Fall Nonprofit Capacity Building Grant applications close on September 1, 2025, and we're hosting an info session to help you make the strongest case possible for your project.

Please join us in person on August 14 to hear from Community Foundation staff, learn more about our Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants, and ask any questions you may have about the application process.

The virtual session will be recorded and posted on the Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants page on our website for those who are not able to attend.

Please RSVP below!

Fall Nonprofit Capacity Building Grant applications close on September 1, 2025, and we're hosting an info session to help you make the strongest case possible for your project.

Please join us virtually on August 14 to hear from Community Foundation staff, learn more about our Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants, and ask any questions you may have about the application process. 

The session will also be recorded and posted on the Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants page on our website for those who are not able to attend.

Please RSVP for this session to receive a link to the virtual meeting.

Delivered in partnership with Wastyn & Associates and Iman Consulting

Strong Board Governance series is designed for aspiring, emerging, and current board members, corporate philanthropy partners, and nonprofit leaders who want to learn proven strategies for building and strengthening effective boards.

Participants may register for one, some, or all of the mini-courses. Registration includes one-year access to a digital library featuring 12 concise, 15-minute learning modules along with sample documents, guides, and assessments to enhance board meetings. Expert consultants will offer drop-in virtual office hours each month.

Each mini-course will include a pre-work component, which involves watching one or more videos of approximately 15 minutes in length and reviewing supplemental documents from the digital library.

Mini-Course: Board Member Role in Development

This in-person session will help you apply concepts from the digital library to real-world board situations through facilitated discussions. Guided by expert consultants, you'll participate in small group discussions focused on:

1. Reflecting on how to implement improved board governance practices within your organization

2. Sharing best practices and strategies with peers to enhance nonprofit and board member effectiveness

Learning Outcomes:

• The importance of engaging board members in the development process

• Empowering board members to contribute effectively to the organization’s fundraising and strategic growth

• Overview of the development cycle

Engaging Corporate Partners: Creative sponsorships and cause marketing, guided by Ashley Hicks, Director of Philanthropy, and Samantha Yeager-Walrath, Director of Communications & Grants, Hand In Hand

The meeting will be held at the Quad Cities Community Foundation. Networking starts at 8:30 a.m., and group discussion is from 9:00-10:00 a.m.

At each session, exclusively for nonprofit development professionals, DevelopmentLink participants focus on a self-selected topic facing their organizations, providing opportunities for idea sharing and collaborative partnerships among peers.

Announcements about DevelopmentLink are sent via an email distribution list. If you are a nonprofit development professional interested in joining us for DevelopmentLink, please email the Community Foundation.

DevelopmentLink is presented in collaboration with AFP-Quad Cities.

Delivered in partnership with Wastyn & Associates and Iman Consulting

Strong Board Governance series is designed for aspiring, emerging, and current board members, corporate philanthropy partners, and nonprofit leaders who want to learn proven strategies for building and strengthening effective boards.

Participants may register for one, some, or all of the mini-courses. Registration includes one-year access to a digital library featuring 12 concise, 15-minute learning modules along with sample documents, guides, and assessments to enhance board meetings. Expert consultants will offer drop-in virtual office hours each month.

Each mini-course will include a pre-work component, which involves watching one or more videos of approximately 15 minutes in length and reviewing supplemental documents from the digital library.

Mini-Course: Engaging Board Members

This in-person session will help you apply concepts from the digital library to real-world board situations through facilitated discussions. Guided by expert consultants, you'll participate in small group discussions focused on:

1. Reflecting on how to implement improved board governance practices within your organization

2. Sharing best practices and strategies with peers to enhance nonprofit and board member effectiveness

Learning Outcomes:

• Fostering connection and camaraderie among board members

• The value of peer relationships and accountability

• Fostering relationships to improve efficiency and effectiveness

• Fostering ownership

• Increased level of satisfaction, contribution, and retention

Executive Burn Out, guided by Jerry Jones from the Martin Luther King Jr. Center

The meeting will be held at the Quad Cities Community Foundation. Networking starts at 8:30 a.m., and group discussion is from 9:00-10:00 a.m.

At each CEOLink session, exclusively for nonprofit CEOs and Executive Directors, CEOLink participants focus on a self-selected topic facing their organizations, providing opportunities for best practice sharing and collaborative partnerships among CEOs. Past discussions have included working with a Board of Directors, strategic planning, volunteer management, and grant seeking. 

Announcements about CEOLink are sent via an email distribution list. If you are a nonprofit CEO or Executive Director interested in joining CEOLink, please email the Community Foundation.

QC River Connections Grant: Nature-Based Solutions Inspiration and Networking
July 9, 2025
4-6 pm
Quad Cities Community Foundation

Join us for an informal opportunity to hear from local organizations addressing community issues through nature-based solutions, and learn more about how your organization could benefit from the QC River Connections Grant.

You will have the opportunity to network with one another, gather ideas about how nature-based solutions could be incorporated into your work, and sign up for a call with our partners at the National Wildlife Federation and The Nature Conservancy to find practical ways to make your ideas a reality!

Refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP below.

Delivered in partnership with Wastyn & Associates and Iman Consulting

Strong Board Governance series is designed for aspiring, emerging, and current board members, corporate philanthropy partners, and nonprofit leaders who want to learn proven strategies for building and strengthening effective boards.

Participants may register for one, some, or all of the mini-courses. Registration includes one-year access to a digital library featuring 12 concise, 15-minute learning modules along with sample documents, guides, and assessments to enhance board meetings. Expert consultants will offer drop-in virtual office hours each month.

Each mini-course will include a pre-work component, which involves watching one or more videos of approximately 15 minutes in length and reviewing supplemental documents from the digital library.

Mini-Course: Board Member Roles and Responsibilities

This in-person session will help you apply concepts from the digital library to real-world board situations through facilitated discussions. Guided by expert consultants, you'll participate in small group discussions focused on:

1. Reflecting on how to implement improved board governance practices within your organization

2. Sharing best practices and strategies with peers to enhance nonprofit and board member effectiveness

Learning Outcomes:

• In-depth look at the core responsibilities of a governing board

• Setting strategic direction to ensure resources

• Provide oversight by accountability, evaluation, and ethical compliance.

• What the Board does not do

Donor Retention, guided by Michele Darland, United Way Quad Cities

The meeting will be held at the Quad Cities Community Foundation. Networking starts at 8:30 a.m., and group discussion is from 9:00-10:00 a.m.

At each session, exclusively for nonprofit development professionals, DevelopmentLink participants focus on a self-selected topic facing their organizations, providing opportunities for idea sharing and collaborative partnerships among peers.

Announcements about DevelopmentLink are sent via an email distribution list. If you are a nonprofit development professional interested in joining us for DevelopmentLink, please email the Community Foundation.

DevelopmentLink is presented in collaboration with AFP-Quad Cities.

Spring Operations and Programs Grants open on June 1, 2025, and we're hosting an info session to help you make the strongest case possible for your project.

Please join us in person on June 4 to hear from Community Foundation staff, learn more about our Operations and Programs Grants, and ask any questions you may have about the application process. 

The virtual session will be recorded and posted on the Operations and Programs Grants page on our website for those who are not able to attend.

Please RSVP for this session.

Spring Operations and Programs Grants open on June 1, 2025, and we're hosting an info session to help you make the strongest case possible for your project.

Please join us virtually on June 4 to hear from Community Foundation staff, learn more about our Operations and Programs Grants, and ask any questions you may have about the application process. 

The session will also be recorded and posted on the Operations and Programs Grants page on our website for those who are not able to attend.

Please RSVP for this session to receive a link to the virtual meeting.

This 90-minute workshop on Culture Change will be facilitated by consultant Steve Ott from Ott Leadership

The workshop will be held at the Quad Cities Community Foundation. Networking starts at 12:30 p.m., and the workshop is from 1:00-2:30 p.m.

More details and registration options to follow.

Delivered in partnership with Wastyn & Associates and Iman Consulting

Strong Board Governance series is designed for aspiring, emerging, and current board members, corporate philanthropy partners, and nonprofit leaders who want to learn proven strategies for building and strengthening effective boards.

Participants may register for one, some, or all of the mini-courses. Registration includes one-year access to a digital library featuring 12 concise, 15-minute learning modules along with sample documents, guides, and assessments to enhance board meetings. Expert consultants will offer drop-in virtual office hours each month.

Each mini-course will include a pre-work component, which involves watching one or more videos of approximately 15 minutes in length and reviewing supplemental documents from the digital library.

Mini-Course 1: Orientation and Recruitment Overview

This in-person session will help you apply concepts from the digital library to real-world board situations through facilitated discussions. Guided by expert consultants, you'll participate in small group discussions focused on:

1. Reflecting on how to implement improved board governance practices within your organization

2. Sharing best practices and strategies with peers to enhance nonprofit and board member effectiveness

Learning Outcomes:

• Best practices for finding board members with shared values and purpose

• Value of diversity and inclusion in board recruitment

• Setting board members up for success

• Consistent orientation process and procedures to set reasonable expectations for board member integration and onboarding

• Selection process and sourcing candidates for board positions

• Leadership and staff involvement

This session will focus on Technology and Tools for Efficiency, guided by Michael Glanz, The Arc of the Quad Cities Area

The meeting will be held at the Quad Cities Community Foundation. Networking starts at 8:30 a.m., and group discussion is from 9:00-10:00 a.m.

At each CEOLink session, exclusively for nonprofit CEOs and Executive Directors, CEOLink participants focus on a self-selected topic facing their organizations, providing opportunities for best practice sharing and collaborative partnerships among CEOs. Past discussions have included working with a Board of Directors, strategic planning, volunteer management, and grant seeking. 

Announcements about CEOLink are sent via an email distribution list. If you are a nonprofit CEO or Executive Director interested in joining CEOLink, please email the Community Foundation.

Strong Board Governance series registration opens on April 7, 2025, and we're hosting an info session to provide an overview of the program and answer questions from prospective participants.

Please join us virtually on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. to hear from Community Foundation staff and series consultants.

The session will also be recorded and posted on the Strong Board Governance page on our website for those who are not able to attend.

Please RSVP for this session to receive a link to the virtual meeting.

Donor Psychology: Understanding what drives giving decisions, guided by Rocío Ayard Ochoa, Quad Cities Community Foundation

The meeting will be held at the Quad Cities Community Foundation. Networking starts at 8:30 a.m., and group discussion is from 9:00-10:00 a.m.

This 90-minute workshop on Storytelling for Impact will be facilitated by consultant Leslie Klipsch from For Good Communications, will lead a workshop guiding nonprofits to ethically and effectively craft stories that drive action, deepen trust, and stand out.

Participants will:

1. Explore the ethics of storytelling—share stories and images responsibly while maintaining confidentiality and dignity

2. Explore the use of AI in nonprofit communication

3. Collect data and craft authentic stories

4. Learn to diversify storytelling tools and share ideas about communications beyond social media

5. Equip their board and team with a strong elevator pitch and communication tools

The Center for Nonprofit Excellence monthly workshop. Networking is at 8:00 a.m. with the program from 8:30 a.m.-10:00 a.m. Registration is $25.

Register Here

This CEOLink session will be held jointly with DevelopmentLink, guided by Ashley Velez, MPA, Chief Executive Officer, and Jennifer Davis, Grant Writer & Coordinator, Humility Homes & Services

The meeting will be held at the Quad Cities Community Foundation. Networking starts at 8:30 a.m., and group discussion is from 9:00-10:00 a.m.

Spring Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants open on March 1, 2025, and we're hosting an info session to help you make the strongest case possible for your project.

Please join us virtually on March 5th to hear from Community Foundation staff, learn more about our Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants, and ask any questions you may have about the application process. 

The session will also be recorded and posted on the Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants page on our website for those who are not able to attend.

Please RSVP for this session to receive a link to the virtual meeting.

Spring Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants open on March 1, 2025, and we're hosting an info session to help you make the strongest case possible for your project.

Please join us in person on March 4th to hear from Community Foundation staff, learn more about our Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants, and ask any questions you may have about the application process.

The session will be held at the Moline Public Library, 3210 41st St, Moline IL, 61265

The virtual session on Wednesday will also be recorded and posted on the Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants page on our website for those who are not able to attend.

Please RSVP for this session below.

This 90-minute workshop on Strategic Design Thinking will be facilitated by consultant Laura Kestner Ricketts from Authentic Career + Life Design

The Center for Nonprofit Excellence monthly workshop. Networking is at 8:30 a.m. with the program from 9:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Registration is $25.

More details and registration options to follow.

Fundraising in Challenging Times, guided by Anne Calder, QCCF and Sue Rector, CASI

The meeting will be held at the Quad Cities Community Foundation. Networking starts at 8:30 a.m., and group discussion is from 9:00-10:00 a.m.

This 90-minute workshop on Leading Adaptive Change will be facilitated by consultant Dr. Dan Ebener, Quad City Leadership Consulting

The Center for Nonprofit Excellence monthly workshop. Networking is at 8:30 a.m. with the program from 9:00 a.m.-10:30 a.m. Registration is $25. Register here.

You can lead adaptive change

Join us for the first workshop of the year at the Quad Cities Community Foundation Center for Nonprofit Excellence.

Dr. Dan Ebener from Quad City Leadership Consulting has over 40 years of leadership and management training. He will guide an engaging workshop based on real-life situations. Participants will leave with practical tools they can apply immediately in their organizations.

Join us on Thursday, January 30 from 9:00 am - 10:30 am for this important opportunity. Networking begins at 8:30 am.

Key topics include:

• Adaptive leadership

• Dialogical skills such as humble inquiry

• Emotional intelligence

• Servant leadership

Following participant feedback, the registration fee for 90-minute workshops has been reduced to $25.00. This fee includes light snacks and the workshop session. Space is limited for this in-person event, with a maximum capacity of 50 participants. View our refund policy on our event website.

Investing in Operational Excellence, guided by Angie Kendall, CEO of Hand in Hand.

The meeting will be held at the Quad Cities Community Foundation. Networking starts at 8:30 a.m., and group discussion is from 9:00-10:00 a.m.

DevelopmentLink is offered at no charge to nonprofit fundraising professionals. Participants focus on fundraising, gift development and stewardship topics selected by participants, providing opportunities for idea sharing, peer resourcing and growth in development planning and execution.

At each session, exclusively for nonprofit development professionals, DevelopmentLink participants focus on a self-selected topic facing their organizations, providing opportunities for idea sharing and collaborative partnerships among peers.

Announcements about DevelopmentLink are sent via an email distribution list. If you are a nonprofit development professional interested in joining us for DevelopmentLink, click here for more details.

Nonprofit CEOs connect, collaborate, and learn from each other at the Quad Cities Community Foundation.

At each session, exclusively for nonprofit CEOs and Executive Directors, CEOLink participants focus on a self-selected topic facing their organizations, providing opportunities for best practice sharing and collaborative partnerships among CEOs. Past discussions have included working with a Board of Directors, strategic planning, volunteer management, and grant seeking.

More information here.

Gender and Generosity

Join us for a workshop that will cover the growing importance of women’s philanthropy, the historical waves driving it, and its impact on nonprofits. It will explore research on women’s giving patterns, strategies for building or expanding women-focused initiatives, and the influence of wealth on giving decisions. Additionally, it will highlight new trends like Gender Lens Investing and provide tips for engaging diverse and multigenerational women donors.

In this workshop, we'll cover:

• Introduction to Women’s Philanthropy: Importance and emerging interest.

• Three Waves of Women’s Philanthropy: Overview and Significance.

• Fourth Wave: Factors driving the new phase of women’s philanthropy.

• Impact on Nonprofits and Fundraising: How women’s giving is changing the sector.

• Giving Patterns: Research insights on how women give and its implications for fundraising.

• Organizational Readiness: Assessing your organization’s capacity for a women’s philanthropy initiative.

• Wealth and Philanthropy: Influence of wealth on women’s giving decisions with case examples.

• New Trends: Gender Lens Investing, angel investors, and leadership roles in philanthropy.

• Engaging Diverse Donors: Tips for involving diverse and multigenerational women donors.

Facilitator: Lois Buntz of LBC Consulting LLC

Lois Buntz, CFRE is an award-winning author, speaker, and nonprofit consultant specializing in strategic planning, fund development, and women’s philanthropy. As a seasoned fundraising professional, she has raised over $125 million as CEO of United Way of East Central Iowa, led a successful endowment campaign, and facilitated several capital projects, including a $14 million human services center. As a consultant and speaker, she has developed fund development strategies for both domestic and international nonprofits and presented at various conferences, including those for the Association for Fundraising Professionals.