Resilient Organizations Learning Cohort

A free capacity-building program for executive leaders of gender-focused nonprofits who are ready to strengthen their strategy, culture, and operations for the next stage of growth.

Are you leading a gender-focused nonprofit through a pivotal moment of growth or change? Third Plateau is inviting a small cohort of organizations to be the first to participate in a new capacity-building program for executive leaders. Over 10 weeks, leaders will take an honest look at their organizations through peer learning, expert facilitation, and individualized coaching. Along the way, they’ll gain the tools, frameworks, and support to strengthen what they’ve built for what comes next.

Third Plateau’s strategists and coaches have spent years helping mission-driven nonprofits strengthen their strategy, operations, and leadership. We’ve partnered with organizations like Pregnancy Justice, For All Mothers, Give Us The Floor, Safety Respect Equity Network, and IllumiNative, and we bring that same hands-on experience to every leader in this cohort.

What’s Included

This program is offered at no cost to participants through the generous support of Contina Impact. Up to twelve organizations will be selected for the cohort. As a participating Executive Director or CEO, you will:

  • Complete a 30-minute organizational health assessment covering strategy, operations, and culture
  • Be part of a small cohort of executive leaders of gender-focused organizations
  • Join six virtual learning sessions with Third Plateau experts on topics related to fundraising and financial health, governance, leadership, designing an intentional culture, and preparing for growth
  • Receive five virtual 1:1 coaching sessions with a Third Plateau strategist and coach focused on translating the results from your organizational assessment and learnings from the program into an action plan
  • Additional program details can be found below

Who Should Apply

The Resilient Organizations Learning Cohort is designed for executive leaders of growth-stage, gender-focused nonprofits. Your organization is a strong fit if:

  • Your programs, advocacy, or services address gender-specific needs, reduce gender-based disparities, or advance gender justice
  • Your annual budget falls between $750K and $3M (registered 501c3 or fiscally sponsored organizations are welcome)
  • Your team has between 3 and 15 FTE
  • You’re in a growth phase, building out organizational leadership, revenue, and infrastructure
  • Your ED or CEO has the time and enthusiasm to take part in a 10-week experience this fall

Examples of Gender-Focused Nonprofits

  • Women and Girls: Organizations that focus on the safety, leadership, economic mobility, health, and rights of women and girls.
  • LGBTQIA+: Organizations that serve LGBTQIA+, nonbinary, and transgender communities – may center on identity, safety, rights, healthcare access.
  • Maternal or Reproductive Justice: Addresses maternal health, reproductive rights, birth equity, and perinatal support.
  • Gender-based Violence Prevention or Justice: Organizations that focus on domestic violence, sexual assault, trafficking, and survivor support.
  • Men and Boys: Supports healthy masculinity, fatherhood, mental health, violence prevention.

Program Timeline

Questions? Don’t hesitate to get in touch with program facilitator Ellen Kimball at [email protected]. 

Ready to apply?

Submit your application by August 21, 2026.

Apply Now

Additional Program Details

After reviewing participants’ organizational assessments and interests, Third Plateau will focus cohort learning on two of four topics: fueling growth, leading the next chapter, culture by design, and growing with intention. These span fundraising and financial planning, governance and leadership, organizational culture, and growth and scale.

We’ve already heard from leaders across the gender rights and justice space, including those working through the lens of racial justice, trans rights, women in sports, and religious communities. Each brings a distinct perspective while sharing a focus on gender.

 

Roughly 22–25 hours over three months. That covers the organizational assessment, six 75-minute learning sessions, five 60-minute coaching sessions, and 20–30 minutes of homework before each coaching session.

 

The program runs from mid-September through the end of November, with a session of some kind most weeks. Exact dates for cohort learning sessions will be confirmed based on applicant availability, and coaching sessions are scheduled individually around each participant’s and coach’s availability.

  • Sep 7–21: Complete organizational assessment
  • Week of Sep 21: Cohort Learning Session #1
  • Between Sep 14 and 28: Coaching Session #1
  • Week of Sep 28: Cohort Learning Session #2
  • Week of Oct 5: Coaching Session #2
  • Week of Oct 12: Cohort Learning Session #3
  • Week of Oct 19: Coaching Session #3
  • Week of Oct 26: Cohort Learning Session #4
  • Week of Nov 2: Coaching Session #4
  • Week of Nov 16: Cohort Learning Session #5
  • Week of Nov 16 or 23: Coaching Session #5
  • Week of Nov 30: Cohort Learning Session #6

 

For this pilot, we can accommodate one executive leader per organization.