Nonprofit Founders’ Bootcamp

A program designed to empower Black and Brown nonprofit leaders with essential skills, resources, and mentoring to scale their organizations and secure sustainable funding.

 

Genesis

In early February 2024, Phyllis Hardwick of Community Capital Fund approached the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership (MCNL) with a visionary idea. Phyllis observed that many sole practitioners and founders of small nonprofits, especially those with revenues less than $25K, were not being reached with essential best practices. These dedicated individuals often allocate every dollar raised to non-staff programming costs and juggle full-time jobs, making it challenging for them to attend traditional training sessions or classes without incurring significant costs. Phyllis proposed creating an objective-driven program designed to address this gap. The result is the Nonprofit Founders' Bootcamp, a 1.5-day weekend program where participants are paid to attend. The program aims to equip founders with basic skills to determine if the nonprofit path is right for them, teach them how to sustain their efforts until they surpass critical financial thresholds, and prepare them for future growth.

Partners & Collaborators

The development of the Nonprofit Founders' Bootcamp is a collaborative effort, drawing on the valuable feedback and insights from a variety of esteemed sources. We are grateful for the support and contributions from the Black Community Fund, KC GIFT, Nonprofit Connect, Support KC, and the United Way of Greater Kansas City. The collective expertise and commitment to fostering a robust nonprofit sector of these collaborators and others have been instrumental in shaping this program.

Thank You to Our Sponsors!

Who should apply?

The primary applicant for this program must:

  • be a Black- or Brown-led organization/initiative with a 501(c)(3) or fiscal sponsor

  • have a budget under $50K

  • be available to participate fully on Saturday, October 26th and Sunday, October 27th.

 

2024 Timeline.

  • Wednesday, August 14th – Application Opens

  • Wednesday, September 11th – Application Closes

  • September 12th – September 29th – Application Review Period

  • Monday, September 30th – Acceptance Notifications

  • October 26-27th - Nonprofit Founders’ Bootcamp, programming begins (must be able to attend both days)
    Saturday, October 26th from 8am to 3pm
    Sunday, October 27th from 8am to 12pm

*Timeline subject to change.

 

How to apply.

Applications for the Nonprofit Founders’ Bootcamp must be submitted by 11:59 PM CST on Monday, September 23, 2024.

1.  Complete and submit the online form HERE (opens 8/14).

2. For more information, contact Laura Sanchez with Community Capital Fund at (816) 683-4198 or laura@ccfkansascity.org or Julie Klima with the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership at Julie.klima@umkc.edu

3. Cohort participants will receive $500 in compensation for their time commitment.