Our Impact: Nonprofit Leadership Development

The Massachusetts Community Foundations Partnership

In 2020, The Cape Cod Foundation joined The Massachusetts Community Foundations Partnership, a new statewide coalition of community foundations designed to help stabilize, strengthen, and advance the social sector in communities across the Commonwealth. The partnership, formed in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, is made up of 14 community foundation across Massachusetts. It goals are to strengthen the Massachusetts nonprofit sector to achieve greater impact, work collectively to lead on common challenges facing our communities, and improve the effectiveness of community foundations and their collective missions.

“While the geographic boundaries of these community foundations are distinct, the work we are all doing is complementary,” said Kristin O’Malley, President and CEO of The Cape Cod Foundation, “Through strategic planning and collaboration, we can leverage resources and maximize impact in the nonprofit sector across Cape Cod and the Commonwealth.”

As part of its early work, the partnership has co-funded a virtual series of technical assistance and capacity-building programs for nonprofit staff and board leaders. In addition to training, nonprofit participants will have the opportunity to network with peers, troubleshoot common issues, and exchange best practices. PRESS RELEASE

The Institute for Nonprofit Practice Core Certificate Program

THE INITIATIVE
In 2015, the Foundation facilitated a partnership with the Institute for Nonprofit Practice to bring its award-winning Core Certificate Program to Cape Cod and the Islands. The Foundation was also instrumental in forming its first-ever, local funder collaborative which has pooled over $500,000 since the program started in 2016 to help offset tuition costs. In addition, because of our local funder collaborative and the Tomorrow Fund, an INP initiative, tuition for all students, including the Cape and Islands cohort, was free for 2020-2021 session.

THE PROGRAM
To date, more than 100 local leaders have participated in this intensive, year-long program. Graduates receive a certificate in Social Impact Management and Leadership from the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Civic Life at Tufts University and emerge with the skills, knowledge, and networks they need to make strategic, mission-driven decisions that center on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) and effect meaningful change in their organizations and beyond. In addition to individual development and group problem-solving, the program focuses on building a local peer network that will continue to support and strengthen leaders and encourage collaboration long after the program ends.

THE FUNDER COLLABORATIVE
Seventeen area funders, who believe in strengthening the nonprofit sector through education, have underwritten the tuition costs. They are: Arts Foundation of Cape Cod; Bilezikian Family Foundation; Cape and Islands United Way; Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank Charitable Foundation; The Cape Cod Foundation; Cape Cod Healthcare Community Benefits; The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod; Eastern Bank Charitable Foundation; Martha’s Vineyard Nonprofit Collaborative; Gerald Jones; Lynne Kenny; MVY Radio; Permanent Endowment for Martha’s Vineyard; Rotary Club of Martha’s Vineyard; The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation; The Vineyard Fund for Board Development and Education; and Don Wilks.

Cape & Islands Partnership for Nonprofit Advancement

THE INITIATIVE
The Cape and Islands Partnership for Nonprofit Advancement is a regional collaborative. Its goal is to effectively coordinate and expand training and educational opportunities for nonprofit professionals on Cape Cod and the Islands. Ongoing initiatives include:

• Coordinating a centralized regional calendar to share training and educational opportunities with the nonprofit community.
• Establishing collaborative programming and co-sponsoring events and workshops

PARTNERSHIP MEMBERS
The Cape Cod Foundation (facilitator), Amplify POC Cape Cod, Arts Foundation of Cape Cod, Bilezikian Family Foundation, Cape and Islands United Way, Cape Cod Community College Center for Corporate and Professional Education, Cape Cod 5 Foundation, Inc., Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation, Cape Cod Technology Council, Cape Cod Young Professionals, Community Development Partnership, Community Foundation for Nantucket, Gestalt International Study Center, Kelley Foundation, Leadership Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard Community Foundation, Martha’s Vineyard Nonprofit Collaborative, Massachusetts Nonprofit Network, Philanthropy Massachusetts, Philanthropy Partners of the Cape and Islands, SCORE Cape Cod and the Islands, The Cooperative Bank of Cape Cod, and The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation.