“The Women Veterans Leadership Program (WVLP) came into my life at a critical moment. The voice that I thought I had was no longer there. I realized there was a gap, that after all these years I was missing something that made me who I was. This program - the workshops, the huddle spaces, the fellowship, the mentors - made me a stronger woman and leader. I am grateful for the opportunity to come back and serve as an Ambassador because I want other women veterans to feel that same connection, to know that this is the place where transformation can happen, in a safe space with fellow veterans who are rooting for you to win.”
Lisa Thomas, WVLP Ambassador and Alumni Leader
One of over 400 women who have completed the WVLP since its launch in early 2020,
Lisa’s experience captures the importance of support and community for women veterans transitioning to civilian life. Indeed, women veterans face unique challenges - including lack of recognition, perceived invisibility, and higher rates of depression, anxiety and PTSD than their male counterparts. Through the WVLP, women veterans find a holistic support system that includes skill-building workshops, mentorship, and community engagement geared towards cultivating confidence, connection, and purpose.
Lisa’s story is also a reminder of the responsibility we - both nonprofits and funders - have to the communities we serve. This sense of duty was paramount as our three organizations collaborated to successfully graduate the WVLP from its founding organization, The Mission Continues (TMC), to Beneath the Service (BtS), a woman veteran-led nonprofit that reconnects military veterans with their purpose through professional leadership development and community building.
Program graduation can be a powerful strategy for organizations who are seeking to ensure the continuity and growth of a program’s mission and impact. Drawing from our recent experience graduating the WVLP, we share the strategic considerations and best practices that contributed to a successful transition. Our intent is to inform and empower other nonprofit leaders who may be considering program graduation as a means to ensure continued program impact in their communities, while remaining focused - or sharpening focus - on their organization’s core mission.
Be Clear Eyed About What Success Looks Like
Organizations may choose to graduate programs for various reasons, including changes in mission focus, financial constraints, organizational restructuring, or a desire to improve program effectiveness. In the case of the Women Veterans Leadership Program (WVLP), the program had already completed six cohorts and demand remained high. However, TMC had recently tightened its organizational focus to concentrate resources on their Service Platoon Program, which creates opportunities for veterans to lead service projects in under-resourced communities. Because the WVLP was not directly tied to the Service Platoon Program, TMC decided to transfer the program to another organization that would be able to put the program at the center of its mission and focus.
Organizations considering program graduation should be clear eyed about the benefits and trade-offs. Some potential benefits include:
Ensuring the program’s continued impact within the community
Leveraging the expertise and resources of the receiving organization
Increased reach, efficiency, and resource utilization
Increased program impact and effectiveness
However, program graduation also comes with potential trade-offs:
Loss of control over program operations
Potential loss of restricted funding or funders who are tied to the program
Risk of participant disruption during the transition
Disruption to the founding organization’s structure and people
Careful planning, communication, and oversight are essential to navigate these challenges effectively and ensure a successful transition that maintains the program's integrity and maximizes its long-term sustainability.
Take a Strategic Approach to Finding the Right Partner
Identifying a suitable partner for the WVLP was a months-long process that began with a detailed request for proposals (RFP) which contained pertinent background information about the WVLP, including program budget, cohort demographic information, and outcomes. It also laid out TMC’s rationale for the graduation and evaluation criteria that would be used for partner selection.
In the case of the WVLP, the following factors were considered most important to a successful partner selection and transition:
Mission, Vision and Values: We knew aligning the mission, vision and values of both organizations was essential to maintain WVLP program integrity, build participant trust, foster collaboration, and engage stakeholders. TMC found an ideal match in BtS, whose mission to reconnect veterans with their purpose through leadership development, along with a demonstrated commitment to collaboration, diversity, and strengths-based programming, closely mirrored the vision and goals of the WVLP. BtS also shared a vision and plan for the future of the WVLP that would build on the program’s successes and established brand.
Self-Sustainability: The long-term viability, stability and impact of the WVLP depended on the self-sustainability of the receiving organization. BtS outlined a clear strategy to sustain and expand program operations and secure additional funding. Moreover, they demonstrated a robust history of effectively managing comparable cohort-based initiatives.
Complementary Strengths: One of the benefits of program graduation is the complementary expertise, networks, resources, and relationships the receiving organization brings to the program. In the case of WVLP, BtS brought considerable expertise in managing cohort-based programs, extensive corporate backgrounds and relationships, and longitudinal research capabilities that could enhance program delivery, community engagement, and innovation.
Build an On-Ramp
Before embarking on the program graduation process, the transferring organization should be realistic about the resources and support they are able to allocate to ensure a smooth and successful transition. This could include both funding and non-monetary support such as technical expertise, access to established networks, and introductions to important stakeholders. It is important for the transferring organization to avoid overcommitting support, as that could negate the benefit of freeing up resources to focus on a core mission. In the case of WVLP, TMC and the program’s primary funder, the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation, were able to commit a set amount of program funding following the transition. TMC also provided access to its established networks, which BtS has leveraged for program recruitment, outreach and marketing support.
Both organizations also took great care to introduce BtS to WVLP stakeholders. Prior to officially announcing the transition, The BtS team attended two in-person sessions of the current cohort to observe how the sessions were structured, hear participants discuss key themes, and get to know program stakeholders on a more personal level. The program graduation was officially announced at the graduation event for the current cohort, held in-person in Washington, D.C. The announcement was followed by an in-depth panel discussion between TMC and BtS, where the organizations reaffirmed their commitment to the WVLP, shared a vision for the future of the program, and answered questions from participants.
Conclusion
Program graduation can be an effective strategy for nonprofit organizations looking to maximize resources without sacrificing a program’s legacy of impact. By putting their duty to participants first, taking a strategic decision-making approach and following best practices, organizations can empower their programs to thrive under new leadership, ensuring that they continue to make a meaningful difference in the lives of those they serve.
Mary Beth Bruggeman, former CEO of The Mission Continues, a national nonprofit that empowers veterans to continue their service and leadership in under-resourced communities.
Niki Marin, Founder and President of Beneath the Service, a national nonprofit that reconnects veterans with their purpose through leadership development and community building.
Mike Monroe, Director of Veterans’ Programs and Strategy at the A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation.
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