Wanted to pull back the curtain on the next level nonprofit accelerator – why I launched it, and what it’s all about
So – the reason for the accelerator is simple: growing an organization is tough
Orgs run as fast as they can at the first half a million and then so often they get stuck
All of the things that worked don’t work any more
– small campaigns and events
Raising money month to month
I talk to org leaders all the time that feel like they’ve plateaued — they have a board and a team and a strategy for staying afloat that worked before, and now somehow they’re not growing
They know there’s a way to break through to the next level of impact, but at the same time they can’t see it
They realize that there’s so much they don’t know to grow and to do it without burning their team out – and they know they need help growing and stretch, learn and getting to the next level
That’s a frustrating place to be – prone to overwhelm and burn out
And not necessary
I also hear this one a lot: how do I juggle?
Growing from six figures to seven is a juggling act – I won’t lie.
I’m juggling needing to raise money, make sure my staff isn’t burning out, having the impact we want to have. There’s a deep uncertainty – How do I find the resources – money and people – to support the more or bigger or deeper work we’re doing? How do I raise more and more and more to pay my team well and to hire enough people so that we’re not constantly over capacity?
At the same time, there’s a sense of urgency — they can see the need… they have the partnerships and ideas and so much to offer but they just can’t level up to the capacity to deliver as fast as they know they could.
So at its core, the accelerator is aimed at providing concrete support to navigate these messy questions and challenges… how do we get to the next level to increase impact, to be a better team leader, a better team member. They aren’t tactical – they aren’t just about raising more or hiring more… they’re about nuance and pros and cons and asking the right wuarsions/
So we spend a lot of time helping leaders – and their teams – know: what are the right questions?
There are so many places you could focus – where will you get the most bang for your buck.
The key to growing your budget and impact without overwhelm or burnout is knowing what to focus on. I coach my accelerator students to build the strategies and systems that strengthen their team, board, funding, and networks… so they can stay focused on the work that actually drives growth and impact.
The goal is to get to the point where leaders have
- A team you could actually delegate to so you didn’t feel like everything was resting on your shoulders
- A board that were your thought partners, moving the work forward WITH you
- A system for bringing in revenue consistently – not feast or famine
- A roadmap telling you exactly where to focus your limited time to get the most bang for your buck – to really move your organization forward!
In the end, when we feel
- Confident in your leadership and Energized by your work and Excited about the impact you and your team are having in the communities you care about so much, we can sustain our work and our leadership – not feeling bogged down and overwhelmed and on the brink of burnout.
So how does it work?
The program is really organized around 3 core elements
– coaching:
1:1 personalized coaching support at a fraction of what it would cost to hire a leadership coach
Plug weekly group coaching and peer mastermind sessions – real time support, coaching, problem solving, and behind the curtain insights into how other leaders are handling everything from tough conversations with board members to reworking their entire staffing charts
Feedback on documents, another set of eyes on emails, a thought partner before you go into the first time major donor conversation, help refining your strategic plan or fleshing out your funding pipeline or defining your ideal donors. All of those places where, as a leader I know you can feel isolated or out on a limb – like what the hell do I do here. The program is designed to be right there with you – as a coach and partner.
– curriculum:
This part is critical. One of the most important aspects of growing an organization – and getting to the next level is know what to let go of and where to lean in to something new. There’s a robust library of video and audio trainings, organized into clear pathways like fundraising, board growth, thought leadership, and HR/ staffing – that offer step by step guidance through best practices leaders need to know – how to find new money… how to build a strong HR infrastructure – from designing an equitable compensation policy to crafting a hiring structure… how to train your board to fundraise… And each month I add a new live training to the curriculum, on topics that the folks in the program ask about
Finally,
Wrap around support
– live professional development trainings for your staff
– access to a trained VA to help with things like building out the tech of your donor email welcome sequence
– a rolodex of grant writers, copywriters, graphic designers, financial management support at a discount
So that’s the prgraon.
I wanted to share because I get a lot of questions, and because it may be something that you or someone in your world might benefit from.
You can learn more about the growth framework that I teach by applying today – and let’s chat.
Have a great week
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