Association of Consultants to Nonprofits

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Valerie Leonard

Nonprofit Utopia, LLC

Member profile details

First Name

Valerie

Last Name

Leonard

Organization

Nonprofit Utopia, LLC

Title

Founder

valeriefleonard@nonprofitutopia.com

Phone

773-571-3886

Address Line 1

https://nonprofitutopia.com

City

Chicago

County

Cook

State/Province

Zip Code

60652

Headshot

Website / Social Platforms

Website

https://nonprofitutopia.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-f-leonard-7458015/

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/NonprofitUtopia/

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/nonprofitutopia

Twitter

https://twitter.com/NonprofitUtopia

Blog

https://nonprofitutopia.com/blog

Organization Profile

Organization Overview

Nonprofit Utopia is a learning community and consulting practice founded by Valerie F. Leonard to help nonprofit leaders start, manage, and scale high-impact organizations. Through courses, coaching, and community, Nonprofit Utopia equips leaders with practical strategies rooted in real-world experience and proven frameworks like ASCEND™ and LEGACY™.

Organization Logo

Services

Consulting
--Organizational Assessment
--Capacity Building
--Collaborations and Strategic Alliances
--Policy Advocacy
--Board Development
--Strategic Planning
--Program Development
--Workshops

Coaching
--Emerging Leaders
--New Nonprofit Founders
--Fundraising

Courses On Demand and Live

Online Community

Practice Areas (select top 3)

Board Support (Development, Governance, Retreats, Training)
Capacity Building
Leadership and Professional Development
Writing/Editing

Client List

MacArthur Foundation/Lever for Change
University of Illinois At Chicago Certificate in Nonprofit Management
Westside Community Development Collaboration, Inc.
Loving Connections, Inc.
Habilitative Systems, Inc. (HSI)
AMPT Chicago
Daughter of Destiny
The Monroe Foundation

Publications & Articles

Article 2

Whose Project Is It, Anyway? In Search of Equitable Collaboration

URL for Article 2

https://nonprofitutopia.com/2020/02/25/whose-project-is-it-anyway-in-search-of-equitable-collaboration/

Article 3

13 Common Reasons The IRS Says "No"

URL for Article 3

https://nonprofitutopia.com/2018/08/17/13-common-reasons-the-irs-says-no/

Speaker's Bureau Information

Speaker Bio

I am the founder of Nonprofit Utopia, LLC, where I facilitate an online community, provide leadership coaching and consulting services. I am the host and producer of the Nonprofit Utopia Podcast, inviting nonprofit thought leaders to share lessons learned and the latest developments in the nonprofit sector.

I have been working with nonprofit organizations for over 20 years, in some form or fashion. In one life, I was a financial analyst, helping the CFO of a major hospital system arrange nearly $120 million in bond financings to cover major expansion projects. In another life I was the founding executive director of a small neighborhood grantmaking organization, using small grants to help residents develop the leadership skills they needed to take control of their economic environment. I have leveraged those experiences and lessons learned to launch my own consulting practice, where I help nonprofit leaders to improve their own skills while guiding their organizations to sustainability.

I help nonprofit leaders move the needle on some of their most pressing problems. I help them find the answers to questions like, “How do I start a new organization and stay out of trouble?” “Where can I find good board members who will buy into the organization’s mission and help raise money?” “ How can we put together a collaborative of other organizations so that we can do more for the community while building our own organizations?” “How can we raise more money?” Over the years, I have helped over 750 people meet their professional goals, and raise over $100 million through grant writing and technical assistance.

I also teach courses in nonprofit management and social enterprise at local universities, giving students the tools they need to immediately apply their learning to their own situations. I’ve been a pretty engaged citizen, working on several social justice issues surrounding education and school improvement; equitable community development and the importance of the Census and how it impacts our everyday lives.

Topic 1

Using your theory of change to develop winning funding proposals

Topic 1 Description

Assessing Your Organization's Readiness to Start a Social Enterprise

Topic 2

How to Develop a One-Page Strategic Plan

Topic 2 Description

Abraham Lincoln wrote the Gettysburg Address on the back of an envelope. We will show you how to write a one-page strategic plan that you can use to guide your organization, inform programs and share with your board, funders and other community stakeholders.

Topic 3

The Major Stages of Collaboration

Topic 3 Description

Nonprofit collaboration can take on several forms. Depending on the circumstances and where organizations are in their life cycle, collaboration can be as simple as producing a a joint program, or as complex as a full merger. We will discuss the various forms and structures of collaboration, including informal and formal partnerships, joint ventures and mergers, and instances in which it's most appropriate to use each tool.

The Association of Consultants to Nonprofits | 400 E. Randolph St., #3115 | Chicago, IL 60601

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