In response to the nationwide economic downturn, The Forbes Funds launched an education series and develop a fund that would support nonprofits as they seek to implement alternative operating models to increase efficiencies and decrease costs. In the end, our goal was to support a management infrastructure that will assure that we do not fail the end user. The Forbes Funds partnered with seven other community partners to deliver the following opportunities to learn about collaborative innovative operating models:

• Education Series: Three sessions were held for executive directors and board members of the region’s nonprofit organizations to learn about innovative operating models, identify potential partners, hear from funders about the impact of the economy on foundation giving and to learn about grant opportunities for collaboration. With each session having a significant turn out, it became clear that nonprofits are hungry for resources and information.
• Seeking Innovation Mini Grant Program: The Forbes Funds provided grants ranging from $5,000—$20,000 to agencies that demonstrated preparedness in moving toward or implementing any of the three types of collaboration: program based, shared services/back office and/or restructure or merger. The funds had to be used to allow a third party consultant to facilitate the conversation and process and provide the expertise required to explore the innovative operating model or to move it forward.
• Strategic Restructuring Learning Circle Cohort: The Forbes Funds developed a year long cohort group of eleven agencies, via an RFP process, to support those nonprofits that have identified acquisitions as a growth strategy and to ensure that their infrastructure is prepared to further strengthen the organization, the overall service delivery system and, most importantly, the end user.