Nonprofit Peer Groups

The Johnson County Nonprofit Alliance Peer Groups are open to any and all who wish to attend, though content is directed at nonprofit professionals within Johnson County. We welcome diverse voices, experiences, organizational foci, and organization sizes to attend these peer group sessions. These sessions are designed to allow connection, resource and idea sharing, and networking among nonprofit leaders in diverse roles across organizations.

Session Structure

Sessions will be held quarterly via Zoom for ease of participation from professionals across the county. The following is the anticipated structure for peer group sessions. They will be topic/content based to provide a focus for conversation, but open for networking and engagement as the group sees fit.

• Introductions (5-10 min)
• Topic/Content Specific Presentation or Guided Conversation (15-20 min)
• Open Conversation/Networking (30 min)

A Community Foundation staff member will facilitate peer group meetings, but conversation is always open to participant engagement.

Fees/Cost

Nonprofit Alliance Peer Groups are free to attend and open to all, though content is directed toward nonprofit professionals in Johnson County.

November 2024

The Nonprofit Alliance Peer Group meets quarterly on Wednesday mornings from 9-10am. We meet virtually via zoom. Links to register for each session as well as session topics can be found below.

Fall Peer Group Session

November 6th, 9-10am

• Donor Stewardship
• Pre-Read: “Donor Stewardship: Your 5-Step Plan to Retain Lifetime Supporters” by Hannah Durbin (Classy)

Spring Peer Group Session

May 1st, 9-10am

• Fundraising & Development
• Pre-Read: “21 ‘Nonprofit Math’ Problems that Expose the Absurdity of Doing Good” by Vu Le (NonprofitAF)

Winter Peer Group Session

February 7th, 9-10am

• Building Teams/Culture of Collaboration
• Pre-Watch: “How to Turn a Group of Strangers into a Team,” by Amy Edmondson (Ted Talk)

Summer Peer Group Session

June 5th, 9-10am

• Hierarchy of Nonprofit Needs
• Pre-Read: “From Scarcity to Inspiration: Rethinking the Value of Nonprofit Facilities” by Joe Neri (Nonprofit Quarterly)

The Johnson County Nonprofit Peer Groups were created at the request of many of our nonprofit partners who were looking for ways to connect and grow together. The Nonprofit Alliance Peer Groups meet quarterly via Zoom for an hour. Each peer group begins focused around a particular topic – usually an article, podcast, or video – and after a short dive into that common topic/material, the conversation opens to current news and trends, challenges or new opportunities that need group ideation, or simply networking and connection with peers. The conversations are open to all and directed by those in attendance.

The goals of the Community Foundation of Johnson County’s Nonprofit Alliance Peer Groups are to:

• Provide learning opportunities relevant and timely for nonprofit professionals, volunteers, and board members;
• Create space for open discussion and dialogue in a confidential and safe space;
• Bring the CFJC to the forefront of nonprofit leaders’ radar as a community connector and convener; and
• Raise awareness of the CFJC’s resources for nonprofit organizations.

Ellie Moore, Vice President of Community Impact & Outreach

ellie@cfjc.org | (319) 337-0483

501 12^th Ave., Suite 102

Coralville, IA 52241