The Center’s Executive Preparation Institute (EPI) participants have a chance to listen to industry experts about all facets of nonprofit leadership. The program is comprised of seminars, guest speakers, panel discussions and group interaction to ensure maximum learning.

This virtual Leadership Series will explore how JEDI* can be defined and demonstrated within organizations. Through an interactive approach, course participants will explore how to win board support to promote inclusivity, address accountability, identify short and long-term solutions by utilizing benchmarking tools.

This six-week program is based on the book Positive Intelligence by Shirzad Chamine. The program helps leaders increase self-awareness, develop and strengthen self-command, and build mental fitness muscles that enable them to stop negative thinking and self-limiting beliefs that lead to reactive and negative responses to people, situations, or challenges. Participants learn how to handle challenges with positive emotions and a clear and calm mind, unlocking their potential (and that of their teams) as leaders.

This cohort program convenes Executive Directors with less than three years of experience and nonprofit staff who are moving into, or plan to apply for, Executive Director roles within the next 2-3 years. These emerging leaders at small nonprofits who identify as BIPOC meet virtually and in-person over sessions that include facilitated skill-building presentations by Spur Local team members, networking, and peer-driven conversations about the challenges and realities of being a leader of color in the nonprofit sector.

This cohort program convenes Executive Directors leading small nonprofits in the Greater Washington region who identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Over several virtual sessions and in-person activities, cohort members participate in peer-to-peer conversations facilitated by the Spur Local team about the topics they are interested in most.

Designed to strengthen the leadership and management capacity of individuals working in or with nonprofit organizations, the Nonprofit Management Executive Certificate gives participants the skills necessary to respond to the complex challenges and opportunities facing their organizations and communities.

Inspire Leadership School's Public Narrative Training provides a training on the art of telling stories that inspire and motivate people to achieve a collective goal. A compelling leadership story conveys shared values, collective agency, and hope for the future. Light on theory and rich in practice, this training teaches participants how to tell the Story of Self, Story of Us, and Story of Now.

Rising Leaders Program provides early-career or management professionals the tools they need to succeed as leaders. Through engaging activities and discussion, the five-month program teaches skills essential to professional development and leadership. Participants gain insights and experience they can apply in any professional environment.

Emerging Leaders Program is a nine-month, dynamic, professional development program that provides mid-level professionals between 25-35 years of age with the skills and connections necessary for success. Participants hone critical skills such as public speaking, negotiation, conflict resolution, and relationship-building. They are paired with a mentor and gain unique exposure to the issues and key players shaping Montgomery County.

This six-session coaching program is an opportunity for leaders to select and work with a leadership coach to support their continued growth and development. Access Coaching Collective recruits and vets a diverse roster of coaches who possess a strong equity lens, ensuring that leaders have access to high-quality coaches of shared identities. Coaching is unique as it’s tailored to each individual and their specific goals. Through coaching, leaders can: build self-awareness; learn to better leverage their strengths; navigate challenges and new opportunities; develop strategies to address burnout; establish a growth mindset; and more.