Chicago, IL – May 19, 2025 – Nonprofit Utopia is proud to announce the official launch of the Nonprofit Founder’s Academy, a groundbreaking online platform designed to help mission-driven leaders start, manage, and grow high-impact nonprofit organizations. Built on the proprietary ASCEND™ model, the Academy opens enrollment on July 1, 2025, offering courses, coaching, and community for changemakers ready to lead with clarity and confidence. The first course will be “90 Days To A New Nonprofit”. The course will give nonprofit founders the tools they need to start a fully compliant nonprofit and hit the ground running with fundraising. Other courses will be released throughout 2025 and 2026.
Founded by nonprofit strategist and leadership coach Valerie F. Leonard, the Nonprofit Founder’s Academy meets a growing demand for practical, accessible, and expert-guided support for nonprofit professionals.
“We created the Academy to eliminate the guesswork and overwhelm that so many nonprofit founders face,” said Leonard. “This is more than a course—it’s a full system for building leadership, funding strategies, and long-term impact. Most importantly, our students will not have to travel this journey alone”.
A Strategic Roadmap: The ASCEND™ Model
At the core of the Academy is Leonard’s signature ASCEND™ model, a six-step framework guiding leaders from idea to execution:
- A – Activate Your Mission: Define your vision, structure your organization, and complete legal requirements with confidence.
- S – Strengthen Leadership & Culture: Build a strong board, lead with purpose, and create a values-driven team.
- C – Cultivate Programs & Community Impact: Design services that meet community needs and generate measurable results.
- E – Establish Funding & Growth Strategies: Diversify revenue, fundraise strategically, and develop sustainable income.
- N – Navigate Operations & Compliance: Set up financial systems, policies, and compliance processes that support growth.
- D – Develop a Sustainable Future: Evaluate impact, scale your programs, and build for the long haul.
What Makes the Academy Unique
Unlike traditional nonprofit courses that stop at filing for 501(c)(3) status, the Nonprofit Founder’s Academy offers:
- Expert-led, action-oriented courses grounded in real-world nonprofit experience
- Coaching from seasoned practitioners who’ve been there, done that, and can help you avoid mistakes that cost you time and money.
- A dynamic online community of founders and leaders supporting one another
- Downloadable templates and tools that save time and reduce administrative burden
- Select courses that qualify for CFRE continuing education credit
Courses Launching in 2025-2026 Year Include:
- 90 Days to a New Nonprofit
- How to Create a Sustainable Nonprofit Organization
- How to Create Policies and Procedures For Your Nonprofit
- 30-Day Compliance Challenge
- Your First 100 Days as a Nonprofit Executive Director
About the Founder
Valerie F. Leonard is the founder of Nonprofit Utopia and creator of the ASCEND™ and LEGACY™ frameworks. With over two decades of experience in nonprofit leadership, finance, and community development, Leonard has coached nearly 1,000 founders and emerging leaders. She is a Certified John Maxwell Leadership Coach and university instructor with deep ties to grassroots and institutional change efforts. With a demonstrated track record of success, Leonard has helped nonprofit organizations raise over $100 million, fulfil their individual goals and more than double their nonprofit knowledge.
About Nonprofit Utopia
Nonprofit Utopia, LLC is the ideal community for leaders who want to start, manage and scale nonprofits. With a mission of training the next generation of ethical leaders, Nonprofit Utopia provides an online community, courses, coaching and consulting.
Sign Up For the Course Waiting List
The Nonprofit Founder’s Academy will be accepting enrollments for its inaugural 90 Days to A New Nonprofit cohort on July 1, 2025, for a course start date on July 18th. Depending on access levels, participants will get exclusive coaching, document reviews and downloadable resources. Visit https://nonprofitutopiaacademy.learnworlds.com/ to learn more about the Nonprofit Founders’ Academy and to sign up for our waiting list. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScs1SqcNFpwJNX7bn-PnXhQnP64SUosCUN7WZQ_IArZ59NZvQ/viewform?usp=header
Visit www.nonprofitutopia.com.
### MEDIA INQUIRIES
For interviews, speaking engagements, or more information, please contact:
Valerie F. Leonard
info@nonprofitutopia.com
