cost

• • Nonprofit visual and performing arts organizations located in Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Dutchess, or Orange counties
  • Budget size between $200K and $5M
  • Commitment to form a strategy task force, attend all five sessions and serve as the leaders or communicators on dialogue with the board and staff
  • Contribution of $250 per organization with budgets below $1M; $500 per organization with budgets above $1M (Program valued at $5,750)

Application process
Click here to fill out the application.
Applicants may be contacted to participate in a phone call with a Support Center staff person to discuss your application.

Questions? Reach out Carolyn Champ, Associate Executive Director, at [email protected].