The 17吃瓜 Brown School Professional Development Program awarded 31 scholarships this summer to nonprofit professionals across the St. Louis region, aiming to strengthen leadership development, fundraising capacity and operational effectiveness.
The Capacity Building Scholarships were available to staff members at organizations with annual operating budgets of $2 million or less. Each award covered full tuition for one course in the Brown School鈥檚 Summer Institute, which began in June and drew participants from organizations working in community services, education, health care and social support. Courses included donor solicitation, managing people and teams, project management and grant writing.
Nicole Wood, assistant director of professional development, said the program received 38 applications representing 65 nonprofit professionals. Organizations were allowed to submit up to three employees, and all available scholarship funding was awarded.
鈥淢any nonprofit organizations operate with limited resources and often have little funding available for staff development,鈥� Wood said. 鈥淏y providing access to high-quality professional education, these scholarships help organizations build internal capacity, strengthen leadership, and invest in their long-term sustainability.鈥�
Of the 31 awards, 16 went to organizations with annual budgets under $500,000; nine went to organizations with budgets between $500,000 and $1 million; and six went to organizations with budgets between $1 million and $2 million. Funding for the scholarships comes from the Moog Endowment, established through the vision and support of the late Dorothy R. Moog, who was committed to supporting small nonprofit organizations in the St. Louis region.
鈥�Exactly what I needed鈥�
Among the scholarship recipients was Carlotta M. Burton, founder and CEO of a nonprofit that addresses hygiene disparities and promotes safe sleep for families in transition. She enrolled in the project management course, which she said was 鈥渆xactly what I needed for this time.鈥�
鈥淏efore taking this class, I was focused on day-to-day operations rather than the big picture,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y biggest takeaway was learning how to better use the logic models and operational workflows for tracking. This tracking has helped me step back and refocus on project planning and development.鈥�
She added that the course helped her 鈥渃reate better, real-time tracking systems鈥� for her hygiene boxes and other support programs.
Deborah Hargrove, director of , a program that partners with homeschooling families to combine instructor-led classroom experiences with independent learning goals, took the managing people and teams course, which she said helped in areas where she had limited formal training.
鈥淢y MSW degree and work experience prepared me for working alongside others and building relationships, but I do not have training in the technical skills of managing and leading others,鈥� Hargrove said. 鈥淭his course provided me with validation that I am doing really well with the social work skills of leading people. It also provided me with practical skills and tasks needed to effectively manage and supervise others.鈥�
She added: 鈥淚 have a new confidence in how to manage my team and lead my organization.鈥�
The statewide advocacy organization , which works with LGBTQ+ public policy and community advocacy, also participated. Communications director Robert Fischer took the managing people and teams course and said it helped fill gaps in his management experience.
鈥淚 had overseen teams previously, but I always felt I was missing something since I was still new to it,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he course gave me incredible tools that I can easily apply to real world situations every single day, whether that’s providing feedback to employees, navigating hiring processes in an equitable and fair way, or ensuring that every person is treated as such in the workplace.鈥�
Looking ahead, the Brown School Professional Development Program will continue providing scholarships through the Moog Endowment for its fall Advanced Learning Certificate in Group Facilitation & Meeting Management: Flexible Tools and Philosophies for Every Situation. The course is designed to increase participants’ comfort and skill in facilitating groups and meetings of all sizes. Applications are due Sept. 11, 2026, and the course begins Oct. 2.
For more information about the ALC in Group Facilitation and Meeting Management, visit the .
For more than 15 years, the Brown School鈥檚 Professional Development Program has provided continuing education for social work and related professions, offering workshops, intensive trainings, and advanced learning certificates.