The Community Programs Accelerator offers leadership and organizational capacity-building to help nonprofit leaders strengthen the internal systems, leadership practices, and organizational strategies that support long-term sustainability and community impact.
The Accelerator was launched in 2014 as a direct-service program to help equip nonprofits serving the South Side with tools and resources to fulfill their unique missions and has since supported more than 200 nonprofit organizations.
The program now partners with other UChicago units, including the Logan Center for the Arts and UChicago Medicine’s Urban Health Initiative, to serve their nonprofit partners and grantees.
Through a combination of shared learning, executive coaching, and individualized organizational planning, the Accelerator provides practical tools and dedicated support to help organizations strengthen an area important to their continued growth.The program is offered with support from graduate students from the Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice.
Capacity Building Support Provided by the Community Programs Accelerator
- Organizational Governance – Building the governance structure needed to sustain mission and organizational effectiveness.
- Strategic Planning – Equipping nonprofit leaders to create a clear strategic direction aligned with governance, programs, and resources.
- Program Design and Evaluation – Strengthening the ability of nonprofit leaders to design, implement, and evaluate programs that align with community needs and organizational mission.
- Fund Development – Strengthening the ability of nonprofit leaders to secure, diversify, and sustain financial resources.
