Community Impact Projects

A key component of our 10-month Signature Program experience is the Community Impact Project (CIP). This is the laboratory portion of our curriculum where the class participants are divided into small groups (4-6 participants) and work with a local nonprofit organization on an identified organizational need. The Community Impact Project process allows participants to develop and leverage individual leadership strengths and flex their team-building skills and capacities to impact the community through your organization by acting as consultants on a project. Concurrently they are expanding their knowledge of our community’s nonprofit environment and critical needs—skills that can be applied to future trusteeship roles.

Each year, we reach out to local nonprofits with a “Request for Proposal” (RFP) process to identify projects for our participants to take on.

Projects must:

• Address one identified and well-defined organizational challenge/need, something that could benefit from a team of “consultants” in solving; or a project/process or problem you have not yet been able to address due to lack of people and thought leadership resources. Priority will be given to projects that are sustainable and will have a continued, lasting impact on the organization after the Community Impact Project process is complete.
• Present an opportunity for team members to utilize and further develop leadership and project management skills such as planning, communications, organizing, evaluating, collaboration, resource development, etc.
• Provide the collaborating nonprofit agency/organization with an opportunity to build capacity to serve our community.

All proposals for CIPs received by September 13, 2024 will be internally reviewed, and Leadership Columbus will reach out to those whose projects are selected soon after.

Work on the CIPs typically begins in October and will conclude in May, prior to the Signature Program’s completion in June.

Before submitting your proposal, please note the following expectations of your organization in the process:

• The nonprofit cannot utilize the Signature Program project team for strictly fundraising or resource development.
• The agency/organization must be an active, collaborative partner in the project.
• The agency/organization must have an internal champion who is the point person for their project group.  This person should be one who can make or obtain necessary decisions in a timely manner and who can dedicate the time needed to facilitate the project.
• There must be clearly defined staff roles versus group project member roles.
• Leadership Columbus welcomes projects from both faith-based and non-faith-based organizations but note that the project itself cannot be one that assumes or requires religious background.

The deadline to submit a CIP Proposal to be considered for the Signature Program Class of 2025 has been extended to Friday, September 20, 2024.

If you have any questions about the Community Impact Project process of the Signature Program and/or the RFP process, please contact us.