Before You Begin

About the Lighthouse Leadership Fund

The Lighthouse Leadership Fund provides pro bono (no-cost) professional coaching to leaders of qualifying nonprofit organizations. This application takes approximately 15–20 minutes to complete. A C4CL team member will review your application and follow up within 10 business days.

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Two eligibility tracks are available. Please read both track descriptions below before beginning. If you are unsure which track applies, answer to the best of your ability — our team will make the final determination.

Step 1 — Select Your Eligibility Track

Track 1

Emerging Organization

In operation fewer than 10 years
Annual revenue under $1M (most recent fiscal year)
Actively delivering on your mission

Priority consideration given to organizations primarily serving women and girls.

Track 2

Resilience & Adaptation

Experienced significant funding loss (20%+ revenue reduction, or loss of a single stream representing 15%+ of budget)
Still actively operating and delivering on mission
Navigating meaningful operational or strategic change

Designed for organizations that have weathered serious disruption and are adapting to a new operating reality. Revenue above $1M does not disqualify you under this track.

Which track are you applying under? *

Track 1 — Emerging Organization

Under 10 years in operation, revenue under $1M

Track 2 — Resilience & Adaptation

Experienced significant funding disruption and are actively adapting

I'm not sure — please help us determine

We'll review your responses and determine eligibility

Please select an eligibility track.

Organization Information

Organization Legal Name *

Organization name is required.

Website *

Website URL is required.

Mission Statement * One or two sentences — how you describe your work

Mission statement is required.

Primary Population(s) Served * Who directly benefits from your work?

Please describe the populations you serve.

Year Founded *

Year founded is required.

Number of Full-Time Staff (current) *

Staff count is required.

State of Primary Operation *

State is required.

Is your organization a 501(c)(3)? *

Please select your 501(c)(3) status.

✦ Priority Population — The Lighthouse Leadership Fund gives weighted consideration to organizations whose primary mission directly serves women and/or girls. Only 0.5% of philanthropic funding goes specifically to women and girls of color, despite representing 1 in 5 people in the U.S. (Pivotal Ventures). Leadership coaching is a force multiplier — and an intentional investment in closing that gap.

Does your organization primarily serve women and/or girls? *

Yes — primary focus

Yes — among others

Please select an option.

Form 990 & Financial Context

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All applications require a complete IRS Form 990 from your most recent completed fiscal year. Provide a link below if your 990 is available online, or email it to info@c4cl.org after submitting. Applications cannot be reviewed until the 990 is received.

Most Recent Completed Fiscal Year *

Fiscal year is required.

Total Revenue — Most Recent Fiscal Year *

Please select a revenue range.

Link to your most recent IRS Form 990 If your 990 is publicly available online — on your website, Candid (candid.org), or ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer (nonprofits.propublica.org) — paste the link here.

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If your 990 is not available online, please email a PDF copy to info@c4cl.org with the subject line "LLF 990 — [Your Organization Name]" after submitting this form. Your application cannot be reviewed until the 990 is received by either method.

Primary Funding Sources * Select all that apply

Federal government grants or contracts State or local government grants or contracts Private foundations Individual donors Corporate sponsorships Earned revenue / program fees Other

Please select at least one funding source.

Services Requested

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You may apply for individual coaching, a team development workshop, or both — subject to eligibility and availability. Complete the relevant section(s) below.

Which LLF service(s) are you applying for? *

1-on-1 Leadership Coaching

6 sessions with an ICF-credentialed coach over up to 12 months. Fair market value: $2,000.

Team Development Workshop

Facilitated half-day session for up to 10 participants. Fair market value: $3,500.

Please select at least one service.

Coaching Participant Nomination

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Nominating more than one person for coaching? Skip this section and instead download our Participant Nomination Spreadsheet — fill it out for each nominee and email it to info@c4cl.org along with your application submission confirmation. Using the spreadsheet ensures we have everything we need for each person.

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C4CL will reach out directly to each nominated participant to assess coaching readiness and conduct an individual intake conversation before anyone is approved. You don't need to do anything to prepare them — we handle that part. Submission of this application does not guarantee approval for any participant.

Nominee Full Name

Nominee Title / Role

Nominee Email

How long has this person been in their current role?

Has this person expressed interest in coaching?

Yes — they requested or enthusiastically agreed to participate

Yes — we discussed it and they are open and willing

Not yet — we'd like C4CL to reach out to them as part of the intake process

Why are you nominating this person for coaching at this time? What challenges or growth opportunities are they navigating? Why is coaching the right support right now? 100–200 words.

What do you hope this person will gain from the coaching engagement?

Team Development Workshop

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Workshop design is collaborative. C4CL will work with you to tailor the session to your team's specific dynamics and goals. The more specific you can be here, the better the session we can design together.

Approximate number of participants

How long has this team worked together?

Who are the leaders in this team? Names and titles of people in leadership roles — e.g. ED, Director of Programs, etc.

Describe the team's functions and composition What do team members do? Has the team changed significantly in the past year?

What are your goals for the team workshop? What specific challenges, dynamics, or outcomes are you hoping the workshop will address? The more specific, the better we can design the session.

Organizational Contact & Marketing Commitment

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Marketing participation is required. Because services are provided at no cost, the Partner Organization's commitment to sharing their experience and promoting the Lighthouse Leadership Fund helps C4CL reach other organizations. Full details are in the Pro Bono Agreement that will be provided upon selection, or can be provided in advance by reaching out to info@c4cl.org.

Primary Organizational Contact Name * Person responsible for the organizational relationship with C4CL

Contact name is required.

Contact Title *

Contact title is required.

Contact Email *

A valid email address is required.

Contact Phone

Marketing activities your organization commits to * Select all that apply. Written testimonial and social media mention are the minimum required.

Written testimonial from the coaching participant and/or organizational leader Social media post(s) mentioning C4CL and/or the Lighthouse Leadership Fund Feature in our organization's newsletter Permission to use our organization's logo in C4CL materials Permission to reference our organization by name in C4CL impact reports, grant applications, and public communications Participation in a joint announcement or co-branded promotion with C4CL Permission to photograph/video at C4CL-hosted events Willingness to serve as a reference for other potential LLF applicants

Please select at least the two minimum commitments (testimonial and social media).

Anything about your communications or branding C4CL should know?

Certification & Submission

By submitting this application, the authorized organizational representative certifies the following:

The information provided in this application is accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge. The nominated participant is participating voluntarily, or will be asked before C4CL makes contact. Our organization is not currently in an active wind-down, dissolution, or merger process. I understand that submission does not guarantee approval and that C4CL retains sole discretion over all eligibility and award decisions. I understand that if approved, our organization must fulfill the marketing and partnership obligations in the Lighthouse Leadership Fund Pro Bono Agreement.

Authorized Representative Name *

Title *

Please complete all required fields and certifications before submitting.

A confirmation email will be sent to the contact address provided. C4CL will follow up within 10 business days.

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Application Received

Thank you for applying to the Lighthouse Leadership Fund. We've received your application and will follow up within 10 business days. If you have questions in the meantime, contact us at info@c4cl.org.

Emerging Organization

Resilience & Adaptation

Organization Information

Form 990 & Financial Context

Organizational Context — Track 2 Applicants

Services Requested

1-on-1 Leadership Coaching

Team Development Workshop

Coaching Participant Nomination

Team Development Workshop

Organizational Contact & Marketing Commitment

Certification & Submission

Application Received

coaching for community leaders, inc.