Thrive Cohort
In 2020, the Community Foundation was looking for new ways to support emerging nonprofit organizations and advance racial equity in Linn County. As grassroots groups responded to the pandemic and derecho, an opportunity emerged to make progress on both goals simultaneously. In early 2021, the Thrive Cohort was launched to bring together Black, Brown, and Biracial nonprofit leaders for relationship-building, networking, and learning. The goal is to help nonprofit organizations close the racial leadership gap and diversify staff and managerial teams.
Five leaders of emerging organizations were selected to participate in the initial cohort, which met monthly for two years to engage in discussions and learning activities on a range of topics related to building nonprofit organizations. Local leaders served as guest facilitators, and each member’s organization received a quarterly $2,500 grant for general operating support. Many organizations use these grants for overhead, programming, and even educational costs for their leadership. The grants—and the sentiment behind them—were often transformational.
The inaugural Thrive Cohort discussed their experiences during a 2022 Community Learning Series, and you can view that event here.
2025 Thrive Cohort
In 2025, the Community Foundation continues a commitment to support Black, Brown, and Bi-racial leaders in the nonprofit sector through the Thrive Cohort.
Thrive Cohort offers relationship building, networking, and learning for nonprofit professionals to foster career development within the sector. This initiative is part of the Community Foundation’s efforts to advance racial equity by helping nonprofit organizations close the racial leadership gap and diversify nonprofit staff and managerial teams.
The Community Foundation will provide general operating support grants to organizations that are supporting Thrive Cohort members.
Stay tuned for updates from the 2025 Thrive cohort!