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 a 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, QCCF provided an overview of the Effective Nonprofit Management Cohort and Strong Board Governance Series. Watch the recording here.

• 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

Fundraising

• 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

With investment from the Quad Cities Community Foundation and the generous support of our donors, we are able to offer our flagship programs at a significantly subsidized rate. Registration for Effective Nonprofit Management Cohort is $1,000 per organization, which includes participation for up to three team members.

Comparable programs on average cost $1,500–$3,000 per person. At The Quad Cities Community Foundation, we believe all nonprofits deserve equitable access to expert-led programs with high-quality resources to ensure that cost is never a barrier to participation, we offer scholarships.

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.