Breaking Barriers: Nonprofit Founders Bootcamp Empowers Grassroots Leaders
On Nov. 1-2, Community Capital Fund welcomed the second cohort of the Nonprofit Founders Bootcamp (NPFB) at KeyStone CoLAB in Kansas City. Founders spent two days diving into best practices and resources designed to help them surpass critical financial thresholds and prepare for sustainable growth. We’re grateful to our partners and participants for making this another inspiring and impactful weekend of learning and collaboration.
In Greater Kansas City, capacity-building resources are plentiful—but most are designed for larger, well-established nonprofits. For small organizations led by Black and Brown founders, that gap can feel overwhelming, with founders often juggling every role themselves. The Nonprofit Founders Bootcamp changes that dynamic. By focusing on nonprofits with less than $50,000 in revenue, NPFB creates equitable access to resources that are usually out of reach, equipping grassroots leaders with the strategies, mentorship, and connections to accelerate their growth and impact.
The mission of NPFB is simple: equip Black and Brown leaders of small nonprofits with the tools to thrive. Over the weekend, founders learned how to pursue larger funding opportunities, prepare their organizations to scale, and create a sustainable path to pay themselves. Sessions focused on practical, step-by-step skills—strengthening budgets, writing compelling grant applications, and building credibility with funders. Participants left with a clearer vision for their organization’s future and the confidence to put that vision into action.
The bootcamp agenda offered a mix of interactive workshops and mentoring sessions. On Saturday, founders explored essential nonprofit management and leadership skills with Sidney Smith of The Nonprofit Guild, learned strategic planning for sustainable growth with Julie Klima from Purpose Amp, and deepened their knowledge of finance and operations best practices with Jenne Vanderbout and Christy Cubbage from Support Kansas City. They also developed grant proposals and learned effective grant management from Marissa Todd of the University of Missouri, and explored building and leading engaged boards with Nicole Jacobs-Silvey and Blake Cleaver from the Board Diversity Initiative.
Sunday focused on hands-on application and collaboration. Founders connected one-on-one with experienced nonprofit mentors to discuss key takeaways, shared insights and ideas with fellow cohort participants during partner work time, and heard directly from local funders during a panel featuring NaTika Rowles from the Black Community Fund, Essence Yancey with United Way of Greater Kansas City, and Jason Williams of Health Forward Foundation. The panel offered actionable advice and inspiration for building sustainable, impactful organizations in Kansas City.
NPFB is a cohort-based, 1.5-day experience that blends group learning with personalized guidance. Each participant received mentoring with experienced nonprofit and community leaders who understand the challenges of starting small. The program emphasized practical and actionable takeaways—templates, checklists, and proven strategies participants could use immediately. To honor their time and commitment, each founder also received a $500 stipend upon completion, underscoring the value of their leadership and lived experience.
Founders walked away with confidence and skills to build stronger relationships with funders, complete applications successfully, and align budgets with impact. They also expanded their social capital through meaningful connections with mentors, peers, and community partners, creating a stronger foundation for scaling their work, sustaining themselves as leaders, and deepening their community impact.
The program was presented in partnership with the Black Community Fund, Hall Family Foundation, KC GIFT, UMKC Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership, The Nonprofit Guild, Support KC, United Way of Greater Kansas City, and Wyandotte Health Foundation.
Interested in potentially attending a future Bootcamp? Drop your email in the form at the top of the page at ccfkansascity.org/nonprofit-founders-bootcamp and we’ll be in touch as future opportunities come up.
