NNLRF brings Newark nonprofit leaders together to learn, test ideas, strengthen organizational practices, and apply what they learn with the support of practical consulting and targeted funding.
By connecting learning, individualized support, and resources for implementation, the Fund helps participating organizations move from insight to action—and strengthens the nonprofit ecosystem through what is learned along the way.
Twelve Newark nonprofit organizations are participating in a shared learning experience designed to strengthen board effectiveness and the partnership between boards and organizational leaders.
NNLRF brings together four connected elements designed to move organizations from learning to action: foundational governance education, cohort-based application and consulting, board leadership development, and implementation funding.
BoardSource provides the shared governance foundation for the initiative through the Purpose-Driven Board Leadership framework, governance education, organizational resources, board self-assessment, and certification support for participating consultants.
The Nonprofit Professionals of Color Collective (NPPOC) manages the participating cohort and helps organizations turn learning into practice through peer learning, governance self-assessment, tailored consulting, governance action planning, office hours, and ongoing support.
Leadership Newark prepares current and prospective board leaders through training, tools, recruitment, matching, referrals, and board-placement support—strengthening the pipeline of people prepared to serve Newark nonprofit organizations.
Participating organizations may apply for grants of up to $10,000 each from a dedicated $120,000 implementation fund to put the priorities identified in their governance action plans into practice.
Together, these elements create a connected pathway from learning to application to implementation, while also strengthening Newark’s broader nonprofit governance ecosystem.
BoardSource, the Nonprofit Professionals of Color Collective (NPPOC), and Leadership Newark serve as learning partners in the initiative, contributing specialized expertise in governance, nonprofit leadership, and organizational development.
Their role is to extend the learning beyond the convenings themselves—equipping participating organizations with practical tools, guidance, and support they can apply as they strengthen their boards and put new practices into action.
The Fund will share learning from the initiative as implementation progresses, including insights into what participating organizations find useful and how they put that learning into practice.