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Institute for Nonprofit Practice Receives $1.5 Million for National Expansion of Leadership Programs

With major gift from the Barr Foundation, Institute positioned to scale nationally over next five years, with focus on serving Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC), and women leaders.

October 6, 2020: Boston, MA – The Institute for Nonprofit Practice (INP) has received a transformative $1.5 million grant from the Barr Foundation to support its equity focused leadership development programming and national expansion.

Whether it’s serving the sick, the homeless, the hungry, educating young people or providing renewal through arts, strong nonprofits are integral to our nation’s ability to confront and recover from COVID-19. But today’s public health crisis is disproportionately affecting the most marginalized communities, while simultaneously threatening the effectiveness – and even the existence – of the vital organizations so many depend on.

Compounded with the nation’s ongoing racial reckoning, the nonprofit sector is navigating myriad challenges including the urgency of elevating and supporting more racially diverse leadership in the sector.

The investment, the largest ever made from Barr’s Sector Effectiveness portfolio, will expedite racial equity and widespread positive change in the nonprofit sector through INP’s ability to scale operations and train more social impact leaders. In addition to geographic expansion, the grant will be used to deepen program excellence, enhance alumni engagement, and contribute to field building.

“We cannot afford to let organizations fail, especially now,” said INP President and CEO Yolanda Coentro. “Advancing racial equity in the social sector is paramount to its effectiveness. INP was built to fundamentally disrupt the status quo and ensure the sector is exponentially more effective, connected, equitable and diverse. Barr Foundation has been a stalwart partner in this work since our founding. We will fully leverage this investment to reach more leaders and offer them resources to renew, reform, and rebuild.”

Over its 13-year history, INP has equipped more than 1,400 leaders, a majority of whom are BIPOC and women, with the tools and networks they need to assume greater leadership roles. In the face of the multiple concurrent crises, INP stepped up to raise funds to waive tuition for every student in the class of 2021. The result was a record number of applications and what will be the largest and most racially diverse class in the organization’s history, made up of 250 students – more than 70% of whom are BIPOC leaders.

“At this moment, it is critical to invest in nonprofit leaders — especially BIPOC leaders,” said Barr President Jim Canales. “Working with local partners in New England, INP has proven its model for equipping leaders in our region with knowledge, skills, and networks to have even greater impact in their organizations and communities. Barr is excited to support INP’s bold ambition to significantly expand their geographic reach. With new partners in new communities, INP is sure to play an important role in addressing our sector’s talent and network development needs.”

INP has begun market analyses and is actively seeking new partners to further expand its footprint with a goal of doubling the number of social sector leaders served in the next five years. To learn more about how you can support INP’s national expansion, contact Audrey Gillis, Vice President of Advancement, at agillis@nonprofitpractice.org.

To learn more about INP’s current efforts to support social sector leaders as they navigate the unknowns of the pandemic and racial reckoning, visit: www.nonprofitpractice.org/tomorrowfund.

About the Institute for Nonprofit Practice

The Institute for Nonprofit Practice works to ensure that the most promising nonprofit leaders, the majority of whom are Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC) have the skills, knowledge, networks, resources, and confidence they need to effectively lead, advance justice, and build a more equitable future for all. Through academically distinguished, year-long certificate programs, the Institute trains executives, managers, and emerging leaders across New England and New York. Central to the Institute’s work is a focus on social justice and supporting women and people of color to step into leadership roles of greater influence; the majority of the Institute’s 1,650 students and alumni identify as BIPOC, and over 60% are women. For more information, visit nonprofitpractice.org or follow @InstituteNP.

About the Barr Foundation

The Barr Foundation’s mission is to invest in human, natural, and creative potential, serving as thoughtful stewards and catalysts. Based in Boston, Barr focuses regionally, and selectively engages nationally, working in partnership with nonprofits, foundations, the public sector, and civic and business leaders to elevate the arts, advance solutions for climate change, and connect all students to success in high school and beyond. Founded in 1997, Barr now has assets of $2 billion, and has contributed more than $1 billion to charitable causes. For more information, visit barrfoundation.org or follow @BarrFdn.