Putting Principles into Practice: Strong Board Governance

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

March-September 2025
Delivered in partnership with Wastyn & Associates and Iman Consulting

All nonprofits share one common, crucial ingredient—an engaged, helpful board committed to working together effectively to fulfill a shared mission and vision.

In this cohort, nonprofit board members, CEOs, and Executive Directors come together to learn and implement proven methods to build powerful partnerships for impact. Over the course of six months, participants will engage in a combination of on-demand virtual classes and in-person sessions designed to learn key factors that lead to effective board leadership and receive sample documents and discussion guides to enhance board meetings. This structure ensures efficient use of your time while connecting you to skilled presenters and a network of peers. Throughout the program, your cohort will learn valuable content, receive support for implementing their learnings, and develop a strong network of supportive colleagues.

Following participant feedback, this cohort program has distinct tracks, ensuring all nonprofit boards can learn from regardless of experience level.

  • Considerations for New and Prospective Board Members

  • Introduction to Nonprofit Board for Staff

  • The Fundamentals of Board Best Practices

  • Increasing Board Member Engagement

  • Enhancing Board Effectiveness

Application Process Dates - 2025

  • Registration Open: Thursday, 1/9

  • Registration Close: Thursday, 1/30

  • Notification: Tuesday, 2/18

Session Dates

  • Virtual Kickoff meeting: Tuesday, March 11, 12:00-1:00 pm

  • Optional In-person sessions: Some sessions are tailored specifically for CEOs and Executive Directors, while others are designed for board members.

    • Cohort Session 1: Tuesday, April 8: 9:00-10:00 am

    • Cohort Session 2: Tuesday, May 13: 3:00-4:00 pm

    • Cohort Session 3: Tuesday, June 10: 9:00-10:00 am

    • Cohort Session 4: Tuesday, July 8: 3:00-4:00 pm

    • Cohort Session 5: Tuesday, August 12: 9:00-10:00 am

    • Cohort Session 6: Tuesday, September 9: 3:00-4:00 pm

  • Graduation: Tuesday, September 16: 4:00-5:00 pm

To ensure that interested teams can make this opportunity part of their organizational budget, we are able to arrange customized payment plans to stagger the cost of registration.

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

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HAVE QUESTIONS?

To learn more about cohort programs and the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, contact Center director, Daisy Moran.

Daisy Moran / email

Call (563) 326-2840

Registration Fee: The fee is $500 for up to three participants from each organization. Each additional participant requesting direct access to the online portal will be charged $35.

To ensure that interested teams can make this opportunity part of their organizational budget, we are able to arrange customized payment plans to stagger the cost of registration. This was designed by the Center for Nonprofit Excellence Advisory Committee and feedback received from program participants.

Recommended Participants: To maximize the benefits of this program for your organization, we require a commitment to send 2-3 participants. We recommend including your CEO or Executive Director along with two board members. Participants will receive one-year access to online learning modules and supplemental materials, allowing them to engage with the content at their own pace. Each online module is approximately 15 minutes long.

Program participants are asked not to share their login information with others. However, they are encouraged to use the learning modules during scheduled board meetings, allowing for group learning and collaborative discussions of the materials.