Alliance for Human Services Receives $5,000 Grant from The Lake County Community Foundation
The Alliance for Human Services is excited to announce that it has been awarded a $5,000 grant from The Lake County Community Foundation (LCCF) to support the professional development of nonprofit leaders through the launch of the Health and Human Services Executive Leadership Cohort. This new six-month program, running from January through June, is designed to equip leaders in the Lake County nonprofit sector with essential tools for growth, collaboration, and advocacy. The cohort will consist of 8-15 Lake County nonprofit executive directors.
Results from a recent nonprofit survey conducted by LCCF, along with insights from AHS Strategic Planning Focus Groups and anecdotal feedback, revealed a clear need for board development, strengthening a collective voice for health and human service organizations, and enhancing leadership support systems for executive directors. “The Lake County Community Foundation (LCCF) board and staff know it is critical to invest in high-quality, accessible, and relevant leadership development opportunities to support Lake County’s nonprofit sector. There is also an urgent need to cultivate a pipeline of talent who have the capacity and confidence to step in and lead,” said Emily Weber, Senior Director of Programs and Community Investment at LCCF.”
The Alliance partnered with Illinois Partners for Human Service (IL Partners), the Kellogg School – Center for Nonprofit Management (Kellogg), and the LCCF to launch the Health and Human Services Executive Leadership Cohort. The cohort will focus on critical topics such as board development, building a collective voice for health and human service organizations, and enhancing leadership support systems. Additionally, cohort members will have access to Fast Frames, a six-segment video series developed by the FrameWorks Institute. This tool is designed to help leaders better understand how people perceive social issues and how to effectively frame them. Participants will be able to utilize this resource and bring valuable insights back to their teams.
“The generous support from LCCF allows us to invest in the professional development of nonprofit leaders across Lake County. To honor the diversity of our county, we will use data from the American Community Survey, the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning’s Community Data Snapshot County Series (July 2023 Release), and the Inaugural Lake County Nonprofit Leadership Cohort participant list to guide our selection process, ensuring representation that reflects our community,” said Christine M. López, Executive Director of the Alliance for Human Services.” This grant is a crucial step in building a stronger, more collaborative nonprofit sector in our region.”
The Health and Human Services Executive Leadership Cohort will also act as a steppingstone for those who participated in the Inaugural Lake County Leadership Cohort (2023) and as a feeder for future LCCF Executive Director Cohorts, further fostering leadership growth and cross-sector collaboration in Lake County.
