NORTHBROOK, Ill., October 3, 2018 – The Allstate Foundation announced today the expansion of The Allstate Foundation Nonprofit Leadership Center, an online and in-person nonprofit leadership development program offering free curriculum for all nonprofit professionals. The curriculum, developed by the Kellogg School Center for Nonprofit Management at Northwestern University, covers topics including leadership, management and stakeholder engagement.
“Nonprofit organizations play a critical role in making our communities stronger, safer and more prosperous. That’s why it’s vital we invest in and work to cultivate the growth of the nonprofit sector,” said Vicky Dinges, Allstate’s senior vice president of corporate relations. “By offering nonprofit leaders with access to high-quality professional development opportunities, we can support their efforts to care for, build and improve our communities, which benefits us all.”
According to an Allstate Foundation survey of past participants in the executive leadership program formerly known as The Allstate Foundation Greater Good Nonprofit Leadership program, 74 percent of program alumni took on more responsibility within their organization after completing the program. The survey results also showed 89 percent of respondents believe their participation has positively impacted the way they lead in their communities.
In addition to offering the proven in-person program opportunity, The Allstate Foundation Nonprofit Leadership Center offers two new online leadership development training options to expand the number of nonprofit professionals who can benefit from the program. Each option was designed to accommodate nonprofit leaders’ diverse skill sets, experience and leadership aspirations. The three distinct training option formats are:
Management Essentials On-Demand: Created for emerging leaders at all nonprofits, the on-demand, self-paced online lessons help nonprofit professionals understand key theories of nonprofit management and gain new skills in such areas as nonprofit finance, marketing and communications, mission-driven strategy and influence and adaptability.
Management Essentials Online Connection: Developed for emerging nonprofit leaders interested in facilitated learning covering management fundamentals, participants will be assigned a cohort to take the online lessons together and participate in group discussions, peer mentoring and networking.
Executive Leadership Program: Best suited for nonprofit leaders with 10 to 20 years of nonprofit experience, the in-person training helps nonprofit professionals evolve as leaders through customized coaching, individual development opportunities and in-person interaction. This elite learning experience is open to 30 participants per year. The current cohort concludes in May 2019.
“It can be a challenge for nonprofit organizations to prioritize the professional development of their emerging leaders given the scarcity of resources in the sector,” said Liz Livingston Howard, executive director of the Kellogg School Center for Nonprofit Management. “We are proud to expand the educational opportunities offered through The Allstate Foundation Nonprofit Leadership Center to continue to help ensure nonprofit leaders are set up for success – and ready to make an even bigger impact on their communities.”
Interested nonprofit professionals can go to AllstateFoundation.org to access the Management Essentials On-Demand content at any time and to join the next cohort in the Management Essentials Online Classroom training. Applications for the Executive Leadership Program Class of 2020 will be available in spring 2019.
Since 2014, The Allstate Foundation has invested more than $4 million in building leadership skills of nonprofit executives across the U.S.