Building strong organizations means investing beyond programs—but it also means investing in
the right ones. At JBRF, we always look to support programs that give nonprofit leaders the time, tools, and strategic clarity to strengthen their work for the long term.

New Strategies Rising, Georgetown University’s nonprofit business development program, is designed to do exactly that. Through an intensive, cohort-based experience, the program supports nonprofit leaders in strengthening financial sustainability, aligning mission with funding, sharpening storytelling, and building strategies that extend well beyond day-to-day operations.

Participants in New Strategies Rising engage in hands-on workshops, peer learning, and individualized coaching that challenge them to examine their financial models, clarify their value propositions, and build fundable, mission-aligned growth strategies. The program emphasizes practical application requiring leaders to test ideas, refine plans, and leave with tools they can implement immediately within their organizations.

Through our SustainABLE Community Initiatives (SCI) portfolio, we sponsored three community-based leaders to participate in New Strategies Rising. This investment was intentional, ensuring that leaders deeply rooted in community work could access high-level strategic training that is often financially out of reach, and apply it directly to the organizations they lead.

The value of this investment was reinforced by Tanya Smith-Evans, Director of the New Strategies Rising program. “New Strategies is deeply grateful for committed funding partners like the Jane Bancroft Robinson Foundation, who continue to support nonprofit organizations and their communities in these uncertain times,” Smith-Evans shared. “We appreciate the opportunity to be one avenue of value in helping strengthen these organizations, their leaders, and the communities they serve.”

For Connie Williams, Founder of Plenty to Eat, the experience reshaped how she approached both leadership and strategy. “The strategy business training program was so above my expectations of what I could have ever thought of,” Williams shared. “I mentally went from wow, to can I do this?, to Connie, you can achieve so much, you can do it!”

Williams gained practical tools she is already applying to her organization’s work, and the learning quickly turned into action. She also emphasized the depth and continuity of the experience. “It was so great learning that I had to continue to read for further understanding and steps to achieve… In addition, there are so many documents from all the training to help you achieve a successful business.” Reflecting on the opportunity, Williams added, “I would have never imagined that someone would have helped me to become a great business owner to continue to help others in need, as I myself is in need,”

Experiences like New Strategies Rising demonstrate how access to strategy, time, and peer learning can shift how leaders plan, fund, and sustain their work.

For Ryane B. Nickens, Founder and President of The TraRon Center, the program strengthened her organization’s fundraising approach and long-term outlook. “I learned so much about diversifying and strengthening our funding base, and I’m excited about the potential impact these tools and strategies will have on the TraRon Center’s fundraising efforts moving forward,” Nickens said.

That sense of access and affirmation was echoed by Gene Finley, Executive Director of CompuRecycling Center’s Medical Ascension, another organization supported through our sponsorship. “I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to you and the SustainABLE Community Initiatives at the Jane Bancroft Robinson Foundation for your continued support of New Strategies Rising and for generously sponsoring CompuRecycling Center’s Medical Ascension to participate in this nonprofit business development program,” Finley wrote. “Your commitment to strengthening community-centered initiatives makes a meaningful difference, and your belief in our work encourages us to keep moving forward with purpose.”

Through SCI, we continue to invest in leadership that is grounded in lived experience and committed to community impact. Sponsoring participation in New Strategies Rising reflects our broader approach to capacity building, one that prioritizes access, strategy, and sustainability so organizations can grow with intention, resilience, and long-term vision.