Welborn

09/04/2026

What Does a Strong Nonprofit Leader Need to Know?

“Capacity building” can sound abstract.

But in everyday terms, it means helping nonprofit leaders develop the knowledge and skills they need to build healthy organizations, navigate real challenges, and serve their communities well.

A strong nonprofit needs leaders who understand:
• Boards — how to cultivate effective governance.
• Impact — how to understand what is changing.
• Fundraising — how to sustain the mission.
• Storytelling — how to communicate why the work matters.
• People — how to lead and support a team.
• Finances — how to steward resources wisely.

These are the six essential areas addressed by the 2025 Fundamentals of Nonprofit Management series.

Because meaningful community work requires more than passion for the mission. It also requires the practical knowledge to lead an organization well.

Strong nonprofits don’t happen by accident.

Their leaders build them.

Source: Fundamentals of Nonprofit Management Series Report, p. 1.

09/02/2026

What happens when you put nonprofit leaders in a room together?

Last week, we shared one answer: relationships form.

But something else happens, too.

People learn. And we can measure it.

Fundamentals of Nonprofit Management is one of the ways Nonprofit Excellence equips leaders with practical knowledge across six areas essential to leading a strong organization: boards, evaluation, fundraising, marketing and communications, human resources, and financial management and strategy.

And when we measured participants’ knowledge—not simply by asking how much they felt they learned, but through content-based assessments—we saw improvement across all six areas.

Some of the changes were significant.

In Resource Development and Fundraising, 83% of participants with matched data improved their scores, with average correct responses rising from 40% to 70%.

In Financial Management and Strategy, 86% improved, with average scores rising from 60% to 83%.

And in Human Resources, participants began with an already-strong average of 87%—and finished at 100%.

Because Nonprofit Excellence isn't simply about attending a training.
It's about learning how to lead organizations well.

And over 10 years, that learning has created ripples of its own.

Source: Fundamentals of Nonprofit Management Series Report, pp. 1, 8, 12, 14.

08/28/2026

It started by getting people in the room.

Ten years ago, this was one of the first Nonprofit Excellence cohorts.

The idea was relatively simple: bring nonprofit leaders together, put good information in their hands, and help equip them to lead their organizations well.

And that happened.

But looking back, something else was happening in the room, too.

We weren’t just connecting people to good information. We were connecting them to each other.

Across 10 years of Nonprofit Excellence, we've heard again and again that the learning matters. Participants leave with practical knowledge, new tools, and greater confidence.

But when they talk about what lasts, they often talk about the people.

The peer they can call with a question.
The leader who understands the challenge they're facing.
The conversation that continued long after the training ended.
The connection that became a collaboration.

Those relationships are harder to measure than what someone learned in a classroom. But over a decade, we've had the privilege of watching their ripples spread.

Strong nonprofits need strong leaders. And strong leaders need one another.

It turns out, getting people in the room was only the beginning.

08/26/2026

What does it take to strengthen a nonprofit beyond the grant?

Ten years ago, that question helped spark what would become Nonprofit Excellence.

Welborn had long invested in nonprofits doing important work across our region. But we began asking another question: How could we invest not only in the work, but in the people and organizations doing it?

Nonprofit Excellence grew from the belief that when nonprofit leaders are equipped, connected, and supported, their organizations become stronger—and their ability to serve our communities grows with them.

What began with that idea has evolved over a decade of learning, relationships, leadership development, and shared growth.

This fall, we’re celebrating 10 years of Nonprofit Excellence. 🎉

Over the next six weeks, we’ll share some of that story: where it started, what we’ve learned, the people who have shaped it, and the ripples we’re still seeing across our region today.

Ten years. Hundreds of connections. One nonprofit community growing stronger together.

Let’s look back at where it all began.

07/09/2026

Following a thoughtful succession planning process, Andrea Hays has been selected to serve as Welborn's next CEO & Executive Director following the future retirement of our current CEO, Pat Creech.

Andrea has dedicated her career to improving the health and well-being of our communities and has played a vital role in shaping Welborn's impact as our Chief Program & Impact Officer. Her passion for collaboration, strategic leadership, and commitment to lasting community change make her uniquely prepared to lead Welborn into its next chapter.

We are deeply grateful for Pat Creech's visionary leadership and the lasting legacy he continues to build. While Pat will remain in his role until a transition timeline is finalized, today's announcement reflects the Board's confidence in a seamless transition and a bright future for Welborn.

Please join us in congratulating Andrea on this exciting new opportunity as we continue working together to improve the quality of life throughout the Greater Evansville region.

Learn more about the leadership transition: https://welbornfdn.org/ceo-succession/

06/26/2026

Earlier this week we celebrated something much bigger than grant awards.

We celebrated the people and organizations working every day to create lasting change across the Greater Evansville region.

Welborn was privileged to invest approximately $3.1 million in 31 nonprofit organizations advancing Early Education, Healthy Communities, and Nonprofit Excellence. These two-year investments reflect more than financial support–they represent our belief that meaningful community change happens through long-term partnerships, not one-time solutions.

As our CEO, Pat Creech, shared:
"We don't exist to make grants. We exist to make change."

That philosophy continues to guide our work. The true measure of these investments won't be the dollars awarded—it will be the children who start school ready to learn, the families who experience better health, the nonprofits that become stronger and more sustainable, and the communities that flourish because of collaborative action.

To each of our grantee partners: thank you. Your innovation, leadership, and unwavering commitment to serving others inspire us every day. We are grateful to walk alongside you in this work.

📸 Review highlights and photos from this year's Grant Awards Celebration here: https://welbornfdn.org/2026-grant-awards-celebration/

Here's to the next chapter of partnership– and to the lasting impact we'll create together.

, Boys & Girls Club of Evansville, .evansville, , Evansville Trails Coalition , EVSC: Delaware Elementary School, EVSC: Evans School, EVSC: Glenwood Leadership Academy, EVSC: Lincoln School, EVSC: Lodge School, EVSC: McGary Middle School,The Foundation for Better Health, , , , Memorial Community Development Corporation, Pike County Progress Partners, Purdue University: Upgrade in Schools, , SIMA 100, , Joseph Catholic School, The Potter's Wheel, Tri-County YMCA, University of Evansville, Urban Seeds , , Wesselman Woods YMCA of Southwestern IN, Youth First, Inc.

06/08/2026

📣 LINC – Lead, Impact, Network, & Change

Join us Thursday, June 11th from 5–6 PM at United Companies (3700 Morgan Ave., main entrance facing Morgan) for our next gathering!

We’re excited to welcome Megan Craven and Tyler Stock from GROW-Welborn as they share insights from “Where You Live Matters,” an in‑depth look at the Greater Evansville Region and the strengths and challenges within our neighborhoods. They’ll also introduce SAVI, a powerful data tool that helps you explore and understand key information about your community.

This month’s Non‑Profit Volunteer Highlight is SWIRCA – Meals on Wheels, an incredible organization serving our community’s seniors with care and consistency.

Come learn, connect, and make an impact with us!

Any questions please contact Althea Stachyra at [email protected] or 812-421-7476.

05/14/2026

We use a lot of terms to help describe the work Welborn is a part of. Those terms undefined can leave a listener confused or with the wrong understanding. Here’s Eric to give our final definition as part of this Place-based series. He'll share why Welborn believes Neighborhood Revitalization is relevant to the work we invest in. For more details, visit our website at welbornfdn.org or our recent story spotlight on Place-based work 👉 https://welbornfdn.org/why-place-based-work/

05/08/2026

Where a child lives should never determine how far they can go.

But data tells us it often shapes the opportunities they encounter along the way.
That’s why Welborn’s cradle-to-career work is deeply connected to place.

From early childhood and school readiness to workforce pathways and long-term well-being, outcomes are influenced by the neighborhoods and systems surrounding families every day. Understanding those patterns helps communities move from reactive solutions to intentional support.

Tools like the Areas of Vulnerability maps through Grow/SAVI help make those realities visible—highlighting neighborhood-level trends connected to education, economic stability, housing, health, and more.

📊 Accessible regional data allows communities to ask better questions:
• Where are families facing the greatest barriers?
• Where are supports already strong?
• How do we align efforts so children don’t fall through the cracks?

Cradle-to-career work isn’t just about programs—it’s about building ecosystems of support that grow with children over time.

👉 Explore the data here:
https://growcapacity.info/where-you-live-matters/areas-of-vulnerability-neighborhoods/

Because understanding place helps us invest in possibility.

Download PDF Where you live matters Highlighting the vulnerabilities of a place, though important, does not entirely define it. The available data is just one part of the story. These neighborhoods are full of resident champions and strength. The locals know that transformation is happening through....

05/07/2026

We use a lot of terms to help describe the work Welborn is a part of. Those terms undefined can leave a listener confused or with the wrong understanding. Here’s Tyler to give a brief explanation of "Cradle-to-Career" and share why Welborn believes it is relevant to the work we invest in. For more details visit our website at welbornfdn.org or our recent story spotlight on Place-based work linked below.

👉 https://welbornfdn.org/why-place-based-work/