Nonprofit Adaptability & Resilience Lab

In an environment of perpetual change and realignment within the nonprofit sector, nonprofit leaders and organizations must invest in adaptive and resilient strategies to ensure they can continue delivering on their mission.

About the Nonprofit Adaptability & Resilience Lab

The CLU Center for Nonprofit Leadership in partnership with the Santa Barbara Foundation are pleased to announce the application process for the inaugural 2026 cohort of the Nonprofit Adaptability & Resilience Lab.

This six-month certificate program will seek to assist local nonprofits in identifying and executing on strategies that increase their adaptive capacity.  Teams of nonprofit staff and board members will participate in a cohort learning model that includes group learning focused on: (1) understanding financial health and underlying risks; (2) deploying contingency, scenario and strategic planning; (3) building diversified funding stability; and (4) engaging in adaptive management techniques to guide your teams through change. Combined with group learning modules will be an opportunity for organization-specific coaching session with the facilitators. The program will conclude with each team having the opportunity to share its insights on a resiliency action plan.

Download the 2026 Nonprofit Adaptability & Resilience Lab flyer

Certification

Each organization will receive a Certificate of Completion, useful for resumes, references, and grant applications. All Certificate holders will be listed on the Center for Nonprofit Leadership’s website.

Who Should Attend?

Only Nonprofit Organizations serving Santa Barbara County are eligible for participation!

This program is specifically designed for organizations with the resources and commitment to pursue adaptive and transformative change in the face of the shifting drivers across the nonprofit landscape. 

Each participating organization is required to send a leadership team that includes the CEO/Executive Director and two to four staff or board members actively engaged in steering the future direction of the organization. We ask that this team remain consistent through the life of the program and that each person make every effort to attend all sessions to ensure a continuity of learning.

Prior to the first session, each participating organization will be asked to complete an organization self-assessment – gauging their strengths and vulnerabilities across three domains: strategic, financial and organizational.

For this inaugural offering, the cohort size is being limited to no more that eight (8) teams.

How to Apply

• Space is limited, and participation is by application only
• Application deadline is Monday, June 8, 2026
• Registration fee* due no later than July 22, 2026

APPLY NOW
 

Cohort Information

Pricing & Cost

Program fees are $150 for a team of up to five (5) people.  The fee covers access to digital program materials, and access to the resource portal for the Nonprofit Adaptability and Resilience Lab.

Important Dates

Module 1:  Organizational Self-Assessment & Orientation
Wednesday, June 24
In-person Session:  9:00am - Noon @ SB Foundation Offices

Module 2: Financial Health & Sustainability
Wednesday, July 22
In-person Session:  9:00am - Noon @ SB Foundation Offices

Module 3: Contingency, Scenario and Strategic Planning
Wednesday, August 19
In-person Session:  9:00am - Noon @ SB Foundation Offices

Module 4: Funding Sustainability
Wednesday, September 23
In-person Session:  9:00am - Noon @ SB Foundation Offices

Module 5: Managing Change / Adaptive Leadership
Wednesday, October 21
In-person Session:  9:00am - Noon @ SB Foundation Offices

Module 6: Activating Your Organizational Plan / Peer Exchange
Wednesday, November 18
In-person Session:  9:00am – 1:00pm @ SB Foundation Offices

Participating organizations will be given a “bank” of up to six (6) hours of team one-on-one coaching with program facilitators (limit up-to 2 hours with any one facilitator).  These will be self-scheduled, zoom-based sessions to delve deeper into how the topics presented impact on your, unique organization.

Thank You to Our Partners!

This program is offered with generous support from the Santa Barbara Foundation.