Info Session 3: NM Child & Family Serving Nonprofit Leadership Cohort

Presented by Groundworks New Mexico

Join GNM's Director of the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, Faith Brainerd, for a brief presentation and Q&A on our upcoming cohort opportunity.

Groundworks is proud to offer a powerful capacity building opportunity for New Mexico child and family serving nonprofit organization leaders. We are seeking applicants for a nonprofit leadership cohort that will run from January through June of 2027.

This cohort is a six-month shared learning experience designed to help nonprofit leaders build the knowledge, skills, relationships, and confidence to advance their organizational missions through communications and advocacy. The cohort is focused on child and family serving nonprofit organizations in Bernalillo (South Valley), Doña Ana, McKinley, and San Juan counties and those serving NM Tribes, Pueblos, or the Navajo Nation. This project is made possible with support from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation. 

Through a combination of in-person gatherings, virtual learning sessions, peer exchange, and connection with New Mexico’s broader social sector, participants will develop practical advocacy skills they can apply within their own organizations and communities. The cohort welcomes nonprofit leaders across the political spectrum who share an interest in strengthening nonprofit civic participation and ensuring that the organizations delivering services help inform public decisions impacting their work and the communities they serve.

Together, cohort participants will explore:
•    Identifying policy priorities & navigating the policy process
•    Crafting compelling messages for traditional & digital media
•    Building strategic partnerships to maximize organizational impact
•    Engaging decision-makers through storytelling
•    Mobilizing community support to improve lives for New Mexico children and families

This is more than a training series. It is an opportunity to build relationships across organizations and communities, learn from diverse perspectives, and deepen the collective impact of our nonprofit sector on the lives of New Mexico’s children and families.

Cohort Goals

• Increased competency and confidence with community advocacy
• Improved organizational capacity
• Deepened peer connections within the sector 

Incentives

• Free registration for Groundworks New Mexico's 5th Annual Social Sector Conference
• Travel stipends to support participation at in-person gatherings and conference
• One year of free Groundworks membership for all participating organizations, including their staff and board members
• Free registration to all GNM Center for Nonprofit Excellence trainings, workshops, and webinars during the cohort period 
• Access to resource-sharing and connection through the Groundworks Cohort Alumni Network, a growing group of engaged NM nonprofit leaders from past and future cohorts 

Deadline to Apply

For best consideration, applications should be submitted by November 13, 2026. The final application deadline is November 20, 2026. Application link. 

Selection Process
Rural, small, Tribal, and/or BIPOC-led organizations in Bernalillo (South Valley), Doña Ana, McKinley, and San Juan counties and those serving NM Tribes, Pueblos, or the Navajo Nation are strongly encouraged to apply for this cohort. GNM seeks candidates who are eager to learn and plan to apply the skills and knowledge gained to benefit their organizations, their communities, and the child and family sector as a whole. Applications will be reviewed by GNM board and staff. Applicants will be notified of cohort decisions by December 4, 2026.

Event Registration Photo Policy: Please be advised that by registering and attending this event you are agreeing to being filmed and/or photographed, and the resulting assets may be used for marketing or promotional purposes. Should you wish not to be photographed or recorded on video, please notify a Groundworks New Mexico staff member.