NBA Launching Innovation Institute to Help Leaders Thrive Through Peer Community & Self-Paced Learning

NBA is excited to introduce the Innovation Institute, a program designed to connect leaders in community while providing practical, self-paced learning they can apply immediately.

“There is something powerful about what we are building together,” said Lauren Jones, NBA’s HSS Program Coordinator. “This program is more than a platform—it’s a growing community of leaders committed to learning, sharing, and strengthening one another. My hope is that it becomes a trusted space where relationships expand, ideas flourish, and the collective impact of our partners is amplified in meaningful ways.”

Online community forums are most powerful when paired with self-paced education. Courses and resource libraries give leaders the “what” and the “how” on their schedule, while forums add the real-world context that turns learning into action: what others tried, what worked, and what to do next. Together, they make growth possible without waiting for the next workshop or conference.

This matters especially for executive directors, who wear a multitude of hats- strategist, fundraiser, program lead, human resources, finance, communications, and more. They regularly convene groups to help others, yet it’s rare to have a trusted circle of peers to pressure-test ideas and ask candid questions. A strong forum creates space to connect with leaders who understand the pace and responsibility of mission-driven work.

Even when organizations serve different communities, many leadership challenges are the same. Board development, staff retention, impact measurement, grants, or growth are just a few examples of the similar issues that executive directors face regardless of who their organization serves. Forums help leaders learn from others doing similar work in different places, sharing templates, language, and lessons learned. Paired with self-paced learning, executive directors can quickly fill a knowledge gap and return to the community to compare approaches and adapt what fits.

Additionally, forums can take the work out of searching for the right professionals. Instead of starting from scratch to find a consultant, coach, vendor, or service provider, leaders can rely on peer referrals grounded in real experience and shared values, saving time and reducing risk. In a role defined by constant tradeoffs, an online peer community supported by self-paced learning isn’t a luxury; it’s a sustainable way for executive directors to stay supported, stay sharp, and stay connected.

The Innovation Institute is set to launch later this year. Stay tuned for updates from NBA’s HSS Program Coordinator Lauren Jones with next steps and opportunities to get involved!