Cohorts

Alana Adams

2023 Cohort

2021 Arts & Culture Cohort

2021 Multi-Sector Cohort

2020 Pilot Cohort

The following are data points about the first-ever Securing the Roots* cohort. This particular group of individuals represent a skilled and diverse grouping of leaders in the Philadelphia region who work in a number of nonprofit, change-making organizations. 

  • 12 individuals represented different organizations

  • 83% are BIPOC, 83% are gender oppressed 

  • 99% overall attendance at six, four-hour monthly meetings, and as high assignment completion rate

  • 100% developed organizational budgets and resource mobilization plans 

  • 100% completed a resource ask as a direct result of the fellowship

  • “As a new ED, fiscal and fundraising responsibilities often feel like an additive to the rest of work leading my organization. That made the very important work of managing and expanding our finances a chore. Securing the Roots helped me situate this "chore" with my other roles and see resource mobilizing as integral to my task of leading an organization that builds the collective power of our communities.”

  • “I've learned so much about my personal relationship to money through Securing the Roots. I've always seen my energy as infinite and money as finite. Our conversations and this moment of mutual aide have really flipped that understanding for me to one of abundance and an eye towards burn out.”

  • “Securing the Roots provided a generative, humble, passionate group of Philly movement leaders a space to work and (un-) & (re-)learn my relationship to fundraising, money, and capital resourcing! Thank you for creating such a beautiful container!”

  • “STR created community and space for leaders to learn from and share with each other about our organizing. It was the first experience I have had where I was able to be with directors and coordinators with similar roles as mine in our organizations and realized how isolated I had been before this experience, how much on my own I was to figure out the basics of organization building. I am grateful for this experience and would love to see others in my organization take part in the future to really have teams of people in ORGANIZATION who are resource building.”

  • “STR arrived at an opportune time for our young organization. The shift in language and approach to mobilizing resources as opposed to asking others to "give" us financial support was a key intellectual and emotional move for me, and therefore for our organization. It was a liberating professional experience that will stick with me as we grow our programmatic impact and financial stability.”

  • “Securing the Roots was very helpful for me as a seasoned nonprofit professional but a new nonprofit leader. It helped me to incorporate our values and mission into our fundraising plan. It also helped me to get a handle on understanding some of the structures my organization needs to work through in order to own our fundraising plan. Allison and Brittany are thoughtful and skilled facilitators and teachers. My cohort was during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. They made many huge adjustments to ensure that we could participate fully and build community despite the pandemic.”

  • “Securing the Roots provided me space to affirm what I know while deeply engaging in my curiosity and need to learn about fundraising from a people-centric framing. It challenged old assumptions and helped me move through fears that were holding me back from making asks. I also appreciate the grounding and education in how the nonprofit sector and philanthropy emerged. The context matters. Frameworks - like just transition - were helpful to centering a values proposition for fundraising that connects deeply with me. I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from such incredible peers too! Just WOW! The power and the wisdom in the room.”

  • “Securing the Roots has helped me think through my organization's finances and given me the confidence to ask individuals and funders to support us in the way we need. The fellowship was incredibly timely and I am so grateful to have been a part of this powerful cohort.”

  • “This was such a necessary learning opportunity for me. It provided exposure to an area I had very limited knowledge about-- fund development/resource mobilization. During these times of uprising for liberation it was wonderful to convene with such a brilliant, dynamic, and powerful set of leaders! Thank you, Allison and Brittany for creating this space, it has helped me gain new focus on ways to advance the mission of our organization and the work of moving our communities to greater health and wellness.”

  • “Securing the Roots helped me address and challenge internal and external anxieties that I had as a new Executive Director, helping me grow into my role as the steer and main fundraiser for my organization. There's a dissonance between managing day to day tasks of ensuring the doors of the organization and also dreaming of the future while also doing social justice work, but this fellowship was grounded in all of those realities and I never felt alone. How to thrive and not just survive - that was my main takeaway!”