Every community needs strong leaders—but what happens when the same people keep cycling through board after board? Innovation stalls, fresh perspectives are lost, and organizations risk falling into a rut. In Grant County, a bold initiative set out to change that narrative and pave the way for a new generation of nonprofit and civic leaders.
A Community-Led Solution
Collabora Leadership Intensive: Mobilizing the Bold (CLIMB) was an innovative program designed to train and empower emerging leaders. It was dreamed up by Collabora—a partnership of six key community organizations, including the Community Foundation of Grant County, Greater Grant County Chamber, United Way of Grant County, Project Leadership, Grant County Visitors Bureau, and Grant County Economic Growth Council—to address the need for fresh leadership voices ready to step up in Grant County.
More Than Just a Leadership Seminar
The CLIMB wasn’t a passive, lecture-style training—it was an intensive, three-day experience with hands-on learning, expert coaching, and real-world applications. It was created for individuals with little to no formal leadership experience, giving them the knowledge and confidence to step into leadership roles immediately.
Participants—called “Climbers”—took on a rigorous schedule from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. each day, diving deep into three key leadership areas:
- Nonprofit Board Leadership, led by Erin Hedges and Kara Harrison of Hedges: Core Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards, Effective Board and Staff Roles, Building a Thriving Board, Setting Vision and Strategy, Fundraising Essentials for Board Members, and Activating Board Committees, led by Erin Hedges and Kara Harrison of Hedges.
- Personal Leadership, led by Erin Slater of Intentional Coaching and Consulting: A Leader’s Mindset and Managing Leadership Blocks, Building a Culture of Trust and Transparency, Communication & Teams, which highlighted everyone’s DISC results, and Feedback and Difficult Conversations.
- Civic Leadership, led by Bryan Richards of Envisioneurs: Choosing a Life of Purpose at the Local Level, Studying an Issue and Setting Goals for the Greater Good, Engaging Audiences and Sharing Successes, Empowering, Evolving, and Envisioning Civic Impact.
Unlike many training programs where speakers come and go, these experts stayed engaged throughout the intensive, answering questions, offering mentorship, and ensuring every Climber walked away with tangible skills and confidence.
Big Impact, Bigger Potential
While post-program survey results are still coming in, word-of-mouth reviews have been glowing. One participant shared:
“I’ve had the opportunity to attend a number of leadership trainings, and this one was by far the most impactful. And that was due to the combination of your team’s impeccable intentionality and the coaches. Thank you for investing in our community!”
Looking Ahead
Although this was the first CLIMB Initiative, its success has sparked conversations about what’s next. The immediate focus is on connecting graduates with local boards and committees in need of new leadership. In the long term, the hope is that this model can serve as an example for other communities looking to build a deep bench of emerging leaders who are ready to serve.
For those interested in supporting future leadership initiatives—whether as funders, partners, or trainers—the best way to stay in the loop is to follow the Collabora partners’ social media and newsletters.
As Dawn Brown, President/CEO of the Community Foundation of Grant County, put it best:
“The best leaders understand that every peak is just a stepping stone to the next climb.”
For funders, nonprofits, and community leaders alike, the question isn’t whether we should invest in developing the next generation of leaders—it’s how soon we can make it happen.
CLIMB 2025 Participants. Photo by Clique Images.