The Coordinated Capacity Strengthening Initiative’s (CCSI) Core Consulting Team is pleased to announce that the Stronger Together Collective (STC) has been selected to serve as CCSI’s Coordinating Organization. 

Formed as a partnership between the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey’s Center for Leadership Equity (CLE), the Black Nonprofit Chief Executives of Philadelphia (BNCEP), and the Nonprofit Center, the STC brings a deep history of regional relationships, operational capacity, and ecosystem knowledge to the initiative.

In selecting the collective to lead the work, members of CCSI’s Selection Committee (regional nonprofit leaders, funders, and consultants) praised STC’s proposed approach, which centered authentic engagement, deep listening, and coordination. One Selection Committee member noted that STC provided “concrete examples of trust-building, co-design, and efforts to repair harm…in its partnerships”, while another highlighted the collective’s "expansive reach and track record of soliciting feedback and creating space for groups and voices that have historically been marginalized.”

STC’s ability to intentionally curate relationships, cultivate trust, and elevate the many different experiences of our region, along with the collective’s institutional knowledge, ultimately led to their selection as the Coordinating Organization.

In support of the Selection Committee’s decision, members of the Core Consulting Team met with partners on the Funder Coordinating Committee (FCC) to prepare for the selected organization’s onboarding and transition. Reflecting on the importance of this moment, Elliot Weinbaum, Chief Philanthropy Officer of the William Penn Foundation and FCC member, noted that, “It has seldom been more necessary than now to provide the assistance our nonprofit organizations need to sustain and grow their essential services. Fortunately, intentional and inclusive planning has led to the creation of a collaboration that will increase efficiency and reduce the amount of time that nonprofit organizations spend searching for help, carefully curating supports to maximize the effectiveness of that help and sharing opportunities widely to increase equity for all.”

Since the Selection Committee’s decision in December, the STC has been working with the Core Consulting Team and the FCC to finalize funding so that implementation can begin.

In January, the STC and the Core Consulting Team began moving forward with early onboarding activities, including transferring knowledge, role clarification, establishing administrative systems, and developing a realistic budget based on anticipated investments.

As we look toward this next phase of the work, and the STC further transitions into their new role, we would like to publicly express our warmest congratulations and appreciation to the collective for the work done to date.

We are deeply honored by the trust placed in the Stronger Together Collective to lead this initiative for the Greater Philadelphia region. Rooted in years of relationship, shared learning, and a genuine commitment to this ecosystem, we are ready for this moment. A sincere thank you to the Independence Foundation and Vanguard, whose catalytic investment makes our initial planning possible, and to the Funder Coordinating Committee, whose intentional leadership gave shape to this regional blueprint.

CCSI creates a meaningful opportunity to listen deeply, align strategically, and build the coordinated systems needed to strengthen connection, expand access to resources, and fuel innovation and sustainability across our sector. As this work moves from planning to activation, continued partnership and shared investment will be essential to realizing its full promise.

We invite nonprofit leaders, capacity-building partners, and philanthropic institutions to share reflections as this work takes shape — your perspective will help ensure it reflects real needs and shared priorities.

If you are interested in contributing financial support to help bring this effort fully to life, please contact Kathryn Vore at kvore@unitedforimpact.org.

If you are interested in learning more and supporting the STC as the work continues to grow, we encourage you to sign up for CCSI's mailing list.