Clone of Mission Elevation Program Application

Welcome to the Mission Elevation COHORT 8 Program Application
To preview all questions in this application click here.

Before You Apply
We encourage every prospective organization to take a few important steps before submitting an application. Doing so helps ensure your team is prepared to make the most of the Mission Elevation experience.

1. Schedule a Conversation
Meet with the Mission Elevation team to learn more about the program, discuss your organization's goals, and determine whether Mission Elevation is the right fit for your current stage of growth.

2. Secure Board Support
Confirm with your Board Chair that, if selected, your organization's participation and strategic initiative will be supported throughout the program. Board support is an important component of successful implementation.

3. Identify Your Leadership Team
Select the two senior leaders who will participate throughout the year. In most cases, we strongly recommend that the Executive Director or CEO be one of the participants, except in unique organizational circumstances.

4. Confirm Your Availability
Review the program schedule and ensure both participants can commit to attending all required retreats and key program events. Full participation is essential to the success of both your organization and the cohort experience.

Please direct any questions regarding the program or application to Raven Bates at 804-482-6232 or rbates@vacdc.org

EARLY DECISION DEADLINE: August 15, 2026

FINAL DEADLINE: September 15, 2026

Notification to selected participants will be made with in 3 weeks of each application deadline.
1. Organization Information
Organization Name:
Website:
Mission Focus (Choose all that apply):

Other
Organization's Mission:
Year Founded:
Service Area Size:
Organization's Operating Budget - Current Year:
Staff Size:
Include Full Time and Part Time
When was the organizations latest strategic plan completed?
Upload a copy of your most recent strategic plan (if available).

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Address:

Street Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState / Province

Postal / Zip Code
2. Participant Information

If selected for the program please include the information below for each of your organizations team members.
Team Member One
Team Member One - Full Name:

First NameLast Name
Job title:
Length of time at organization:
Description of role at organization:
Team Member One - Please describe your current capacity and share an experience when you found yourself working outside of your comfort zone.
Team Member One - Please describe any previous experience participating in leadership programs, cohort program experience(s), and/or working with a professional coach.
Team Member One - Please describe any major personal changes that you anticipate over the next 2 years (e.g.: retirement, applying to academic programming, etc.)
Phone Number

Area CodePhone Number
E-mail
example@example.com
Team Member Two
Team Member Two - Full Name:

First NameLast Name
Job Title:
Length of time at organization:
Description of role at organization:
Team Member Two - Please describe your current capacity and share an experience when you found yourself working outside of your comfort zone.
Team Member Two - Please describe any previous experience participating in leadership programs, cohort program experience(s), and/or working with a professional coach.
Team Member Two - Please describe any major personal changes that you anticipate over the next 2 years (e.g.: retirement, applying to academic programming, etc.)
Phone Number

Area CodePhone Number
E-mail
example@example.com
Team Question
Describe how your team's composition and attributes that will help you to achieve success in this program. Or if applying to take part individually, describe attributes that will help you achieve success.

Rows	Very comfortable with change	OK with change	Change resistant	Change management is an area of growth for us.
Organizations Overall Capacity for Change

4. Your Organization's Top Sustainability Challenge

Please work with your team partner listed above on the application to complete the following section. In responding to the following questions, please be specific...do not identify a vague lack of financial resources as an obstacle unless you can also identify a specific and credible solution to that lack of resources. For example, in such a case, you might focus on how new business strategies could lead to more steady, recurring and controllable sources of revenue.
Please outline the greatest obstacle to your organization's continued success over the next ten years. Please be clear about why this issue is the greatest obstacle to success.
Why has overcoming this obstacle been so difficult?
What are current organizational strengths that can be called upon to solve this problem? How will you, your staff and your Board be engaged in arriving at these solutions?

Assess the sense of urgency of this issue/challenge...does your staff, board and partners understand how important this is to the success of your organization. For the scale ranking below....if they understand and are taking action, then it would be "very high"....if people do not see or understand this challenge, then it would be "no".

Rows	Very Urgent	Urgent	Somewhat Urgent	Not Urgent
Urgency of Top Challenge

5. Your Story of Success

Please work with your team partner listed above on the application to complete the following session. Imagine your organization five years in the future. Please write a brief newspaper article in the November 3031 version of your local newspaper or online media service (a place where would be honored to have press) that describes how your organization has moved from its current situation in December of 2024 to a better capitalized, more financially independent organization in December of 2029. Please include specific details that illustrate the achievements that you are celebrating on that future date - including adding potential quotes from customers and key partners.
Your story headline:
The year is 2031, tell your 5 year success story:
What are the 3 most significant changes that occurred in your story? In the table describe where you are currently and where your organization finds itself in 2029.

6. Program Expectation Questions
What expectations do you have for experiences/outcomes of participating in the Mission Elevation Program? Both personally for those on your team and organizationally.
In reviewing this program and the commitments with your Board of Directors, what excited them the most? What concerned them? What questions do they have about the program?

Rows	High Performing	Better than average	Average	Area for Growth
Board Development
Fundraising
Strategic Thinking
Communications
Governance

Welcome to the Mission Elevation COHORT 8 Program Application

1. Organization Information

2. Participant Information

Team Member One

Team Member Two

Team Question

3. Assess your organizational capacity

4. Your Organization's Top Sustainability Challenge

5. Your Story of Success

6. Program Expectation Questions

7. Confirm Program Commitments