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Cohort Programs: Volunteer Impact, Springboard, and Catalyst

Increase volunteer impact, strengthen sustainability or take it to the next level
Assessment and planning to increase volunteer Impact, strengthen sustainability or take your organization to the next level

Stacked stonesWe provide a number of programs that support nonprofits and meet the needs of our philanthropic partners.

We have worked for the last three years with United Way of King County on the VIP 360, a cohort-based program to help organizations improve their volunteer management. Our other cohort programs include Springboard, which is for arts and cultural organizations, and Catalyst, which supports fundraising capacity. Cohort programs give nonprofits the opportunity to learn with and from each other, while still working with 501 Commons' service corps consultants on their own plans.

We are pleased to work with groups of nonprofits and with funders to develop programs that address specific areas of nonprofit capacity. Our programs leverage the time and talents of service corps members and other volunteers so that their value is many times greater than their cost.

These three programs, which are designed to expand the benefits of volunteerism in King County human service organizations, are provided through our partnership with United Way of King County:

  • VIP 360 - After a full assessment of your volunteer program, you will have the assistance of two consultants to help you develop a plan for increasing the impact of volunteers on your mission.  Successful participants then receive a grant for additional consultation from 501 Commons to help them implement the plan.
  • VIP Manager Corps - Human services organizations in King County can now have a part time volunteer manager to help them take their volunteer program to the next level.
  • South King County Volunteer Network - This organizing effort will focus on Kent in 2013 with the goals of coordinating outreach to the community, sharing best practices, and building a sustainable community engagement program.

Additional cohort programs:

  • Springboard for Arts and Culture Organizations - now in its fifth year, this program starts with an assessment and results in the organization having a 18-month to 2 year plan for organizational focus and development.
  • Catalyst for Sustainability - many of the underpinnings of successful fundraising and organizational sustainability are overlooked as organizations spend money on fundraising before they have the planning and infrastructure necessary for fundraising to work. This step-by-step program takes a whole-organization look at what you can do to strengthen your organization and increase your fundraising success.