Effective Nonprofit Management Cohort 

Hunt and Diane Harris Center for Nonprofit Excellence cohort programs support the growth and development of local nonprofits.

January-March 2026
Delivered in partnership with Morten Group

Running a nonprofit organization requires all the skills of running a business—and then some! You need the core qualities of good governance, sound financial management and human resources, thoughtful strategic planning, and high-visibility communications. All while raising funds, affecting social change, and delivering on your nonprofit’s mission!

In this cohort, teams of up to three people from 15 nonprofit organizations will participate in four sessions over an 8-week period. Organizations learn from expert consultants, receive support to implement learnings through learning development plans, practical tools, and one-on-one coaching, and build a network of supportive peers. 

This cohort covers four interactive sessions focused on topics identified as priorities by local nonprofits: leadership and management, finance, fundraising, storytelling and marketing. Each session will build upon previous sessions.  To accommodate differing organizational needs of fundamentals and advanced there will be two breakout groups during sessions.

After each session, organizations can schedule 45-minute virtual 1:1 coaching session to collaboratively identify and address real organizational challenges. The program concludes with graduation, celebrating each organization’s progress, collective learning, and achievements  throughout the cohort.

Registration Dates

• Registration open: Monday, 11/17/25

• Virtual Information Session: Monday, 11/17/25, 12:00-1:00 pm (Sign up to attend virtual info session) QCCF staff will provide an overview of the Effective Nonprofit Management Cohort and Strong Board Governance Series. Past program participants will share testimonials, and there will be time for questions with the expert consultants who develop and deliver these programs.

• Registration closes: Tuesday, 1/14 or until full

Session Dates – 2026

Location: Quad Cities Community Foundation

• Virtual Kickoff: Thursday, 1/15 – 1:00pm – 2:00pm

• Cohort Session 1: Leadership & Management

• Thursday, 1/22 - 1:00pm – 4:00pm

• Cohort Session 2: Finance

•  Thursday, 2/5 - 1:00pm – 4:00pm

• Cohort Session 3: Fundraising

•  Thursday, 2/19 - 1:00pm – 4:00pm

• Cohort Session 4: Marketing & Storytelling

• Thursday, 3/12 - 1:00pm – 4:00pm

• Graduation

• Thursday, 3/12 - 4:00pm – 6:00pm

Session Learning Objectives

 Leadership/Management

• Inclusive and equitable leadership

• Attracting, developing, and retaining talent

• New leaders

• Leading multigenerational teams

• Delegation and communication

• Self-care for leaders

• Succession Planning

Finance

• Financial mindset & stewardship

• Budgeting & forecasting

• Stakeholder management & engagement

Fundrasing

• Fundraising for meaningful outcomes

• Developing a strategic fundraising plan

• Roleplay: impactful pitches

Marketing/Storytelling

• Storytelling activities

• Applying storytelling to marketing, fundraising, and organizational growth

• Storytelling for different audiences

RECENT NEWS from the Hunt and Diane Harris Center for Nonprofit Excellence

HAVE QUESTIONS?

To learn more about cohort programs and the Hunt and Diane Harris Center for Nonprofit Excellence, Daisy Moran.

Daisy Moran / email

Call (563) 326-2840

Registration Cost and Scholarship Support

Join us on November 17 for our virtual information session, where we will announce registration costs and scholarship opportunities.

If you have questions about making this opportunity work for your nonprofit, please contact Daisy Moran at daisymoran@QCCommunityFoundation.org.

Why should my organization participate?

• Set your course with an organizational assessment and create an organizational learning development plan

• Receive practical tools such as supplementary documents and on-demand learning modules.

• After each session, engage in a 45-minute virtual coaching session to identify and address organizational challenges, check in on your learning plan, and receive support in implementing your learnings within your organization.

• Build a network of supportive peers, including through breakout groups during sessions to meet the differing organizational needs from fundamentals to advanced

Eligibility Requirements

• Must represent a nonprofit organization from the Quad Cities, a surrounding county, or a county served by a QCCF affiliate (Community Foundation of Cedar County, Community Foundation of Van Buren County, Fulton Association for Community Enrichment, GIFT Geneseo Community Foundation, Morrison Area Community Foundation, & Mount Carroll Community Foundation).

• Commitment to attend all sessions. This program requires participation in four interactive, in-person sessions. Attendance at each is essential for program completion.

• We require that each organization commit to selecting 2-3 people who will participate in all four sessions of the cohort program. This model helps support implementing learnings in the organization.

• To maximize the program's impact on all levels of your organization, we recommend sending the CEO or Executive Director as well as people at other levels of responsibility for example, directors, direct services staff, and/or a Board member. For organizations with smaller staff, we recommend sending the CEO or Executive Director, one additional staff member (if applicable), and/or 1-2 Board members.