One of Voqal’s goals is to create an educated and engaged public that fosters a stronger, healthier democracy. We believe one of the biggest barriers to making this a reality is the educational opportunity gap. To address this, we created the Educational Opportunity Project. The Education Opportunity Project seeks to measurably reduce educational opportunity gaps by providing capital and strategic advice to entrepreneurs and organizations working to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged populations. This month we highlight one of those organizations, The HadaNõu Collective.
The HadaNõu Collective is a pathway for community-driven leaders to build high-quality, equitable, sustainable institutions. It believes that empowered community leaders are the most effective and profound force for reshaping our country into a more just, equitable, and humane society. In its work towards this vision, it has explored many different approaches including creating new programs and organizations, supporting existing innovations, joining collaborations with other organizations, and even helping to launch a community high school. Whatever it does, it does with communities — not for them.
The HadaNõu Collective uses four programs to accomplish its mission. They include:
Infrastructure & Leader Support (ILS)
ILS is a values-aligned fiscal sponsorship that doesn’t break the bank. This program gives individuals the ability to receive philanthropic dollars and frees them up to run their organizations their way.
Boot Camp
Boot Camp is a results-focused program for experienced nonprofit leaders to take their organization to the next level. It is an immersive experience in the Rocky Mountains, away from the chaos, that’s focused on one thing: tangible, concrete results.
Collective Leaders
Collective Leaders are nonprofit leaders working together to remove barriers for the next generations of community leaders (especially leaders of color). Oftentimes, Collective Leaders identify a need and HNC collaborates with them to build the solution they need.
Ecosystem Partners
Ecosystem Partners consists of philanthropists and funders who are serious about creating a more equitable ecosystem. This program helps foundations, public funders, and system-level leaders bridge the gap and more deeply support the organizations and leaders they believe in and invest in.
The HadaNõu Collective and its people-centered approach to building a sustainable education system exemplify the work that the Education Opportunity Project exists to support. We look forward to their continued innovation in this space and the more equitable education systems that will no doubt result.
Learn more about the Education Opportunity Project and the organizations it supports on our investing for education page.