Atlanta, Ga., August 9, 2024 – Cobb Community Foundation is proud to announce the successful conclusion of the 2023-2024 Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP) Grant Program with a series of impactful final presentations by five outstanding program participants, each of whom now hold the nationally recognized CNP designation. Held at Kennesaw State University on June 17th, 2024, the event showcased the dedication and achievements of the five participants who have completed the six-month program.
The CNP Grant program, designed to support strong, sustainable organizations, as well as smaller or newer nonprofits that hold great promise, provided the credential of Certified Nonprofit Professional to these leaders and an incentive grant of $10,000 to each of their respective organizations. Laurie Wong of Reflections of Trinity, Lyrika Homes of Artz for the Harp, Jillian Dillard of FreedOM Youth Yoga, Amber Jones of Serenade Heights and Stephanie Pintacuda of Cobb County Public Safety Foundation.
The CNP Grant Program was developed jointly by Cobb Community Foundation, United Way of Greater Atlanta NW Metro Region, Kennesaw State University and The Cobb Collaborative. Nonprofit capacity is a high priority for each of these organizations. Beyond funding participation in the national CNP program, this grant program also funded face-to-face work sessions with Dr. Jennifer Wade-Berg, Assistant Dean for Student Success and Professor of Human Services at KSU’s Wellstar College of Health and Human Services. The $10,000 incentive was offered in recognition of the considerable time investment being made by each participant.
Over the past six months, participants have engaged in intensive learning sessions focused on mission statement workshopping, logic models, theory of change, marketing, and finance, guided by dedicated instructors. Participant Lyrika Holmes, Executive Director of Artz for the Harp, commented, “Though the funding is amazing, the knowledge is tenfold for our organization.”
During the final presentations, participants had the opportunity to demonstrate their newfound skills and knowledge. Each presentation reflected the personal growth and development of the participants, skills they learned and applied during the program, highlighting their creativity, determination, and commitment to making a positive impact in our community.
Shari Martin, Cobb Community Foundations President & CEO remarked, “One of our key strategies to ACTIVATE GOOD is to build nonprofit capacity. The CNP program builds leadership, strengthens governance, and teaches financial sustainability.”
Martin continues, “Every single one of these individuals has taken back to their organizations the lessons learned in this program, and each one of their organizations will be making an even greater impact in Cobb as a result. We could not be prouder of each of them, nor could we be more grateful to the United Way of Greater Atlanta’s NW Region or KSU’s Wellstar College of Health and Human Services for partnering with us to make this program available.”
Pictured from left to right:
Stephanie Pintacuda, Cobb County Public Safety Foundation
Amber Jones, Serenade Heights
Assistant Dean of Student Success & Professor of Human services in the Wellstar College of Health and Human Services, Jennifer Wade-Berg, KSU
Laurie Wong, Reflections of Trinity
Lyrika Holmes, Artz for the Harp Corp
Jillian Dillard, Freedom Youth Yoga
L to R
Monica Swahn, Dean of Wellstar College of Health & Human Services, KS
Jennifer Wade-Berg, Assistant Dean of Student Success & Professor of Human services in the Wellstar College of Health and Human Services, KSU
Michelle Jordan, Regional Director, Northwest Region United Way
Nicole Lawson Doll, VP Regional Op. United Way
Amber Jones, Serenade Height
Shari Martin, CEO & President, CCF
