New incubator program aims to assist nonprofits

The Northeast Nonprofit Incubator by Northeast Oklahoma City Renaissance (NEOKCR) is currently accepting applications for its inaugural cohort. 

The incubator program, beginning on March 9, is meant to help build and fortify nonprofits that focus on Oklahoma City’s Black community, as well as its eastside residents by increasing the number of Black-led nonprofit organizations working in and benefiting the northeast OKC region. 

The program and its cohort members will serve as one part of a larger plan to create sustainable and inclusive economic development in the region. 

Up to 10 organizations will be selected to join the program’s first cohort. Organizations must be Black-led and/or operate primarily in the northeast OKC region and have an annual revenue of $500,000 or less. Two years of operations are required, but preference will be given to organizations with five or more years of operations. 

Selected cohort members will take part in training sessions on nonprofit management and governance, fundraising fundamentals, marketing, branding, financing and accounting. Upon completion of the program, cohort members will also receive paid membership in the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, Oklahoma City Black Chamber of Commerce and Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits to further nurture the skills obtained through the incubator. 

In addition to the paid memberships, cohort members will receive up to five hours of follow-up mentoring, up to $5,000 for the development of strategic planning and one year of bookkeeping services, upon completion. 

These organizations will also receive all-day passes to the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber’s workforce development conference, Elevate. 

An informational session sponsored by the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits will be held today, Feb. 23 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Kindred Spirits on the city’s northeast side. 

A virtual session will be held Feb. 25 at noon. Applications will be accepted through Feb. 28. 

To learn more about the Northeast Nonprofit Incubator, visit www.neokcr.org/npi.