Blueprint — Learn
Understand the principles and practices behind effective nonprofit leadership, programs, fundraising, finances, governance, and organizational systems.
EXPERT-GUIDED ACCELERATOR
Build the work with Coach House beside you.
Join a live Accelerator cohort, online or in person, and build the plans, systems, and strategies your nonprofit needs to succeed.
Over nine live classes and ten individual coaching sessions, you'll learn what makes nonprofits effective, apply that learning to your organization, and develop the tools and documents you need to move forward.
HOW IT WORKS
Learn it. Design it. Put it to work.
Workshop — Design
Apply what you're learning to your own organization. With guidance from experienced coaches, develop your strategies, budgets, programs, and organizational documents.
You'll work alongside other nonprofit leaders, receive individual coaching, and get feedback on what you're building.
“The most valuable part of the Accelerator was the individual coaching session and being part of the network.”
Melissa O'Dell, Defy Ventures Illinois
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Support to move the work forward.
- 9 live classes with experienced nonprofit leaders and coaches
- 10 individual coaching sessions per organization leader
- 4 Coach House workbooks covering the Blueprint and Workshop
- Coach House Platform access with video lessons, assignments, resources, and tools
- Review and feedback on your organizational plans and documents
- A small cohort of nonprofit leaders learning and building together
- An end-of-Accelerator review with recommended next steps
- Eligibility for Alumni Services for continued implementation support
WHAT YOU'LL CREATE
Practical work for your organization.
This isn't just a class. You'll develop practical plans and documents for your own organization.
Strategic Foundations
- Origin Story and Need Statement
- Mission, Vision, and Values
- Theory of Change
Program Design & Evaluation
- Program pilot and structure
- Program goals
- Evaluation metrics and learning plan
Financial Planning
- Program budget
- Organizational operating budget
- Three-year financial projection
Fundraising & Communications
- Initial fundraising strategy
- Prospect list of approximately 100–350 potential funders and supporters
- First fundraising campaign plan
- Communications strategy
Governance & Compliance
- Board design and documents
- Annual planning calendar
- Nonprofit compliance review
- Compliance needs and calendar plan
CHOOSE YOUR COHORT
Choose the cohort that works for you.
We offer four Accelerator start periods each year: February, April, August, and October, with both online and in-person cohort options.
That means up to eight cohorts annually, depending on enrollment.
Both options include the same curriculum, workbooks, coaching, and assignments.
Live Online
Wednesdays
6:00–8:00 p.m. Central
Participate from anywhere.
In Person — Chicago
Fridays
12:00–2:00 p.m. Central
Prudential Plaza180 N. Stetson Avenue
Chicago, IL 60601
Cohorts are intentionally small to make room for discussion, feedback, and individual attention. Tuition options may include full, sliding-scale, or sponsored participation, depending on the cohort.
READY TO GET STARTED?
Ready to build your organization?
Complete a short application and tell us about your organization, your goals, and whether you prefer online or in-person classes.
A member of our team will follow up about availability, tuition, and next steps. There's no obligation to enroll.
Apply for an Upcoming CohortAnd when you're ready to implement?
Your Accelerator plans are the foundation. Through Coach House Alumni Services, you can get hands-on help putting them into practice.
Explore Alumni ServicesNeed to raise charitable funds but don’t have your own 501(c)(3)?
Coach House also provides fiscal sponsorship for eligible community-rooted projects, helping leaders access charitable funding while building stronger organizations.
Explore Fiscal Sponsorship