Spur Leaders Network

Formerly known as the Emerging Leaders Community (ELC).

Ready to lead with purpose?

The Spur Leaders Network is where professionals come together to strengthen their leadership skills, build meaningful connections, and discover how to make a lasting impact through nonprofit board service.

Through six interactive virtual sessions, participants gain practical knowledge in nonprofit governance, fundraising, financial oversight, strategic planning, and board leadership. Along the way, you'll connect with like-minded leaders who are passionate about serving their communities and growing their impact.

Board service offers more than an opportunity to give back. It can help you develop skills that translate directly into your career and personal life, including strategic thinking, decision-making, public speaking, relationship building, financial literacy, and collaborative leadership. Participants often find that serving on a board expands their professional network, increases their confidence, broadens their perspective, and deepens their understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing their communities.

Our next cohort begins September 22 and runs through October 27, 2026. Sessions are held weekly via Zoom for just 1.5 hours each week, making it easy to invest in your professional and personal growth while balancing a busy schedule.

Whether you're exploring board service for the first time or looking to expand your leadership experience, the Spur Leaders Network can help you take the next step with confidence. It's your chance to dive in, get inspired, and take your first step toward meaningful board leadership.

Registration is now open for the Fall 2026 cohort. Join us and start your journey toward purposeful leadership.

Interest Form

Looking ahead, we also plan to host Get on Board: Spur Service in Spring 2027, a one-day event designed to introduce individuals to nonprofit board service and connect them with opportunities to serve throughout Delaware.

Spur Leaders Network Purpose:

In alignment with Spur Impact’s pillars of professional development, community impact, and organizational development, we aim to build a board matching program to provide nonprofits with a pipeline of talent to join their board of directors. We also work with nonprofits to help with the onboarding and/or refresher courses for their current board members. This program is built by a Delaware nonprofit, for Delaware nonprofits!

Our Goals:

Grow the talent pool and create matching opportunities with interested individuals and nonprofits
Create opportunities for communities to become more involved in supporting nonprofits
Train emerging leaders on how to be on a board of directors
Level-up and refresh the skills of current nonprofit board members

The Plan:

Provide training to a small group of approximately 12-20 individuals, culminating in placement on a nonprofit board of directors that matches both the nonprofit and individual needs, interests, and expertise
The participants will meet in a lecture-like environment with subject matter experts to develop the skills needed to successfully join and enhance a board of directors
Recruit from Spur Impact’s established network of nonprofits and emerging leaders

Program Breakdown:

Participants go through coursework focused on building the foundational skills and knowledge needed to join and enhance a board of directors. Sessions include:

Nonprofit 101
Board roles and responsibilities
Leadership skill development
Strategic planning & program evaluation
Financial management
Fundraising

Timeline:

Anticipated cohort timeline is 6 weeks for 6 sessions over lunch virtually.

Application Form

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6 sessions. 6 weeks. Countless opportunities to make a difference.

Apply today and take your first step toward community leadership:

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Program Benefits:

Emerging Leaders

Professional development
Service to the community
Networking

Current Board Members

Refresh and level-up your current board members skills

Nonprofits

Access to trained leaders
Influx of new talent

Nonprofits: Complete the Board Member Interest Form Here

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For additional questions and information, please email: leadership@spurimpact.org

FAQs

Emerging leaders and individuals who are looking to join a nonprofit board
Current board members who would like a refresher or level-up their skills
Nonprofits who are looking for trained board members
- Nonprofit 101
- Being on a board
- Strategic Planning
- Fundraising
- Financial Management
- Data, reporting, evaluation
Yes, the cost per person is $500.
On a case by case basis we are offering partial scholarships to help cover costs to those that are in need.
Our goal is to find sustainable connections for our nonprofit and emerging leader pairs. We want to match interests and skills to build longstanding relationships.
During the cohort we will connect you with the nonprofit and partner with you and the nonprofit to find a match. The matching timeline will vary based on the internal timelines of the nonprofit and leader. Our ultimate goal is to get emerging leaders placed on a nonprofit board of directors and create a sustainable partnership.
A typical cohort has about 12-20 emerging leaders, who may or may not currently serve on a board of directors. Each leader will be expected to participate in 6 sessions over the course of 6 weeks (Sept. 16th-Oct. 21st), every Tuesday from 11:30am-12:45pm virtually.
During the cohort, if an individual is not currently on a board or would like to join an additional board, we will begin working to identify sustainable matches based on passions and skill set.
If an individual is already matched on a board, we will work with the nonprofit to ensure milestones are met.
Each session is focused on various aspect that a typical board member may encounter while serving.

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Just fill out the form here!

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You can post board member openings on the Delaware Difference Makers website and we can help you connect with individuals who may be interested in serving!