Financial Leadership Cohort

Why apply for the Financial Leadership Cohort?

Through cohort sessions, you will become more knowledgeable, confident, and savvy about nonprofit finance. We’ll target results for your organization’s needs and help develop a culture of financial understanding at your nonprofit – and within the sector. You’ll gain:

• Confidence in your ability as a financial leader
• Increased knowledge of nonprofit financial management concepts
• Progress on self-identified outcomes
• Improvement in your organization’s financial position

Each cohort is limited to 18 participants.

What you’ll receive:

• 6 monthly three-hour online learning sessions on topics including understanding business models, communicating financial information, and building relationships with staff and board around finance
  • All the sessions will be held virtually using Zoom
• Support and guidance to develop financial management tools (dashboard report, cash flow, trend analysis)
• A peer network for support and sharing
• One-on-one coaching with Propel Nonprofits’ finance experts

The ideal candidate

• Executive Director or senior staff member in the role of managing your nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization’s finances without a formal finance background
• From a nonprofit organization based in Minnesota (or primarily serving Minnesota communities) with a budget size between $300,000 and $3,000,000
• In a role where you have an opportunity to work with your organization’s board of directors and/or finance committee
• Eager to grow professionally and use new tools to bring a positive change to your nonprofit and the sector

Cohort Options

Two cohort groups were selected to begin in the summer of 2022, which is typical with this cohort. One group met on Tuesday mornings and the other met on Wednesday mornings. The cohort groups were open to Executive Directors and senior staff members of nonprofit organizations both located in and primarily serving communities anywhere in Minnesota.

Cost

Applicants selected to participate in the cohort will pay a fee of $500. Scholarships will be provided to participants with financial barriers. Instructions for requesting a scholarship will be sent to applicants selected for the cohort.

Contact Sara Wessling, Training Director at swessling@propelnonprofits.org or 612.249.6675.

“The cohort exceeded my expectations. A lot of time you feel lonely in the work you do as an ED of a nonprofit because everyone is moving quickly to get stuff done while wearing many hats. This leadership cohort gave me both financial skills and helped me build my confidence on a strategic level. It also gave me new relationships.” – Mary Uran, Girls on the Run

“I knew it would be valuable, but the ways it was valuable was more than I expected. I came away with a much clearer sense of how to look at financial leadership in our organization, which areas we were doing well in, and which we needed to give attention. Going in, I was overwhelmed. The combination of training plus examples from others in the room really gave me a sense of where we were at, which helped me to prioritize where we wanted to focus resources.” – Stephanie Thompson, Ten Thousand Things Theater

“I think for many women in leadership roles, there can be a sense of imposter syndrome when it comes to finances. This has been both a good affirmation of ‘you really do know what you’re talking about’ while at the same time giving me some good tools in terms of communicating.” – Lyla Brown, Grand Marais Arts Colony

“I would encourage people who come from backgrounds where money was a source of stress or conflict to really think about joining this cohort. I didn’t grow up with a lot of money and, now that I’m in charge of an organization, I tend to be overly conservative because I am worried about overspending or making an inadvertent misstep. This program was a great opportunity to build my skills and confidence so that I can be a better steward of the organization’s resources.” – Summra Shariff, Twin Cities Diversity in Practice