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The Community Foundation for Loudoun and Northern Fauquier Counties is now accepting applications to its newly launched 2023 Maximizing Mission program, an offering of our Social Impact Institute. The Social Impact Institute offers deep-dive training and capacity-building opportunities to local nonprofits.

Maximizing Mission, conducted by nonprofit consultant Leon Seemann of Consult with Leon, will provide three selected nonprofits personalized and professional nonprofit management consultation to improve and strengthen their organization’s operations in one of the following areas: human resources, finance, fundraising, technology, or marketing.

Human service nonprofits serving Loudoun County are eligible to apply to participate in the program. Selected organizations will work collaboratively with Leon to assess their needs and select the operational area to receive consultation for the most impact. By the end of the program, nonprofits will receive a list of actionable items to address an area of operational improvement and consultation to begin the implementation of the recommendations.

Maximizing Mission is made possible with funding from 100WomenStrong. The value of the consulting services received by each participating organization is $3,000.

Program Design

By the conclusion of the consulting services, each nonprofit participant will:

  • Identify one or more area(s) of operational improvement.
  • Have a list of achievable actions to address one area of operational improvement.
  • Implement one or more actions from the list.

Consult with Leon will:

  • Conduct an initial assessment with each participating organization.
  • Present the organization with one or more areas of focus that could be explored to strengthen their operations from the following areas: human resources, finance, fundraising, technology, or marketing.
  • In coordination with the participating organization, select one area of focus for the consultation services.
  • Evaluate the organization’s effectiveness in the area of focus and provide a list of recommended actions that would improve operations in that area.
  • Meet with the organization to review the recommendations and strategies for implementation.

Timeline

Applications are due from nonprofits by August 4, 2023. Maximizing Mission consultation services will take place between August – December 2023. Leon will develop a timeline with each participating nonprofit.

Sample Schedule

Stage 1: Initial consultation

  • 1 hour kick off meeting with organization leadership
  • Provide list of requested documents to the organization
  • Review the documents and do an initial assessment
  • Follow up meetings with 1-2 key stakeholders as needed.

Stage 2: Four weeks after Stage 1

  • One hour meeting with grantee and pick an area of focus

Stage 3: Six to eight weeks after Stage 2

  • Evaluate area of focus for each organization
  • Request additional documents and/or meet with 1 – 2 key stakeholders as needed.
  • Provide draft list of recommendations to each organization

Stage 4: Four weeks after Stage 3

  • 1 hour meeting with each grantee to review the recommendations and discuss how to implement
  • Provide final written report to organization

Eligibility and Commitments

  • Participating nonprofits must be a 501(C)(3) public charity in good standing with the IRS
  • Must provide human services and programs in Loudoun County
  • Must have been in operation for at least three years
  • Must have at least two paid staff
  • Participating organizations agree to pay program fee of $250.

Application Instructions, Deadline, and Participant Notification

Organizations may apply by downloading and sending a completed application to Nicole Acosta at [email protected] no later than August 4, 2023. Three organizations will be selected to participate. Applicants will be notified of final selections by August 11, 2023.

Download Application

Pre-Application Q&A

An optional pre-application session was held for organizations interested in applying on Monday, July 17 at 3:00 p.m. Session Recording: https://youtu.be/TwNpWY07OzQ

View Session Recording

Questions

Please direct application and program questions to Nicole Acosta at [email protected] or 703-779-3505, x3.

About Consult with Leon

Leon Seemann, CFRE, has over 25 years of experience helping nonprofits and private businesses grow and thrive financially and organizationally by ensuring that they are well funded, well managed and well respected. His passion for solving business problems spans a broad range of organizations, non-profits and privately owned businesses, including those focused on the arts, education, youth, the Jewish community, finance, economic empowerment, and older adults.

Leon’s work as a management consultant focuses on helping organizations and their people be more effective today than they were yesterday. He brings his energy and skills as a trainer and facilitator to work with teams of all types – including inter-generational, inter-faith and cross-disciplinary – to identify and resolve the challenges that often prevent them from achieving success. Other services he provides includes: Workshops in nonprofit best practice; interim leadership/crisis management; strategic planning, financial and fundraising strategies.

Maximizing Mission Sponsor

Maximizing Mission is made possible by the generosity of 100WomenStrong.