Find more resources to equip & connect leaders

Resources to equip & connect leaders

• African American Leadership Forum (AALF)

  AALF builds and supports networks of leaders within the African American community. They connect leaders across sectors and issue areas impacting the African American community, such as economics, health and education.

• African Economic Development Solutions (AEDS-MN)

  Catalyst

  AEDS strives to develop businesses within African immigrant communities. They serve the Twin Cities metropolitan area to create wealth and help immigrants get out of poverty and benefit from the booming economy. It is a participant of Catalyst, a consortium of 5 community development corporations.

• Arts South Dakota

  Arts South Dakota aims to connect South Dakota’s geographically isolated arts leaders, creatives and culture bearers; provide professional development and learning opportunities specific to arts leaders; and provide a unified voice for pro-arts policy and government support. They offer a range of programs and resources.

• Asian American Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP)

  AAPIP provides its members with professional development resources, community-building events and access to resources that support network-building around AAPI issues and philanthropy.

• Association of Black Foundation Executives (ABFE)

  ABFE provides its members with professional development and technical assistance resources that further the philanthropic sector’s connection and responsiveness to issues of equity, diversity, and inclusion.

• Aurora Institute

  Aurora Institute is a national organization that lifts up promising ideas to transform public K-12 education. They produce research and reports about student-centered learning, and they lead and support legislative efforts at the state and federal level. The Aurora Institute Symposium is the field’s largest gathering of education innovators working to transform K-12 education.

• Building Movement Project

  The Building Movement Project (BMP) supports and pushes the nonprofit sector to tackle the most significant social issues of our times by developing research, creating tools and training materials, providing guidance, and facilitating networks for social change. Bush funding supports the Leadership Development Funders Group.

• Candid

  Through research, collaboration, and training, Candid connects people who want to change the world to the resources they need to do it.

• Center for Economic Inclusion

  CEI brings together cross-sector partners to work towards regional prosperity and to foster an inclusive economy. They collect and publish data, host events and provide technical assistance to organizations ready to transform their practices.

• Center for Rural Policy & Development

  The Center for Rural Policy & Development provides nonpartisan research and evaluation to support policymaking on a wide range of issues that impact Greater Minnesota. They survey thought leaders across the state; provide critical data collection and analysis; and advocate at the state level on issues important to rural communities.

• Citizens League

  Citizens League is a nonpartisan organization that works to involve Minnesotans in policymaking. They frequently play the backbone role in collective work to address policy issues in addition to their own policy work that seeks innovative solutions to difficult issues through inclusive, cross-sector, multi-partisan processes.

• Coalition of Asian American Leaders (CAAL)

  CAAL builds and supports networks of leaders within Minnesota’s Asian American communities. They offer a wide range of programs, support, policy work and ways to connect. They are open to anyone interested in figuring out how to grow their knowledge and connections, and use their resources to work on issues that matter to the future of Asian Minnesotans.

• Communications Network

  The Communications Network brings together foundations, nonprofits, and social sector consultancies across the globe to solve complex problems, while providing them with insights, ideas, innovations, and techniques to help them grow, thrive—and shape the future.

• Community Reinvestment Fund USA (CRF)

  Catalyst

  CRF works to complement and amplify the scale and effectiveness of the small business ecosystem with its lending, technology and service solutions. It is a participant of Catalyst, a consortium of 5 community development corporations.

• Consensus Council

  Consensus Council helps groups in North Dakota with differing opinions craft creative solutions to address community challenges. Using a consensus model of decision-making, they facilitate inclusive conversations around difficult topics, resulting in agreements that empower people, transform communities and advance public good.

• Council on Foundations

  The Council on Foundations fosters an environment where philanthropy can thrive and cultivates a community of diverse and skilled philanthropic professionals and organizations who lead with integrity, serve as ethical stewards and advocate for progress.

• CTB

  CTB (formerly the Center for Technology in Business) is a certified entrepreneurial center in North Dakota. They offer a number of programs focused on business development, including the North Dakota Women’s Business Center. They also operate the Women’s Leadership Program that supports leadership development and connectivity in North Dakota.

• Dakota Resources

  Dakota Resources offers its Learning Network to help South Dakota community builders seek answers and solutions, and learn from others’ experiences through facilitated gatherings in-person and the online platform, Thriverr. Dakota Resources supports small, rural communities in South Dakota through a variety of programs, including providing financial support, training, technical assistance and its leadership networks.

• Education Evolving

  Education Evolving is an advocacy organization with a mission that aligns well with our education work. They produce reports about student-centered learning, advocate for policy at the Minnesota legislature, work on teacher licensing issues and host the annual SCL4E (Student-Centered learning for Equity) convening each spring.

• Emerging Practitioners in Philanthropy (EPIP)

  EPIP provides its members with professional development resources, community-building events and access to resources that help elevate philanthropic practice among emerging leaders in the field.

• Emerging Prairie

  Emerging Prairie supports the entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem in North Dakota. Programs include Prairie Capital Summit, which works to grow private capital investment in the Midwest; StartupBREW, a weekly event to support entrepreneurs in Fargo; and TEDxFargo.

• First Peoples Fund

  First Peoples Fund works to support those who see art and culture as ways to strengthen Native communities. They provide direct support through grants to Native artists, culture bearers and the organizations that support them. They provide trainings that 1,500+ Native artists have attended, and they conduct national research and develop reports on investing in the Indigenous arts ecology.

• Foundation Financial Officers Group

  The Foundation Financial Officers group is the only dedicated professional network for the highest level financial and investment positions at the largest foundations in the US and abroad.

• Generation Next

  A coalition of civic, business and education leaders from across Minneapolis and Saint Paul dedicated to closing achievement and opportunity gaps. We use rigorous data analysis and community engagement to identify what works and replicate the most promising practices.

• GiveMN

  GiveMN ignites generosity and grows giving through creative ideas and innovative technology to connect more people with more causes to create change.

• Giving Hearts Day (North Dakota)

  Giving Hearts Day is a 24-hour event for charities in North Dakota and northwest Minnesota. Each year, Giving Hearts Day provides a platform for charities to fund their missions through an ever-increasing community of donors. It is the longest-running giving day in the country.

• Grantmakers for Education

  Grantmakers for Education catalyzes learning, fosters connections and creates opportunities for members to collectively advance effective, strategic and equity-centered grantmaking in the field of education.

• Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO)

  GEO is a community of funders committed to transforming philanthropic culture and practice. With racial equity as a core commitment, GEO envisions courageous grantmakers working in service of nonprofits and communities to create a just, connected and inclusive society where all can thrive.

• Grantmakers in the Arts

  Grantmakers in the Arts provides valuable professional development for arts grantmakers and is the only national association of both public and private arts and culture funders in the U.S.

• Hispanics in Philanthropy (HIP)

  HIP provides its members with the resources and connections needed to strengthen Latine leadership and influence, and mobilize philanthropic resources into Latine communities. They have offices in the U.S. and Latin America.

• Impact Foundation

  The Impact Foundation focuses on capacity building for nonprofits throughout North Dakota. Their programs include the Impact Institute that annually teaches 300+ attendees; one-on-one coaching on fundraising; Giving Hearts Day; and assistance to grassroots causes and community projects by managing their donations and reporting.

• Independent Sector

  Independent Sector is the only national membership organization that brings together a diverse community of changemakers, nonprofits, foundations, and corporations working to strengthen civil society and ensure all people in the United States thrive.

• Indian Land Tenure Foundation

  Indian Land Tenure Foundation is a national organization focused on land reclamation as central to tribal sovereignty. They conduct critical data collection and analysis on issues related to tribal lands. They work with tribes on projects to expand land ownership and to create economic benefit from land holdings. They also educate and work for policy change related to tribal land stewardship.

• Itasca Project

  An employer-led civic alliance focused on building a thriving economy and expanding prosperity for all.

• KnowledgeWorks

  KnowledgeWorks is a national organization that advocates for more personalized, competency-based learning through policy and practice. They conduct research, produce reports and work to influence state and federal policy makers. They also support schools and districts to implement more competency-based learning through their capacity-building partnerships and networks.

• Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC)

  Catalyst

  LEDC is a membership association of Latino entrepreneurs and leaders in the state of Minnesota, working to create a burgeoning Latino business community. It is a participant of Catalyst, a consortium of 5 community development corporations.

• LatinoLEAD

  LatinoLEAD is a network of leaders working together to empower the Latinx community in Minnesota. They invest in individual development to strengthen the community’s collective power—advancing their influence, growing their impact and building coalitions for positive change.

• Metropolitan Economic Development Association (MEDA)

  Catalyst

  MEDA fulfills its mission by providing integrated, wrap-around services in the three areas all entrepreneurs need to succeed: Management Education, Money, and Market. It is a participant of Catalyst, a consortium of 5 community development corporations.

• Minnesota Council of Nonprofits

  The Minnesota Council of Nonprofits is a statewide service organization that supports nonprofit organizations by providing a wide range of services: training, events, job boards, technical assistance and a shared health benefit plan. They also provide data and advocate for policy related to issues impacting nonprofits.

• Minnesota Council on Foundations

  The Minnesota Council on Foundations supports a philanthropic community that connects, strengthens and mobilizes the power of philanthropy to advance prosperity and equity in Minnesota. They provide several capacity-building opportunities and mobilize the power of philanthropy through advocacy and by organizing pooled funding efforts.

• Minnesota Design Center

  Minnesota Design Center is a national leader in design thinking. They work with nonprofits and municipalities to apply design thinking to solve challenges. They support efforts to design or redesign policies and systems, guided by stakeholder input, to better serve community needs.

• Minnesota Education Equity Partnership (MnEEP)

  MnEEP works to improve outcomes for both students of color and Indigenous students. They provide several capacity-building programs and tools, advocate for policy issues at the state and local levels and are a go-to support organization for others wanting to improve education equity.

• Minnesota Evaluation Association

  MNEA provides a multidisciplinary platform for evaluators to strengthen knowledge, skills, and connections in service of advancing equity through evaluation in Minnesota and beyond.

• Mission Investors Exchange

  Mission Investors Exchange is the leading impact investing network for foundations dedicated to deploying capital for social and environmental change. We provide resources, inspiration, and connections to help our members increase the scale and impact of their impact investing practice.

• Native Americans in Philanthropy (NAP)

  NAP provides its members with professional development resources, community-building events and access to resources that are centered on Indigenous values and informed by those relationships and connections to the greater work in the sector.

• Native Nations Institute

  Native Nations Institute is a nationwide, go-to organization for research on Native nation building and tribal governance. They are a resource for tribes, policymakers and community changemakers through their education programs, like the Rebuilding Native Nations online course, and research and analysis of governance and development in Native communities.

• Native Ways Federation

  Native Ways Federation promotes more equitable philanthropy and donor education in support of Native-led solutions. They raise awareness and support for Native communities; grow the effectiveness of Native nonprofits; and ensure high ethical standards for nonprofits serving Native communities.

• National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy

  The National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP) works with foundations, non-profits, social justice movements and other leaders to ensure that the sector is transparent with, and accountable to, those with the least wealth, power and opportunity in American society.

• North Dakota Association of Nonprofit Organizations (NDANO)

  NDANO is the statewide membership association for the North Dakota nonprofit sector, working to strengthen nonprofits and their ability to serve the needs of individuals and communities.

• North Dakota Compass

  North Dakota Compass is a research project used by leaders across sectors throughout the state of North Dakota to make data-informed decisions in their planning efforts. Their work provides objective, nonpartisan data collection and analysis; data-literacy education; and expert research support.

• North Dakota Human Rights Coalition

  NDHRC supports organizing, policy advocacy and public education on human rights issues relevant to North Dakota’s LGBTQ+ and Black, Indigenous and people of color communities. They coordinate a broad-based coalition of individuals and organizations interested in advancing human rights through information, education, and legislative action.

• North Dakota State University Extension

  North Dakota State University Extension provides science-based education opportunities for adults in North Dakota. Their programs include: Lead Local, a one-day training for aspiring, elected and appointed leaders serving on boards, councils and committees; Rural Leadership North Dakota; and the Extension Soil and Water Conservation Leadership Academy.

• Northside Economic Opportunity Network (NEON)

  Catalyst

  NEON works to build wealth for low-to-moderate income grassroots entrepreneurs, bringing vibrancy and transformation to North Minneapolis. It is a participant of Catalyst, a consortium of 5 community development corporations.

• PEAK Grantmaking

  PEAK Grantmaking is a vibrant community of philanthropy professionals dedicated to advancing equitable, effective grantmaking practices.

• PFund Foundation

  PFund Foundation advances public understanding on issues facing queer citizens and promotes equity for LGBTQ+ communities by providing grants and scholarships, developing leaders and inspiring giving. Their programs include Equity Fund for Queer Entrepreneurs of Color, which works to strengthen the region’s queer economic ecosystem, and the PRISM Fund, which supports rural-serving queer organizations in the Upper Midwest.

• Propel for Nonprofits

  Propel is an intermediary and community development financial institution that supports nonprofits primarily in Minnesota. They provide a number of capacity-building services and access to capital. They also serve as fiscal sponsor for organizations that do not yet have 501c3 status.

• Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood for Empowerment (RISE)

  Reviving the Islamic Sisterhood for Empowerment (RISE) provides unique supports for Muslim women leaders through leadership development, capacity building, inspiring storytelling and advocacy. Their programs include Muslim Women in Nonprofit Leadership and the annual Muslim Women’s Leadership Conference.

• Saint Paul Chamber of Commerce

  The St. Paul Area Chamber is here to help you advance your skills, grow your business, and impact your community.

• Social Enterprise MSP

  SE-MSP works to develop a purpose-driven economy in the Twin Cities. They are an alliance of nonprofits and businesses building networks, providing education, hosting events, and advocating for legislation to support the growth of social purpose businesses.

• Souris Basin Planning Council

  The Souris Basin Planning Council supports communities, leaders and entrepreneurs to advance economic progress for North Dakota Region 2. They offer a variety of resources, programs and support.

• South Dakota Day of Giving

  South Dakota Day of Giving is the one day of the year where nonprofits across the state of South Dakota come together to raise funds, build awareness, and have a little fun along the way.

• Springboard for the Arts

  Springboard for the Arts provides wide-ranging resources, information, consulting help and opportunities to support creative changemakers in Minnesota. With offices in St. Paul and Fergus Falls, Springboard supports artists with the tools to make a living and a life, and to build just and equitable communities full of meaning, joy, and connection.

• Student-Centered Learning for Equity (SCL4E)

  Dedicated to honoring who students are, how they learn, and where they want to go, SCL4E nurtures a movement and builds capacity for student-centered learning. This event grows each year and is now one of the largest educator convenings in the region.

• Technology Association of Grantmakers

  The Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG) cultivates the strategic, equitable, and innovative use of technology in philanthropy. Their work builds knowledge, strengthens networks, and advances the social sector.

• Tiwahe Foundation

  Tiwahe Foundation is a community foundation that works to bridge disparities in opportunities and outcomes in Native American communities. They support individuals and organizations through direct resourcing, culturally grounded leadership development and network weaving. The American Indian Family Empowerment Program (AIFEP) is the centerpiece of their work, which provides direct support to American Indians throughout the Twin Cities metro area through microgrants to individuals.

• Vision West ND

  Vision West ND is a consortium of leaders across many sectors in western North Dakota, focused on economic sustainability for rural communities impacted by the oil industry. The consortium uses a data-driven and knowledge-discovery model to address collective problem solving across issues ranging from childcare, housing, mental health and economic vitality.

• Voices for Racial Justice 

  Voices for Racial Justice works to nurture an ecosystem of restorative racial justice movements in Minnesota. They help partners across sectors to better serve Black, Indigenous and people of color communities through effective engagement. They equip people with tools and support to be effective leaders, organizers and culture workers. They support and connect hundreds of alumni from their training programs engaged in racial justice work across the state.

• Who Leads in Minnesota

  Minnesota Compass

  Who Leads in Minnesota is a project of Minnesota Compass and Bush. For Minnesota to be its best, we need talented leaders from all backgrounds. Leaders shape organizations. They define the culture and make decisions that affect others. Who Leads is a cross-sector look at who is or isn’t in leadership roles in our state, and offers resources to help others improve the mix of talent in their organizations. This work provides resources, data, analysis, stories and tools for organizations to grow more equitable, inclusive leadership.

• Wilder Research

  Wilder Research partners with organizations locally and across the country to measure and improve data effectiveness, identify needs and solutions, and make data-informed decisions to improve lives. Minnesota Compass was created by Wilder Research, an independent research arm of Amherst H. Wilder Foundation. The Community Equity Program, which is increasing Black, Indigenous and people of color representation in policy decisions, is a program of Wilder Foundation.