Nonprofits and civic organizations
Your mission is only as strong
as the people carrying it.
Purpose-driven work attracts people who care deeply. It also burns them out fastest. We build cultures where mission-driven staff and volunteers contribute from strength, not obligation, and stay because they feel genuinely valued.
— The challenge
Burnout isn’t a personal failure. It’s a systems failure.
Nonprofit teams are asked to carry enormous emotional weight with limited resources. Volunteers show up once and don’t return. Board members disengage. Staff leave not because they stopped caring about the mission but because the culture stopped caring about them.
A shared strengths language changes the dynamic. When people know what they’re naturally good at, and feel that the organization sees and uses those talents, engagement doesn’t just improve. It compounds.
— By the numbers
Only 22% of employees feel their organization cares about their well-being.
That number is even lower in mission-driven organizations where the assumption is “you should just care because of the cause.” The cause does matter. So do the people.
The Practical Strengths model gives nonprofit leaders a practical, affordable system for demonstrating genuine care, not through perks, but through a culture that sees people clearly.
— What we build together
Three ways we work with non-profits & civic organizations
Community strong copilot
A 6-week facilitated program for community leaders. Learn the Practical Strengths playbook, lead a real micro-initiative, and capture outcomes for replication. Early participants may be featured in the book 34 Words That Can Change the World.
COHORT BASED
Inquire for pricing
Board & Leadership Alignment
A focused engagement for boards and executive leadership. Understand your collective talent profile, identify blind spots, and build a shared language that improves governance and reduces friction.
HALF OR FULL DAY
From $2,000
Fractional Non-Profit Partner
Ongoing embedded support for mission-aligned engagement, volunteer culture, and staff retention. Designed for organizations that need consistent support but can’t justify a full-time culture hire.
MONTHLY RETAINER
From $1250/mo
— For funders and grant writers
This model is grant-eligible.
The Practical Strengths Community Catalyst model aligns directly with capacity building and educational funding priorities. Jo has worked with non-profits, chamber presidents and educational institutions to position this as a billable, grant-supported initiative. If you’re writing a grant, we can help you frame the ask. Case in point, all work with Nicolet College was grant funded and a grant with NAMI and the US Chamber Foundation are currently under review.
What funders want to see
System-level change. Measurable outcomes. Replicable models. Shared investment across sectors. The Practical Strengths model checks every box.
What we provide
White paper, case study data, Rhode Island precedent, and a proposed budget narrative you can drop directly into an RFP response. DOWNLOAD THE WHITE PAPER