Project Blueprint Board Leadership Training

Project Blueprint Board Leadership Training is a program designed to prepare people of color to serve on local nonprofit boards and committees.  For decades, nonprofit boards have not reflected the diversity of the communities they serve. While the importance of diversity is acknowledged, a 2017 BoardSource report, Leading With Intent, concluded that nonprofit boards “are no more diverse than they were two years ago and current recruitment priorities indicate this is unlikely to change.”  According to the Annie E. Casey Foundation, approximately 60% of all nonprofits report serving Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC,) yet 84% of board members identify as White and 27% of boards had no BIPOC leaders.

The goal of Project Blueprint Board Leadership Training is to increase board diversity by providing a pool of qualified candidates who are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to effectively serve on nonprofit boards or board committees. The program closely follows the book, Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards, published by BoardSource, a nationally recognized organization dedicated to increasing nonprofit board governance.  The program also helps match participants to a board or board committee through a nonprofit speed dating event.

Preference will be given to applicants who have no board experience.  For those who have previously served on a board or who are currently serving on a board, see our HandsOn Board training workshops.

Project Blueprint Board Leadership Training participants will:

• Attend a program orientation, four training sessions, and a nonprofit board speed dating event to facilitate connections to boards and board committees.  Classes will meet online for the orientation and training sessions.  The final session is a nonprofit board speed dating that will be held in person (see program schedule below.)  Participants can only miss one session in order to receive the professional development stipend.

• Create an action plan that defines their personal professional development goals.  The action plan will be shared with HandsOn NWNC to ensure alignment with the program’s focus on professional development, recognizing that participants may update or revise their plans based on changing needs.

• Receive a professional development stipend of $5,000 to implement the goals/activities identified in their action plan.  The funds must be used for professional development and allows each participant the flexibility to customize their spending based on their personal development goals.

Eligibility.  Project Blueprint Board Leadership Training is open to Forsyth County residents who are people of color and interested in serving on a nonprofit board.  Participants must agree to the attendance, stipend, and reporting requirements outlined in this description and complete a W-9 for stipend tax reporting purposes.  Current and previous participants of other stipend programs are ineligible.

Reporting.  Participants will identify how their professional development stipend has been spent and whether those activities have helped them fulfill their professional goals.  Testimonials demonstrating this are encouraged.  No written reports will be completed; rather, participants will be contacted at regular intervals after the training to attend meetings or participate in phone calls with HandsOn NWNC to collect reporting information.  In addition to evaluating the overall program impact, the information collected will help build a database of resources for future participants with similar needs and identify trends that guide the development of HandsOn NWNC’s capacity building work.

Apply Here.  Applications will be open on February 13 and due on March 17, 2023.  This is a competitive program and class size is limited to ensure a high-quality experience and more meaningful networking.  Applicants will be notified whether or not they are selected to participate in the program.

2023 Curriculum and Schedule
Orientation  April 19, 9-10 am
Nonprofit Overview and Legal Responsibilities; Advocacy  April 26, 9-12 pm
Selecting, Supporting and Evaluating the Chief Executive; Strategic Planning  May 3, 9-12 pm
Board Development and Operations; Fiscal Responsibility  May 10, 9-12 pm
Fund Development, Diversity  May 17, 9-12 pm
Nonprofit Board Speed Dating  May 24, 3:00-5 pm   *In person at Senior Services

For more information, contact the Program Coordinator.