Leadership development and community for women in social impact
Registration for the Spring 2024 Cohort has closed. Please sign up below to be notified when we open for the Spring 2025 cohort!
We’re spending our work lives focused on business as a force for good and thinking about the sustainability of the planet, but it can be draining and lonely to drive change within an organization that doesn’t yet see it as mission-critical.
Addressing the problems facing our planet requires us to re-imagine leadership. We can’t keep showing up the way we always have and expect different results.
Social impact leadership is different.
That’s where the Impact Leaders Incubator comes in. An intentional community of women using our careers for impact, committed to reinventing leadership for the greater good.
The Impact Leaders Incubator is a CliftonStrengths-based leadership development program and community bringing together women from across the spectrum of social impact roles – from leaders in corporate social responsibility, sustainability, and philanthropy, to those working in nonprofits, B Corps, public service, and social enterprise. All are committed to deeper, more fulfilling work that helps leave the world a little bit better than we found it.
If you’re looking to move to the next level of your impact leadership journey and experience the transformation that comes from being in community with people who get it, we hope you’ll join us for Cohort 3 of the Impact Leaders Incubator. Expect an energizing, engaging, refreshing experience, where you’ll build deep connections with other changemakers while sharpening crucial leadership skills in an intentionally designed 12-week program.
Hi, I’m Caroline Ouwerkerk, convener of the Impact Leaders Incubator.
I’m a community-builder and connector of dots (and people). Resources are my Love Language, and I’m passionate about finding ways to make it happen.
I’ve been gathering cohorts together for years –ever since I accidentally got my first job in college after coming to the director of a leadership development program I was in with a written report of ways to improve the program. He liked my ideas – and offered me a job implementing them. It was January – my birthday, actually – of my freshman year, and I’ve been gathering, organizing, and facilitating groups of all sizes ever since. I spent the early part of my career launching an academic research center on urban affairs before moving over to work with undergraduate student leaders interested in civic engagement. I taught courses on social entrepreneurship and leadership and became fascinated by how we might use business as a force for good.
After nearly 15 years as a student, staff member, and lecturer in the university world, I left academia to support professionals looking for more fulfilling work. Work that’s aligned with their values and which maximizes their talents while creating space for all of their other priorities. As a Gallup-certified CliftonStrengths coach, I work with clients on five continents, facilitate workshops on topics ranging from networking to overcoming burnout and imposter syndrome for universities and organizations across the US and Europe, and work with widely respected LinkedIn thought leader Nick Martin to curate jobs and resources for his community of over 255,000 Social Impact professionals. I also served for two years as the Jobs and Community Manager for Reconsidered, a well-respected CSR/sustainability consultancy publishing a popular biweekly newsletter for a community of more than 7000 social impact professionals.
The beauty of this sector is that there’s room for all of us at the table. The kinds of environmental, social, and global crises we’re facing will require unprecedented collaboration and a radical rethinking of how things are done.
The Impact Leaders Incubator is a space for us to come together, in community, to support and learn from each other as we tackle what’s next.
“Working with Caroline is like getting that final burst of energy to get you across the finish line. Her ability to help unravel what feels like a complex issue into manageable pieces and parts to focus on has helped me to develop tactics and opportunities to push through the obstacles I’m facing. An additional bonus of working with Caroline is her vast network of connections, resources, and reading recommendations to help you continue learning and moving forward.”
INSIDE THE INCUBATOR
January 30, 2024 – April 16, 2024
Registration for the 2024 Cohort has closed. Please join the interest list below to learn about the 2025 program.
All live sessions are held on Tuesdays from 12-1:30 PM EST (11 AM CST/9 AM PST/5 PM GMT/6 PM CET) on Zoom.
All sessions have closed captioning and will be recorded if you’re not able to attend live (though we’ll miss you!)
This is an intentionally-designed 12-week experience, combining community-based sessions on leadership themes with targeted workshops on crucial social impact leadership skills.
Here’s a look at our spring 2024 program:
This program is subject to change based on speaker availability and other factors.
Week 7: Storytelling and Behavior Change
Navigating change to drive impact
Week 8: Power
Navigating and leveraging power for greater social impact
Week 9: Negotiation
Values-based negotiation and mutually-beneficial partnerships
Week 10: Legacy
Defining the work we want to be known for.
Week 11: Decision making
Crucial frameworks for making better decisions
Week 12: Graduation + Integration
Synthesizing our work to create your personal leadership model
Week 1: Welcome and Community
Community building and the Four Dimensional Model of Social Impact Leadership
Week 2: Purpose
The role of purpose in leadership
Week 3: Strengths Based Leadership
Doing more of what you’re good at instead of re-creating outdated models of leadership
Week 4: Vision
What do you believe is possible? What support do you need to get there?
Week 5: Thought Leadership
The power of thought leadership for exponential impact
Week 6: Growth
Sustainable ambition and unsubscribing from growth in a direction you don’t want to go in.
Program Components
Community CIRCLES
We have five Community Circles during the program. These are energizing, highly interactive sessions focused on connecting with each other and exploring and applying our leadership themes: Purpose, Vision, Growth, Power, and Legacy.
STRATEGY INTENSIVES
Our five interactive strategy intensive workshops, led by guest expert teachers, are designed to equip you with the crucial skills to rise to the next level as a social impact leader.
Cliftonstregnths 34 profile
Each program participant will take the CliftonStrengths 34 Assessment in preparation for a group workshop on Strengths-based leadership. This personalized leadership profile offers deep insight into how you show up as a leader.
Register by the early-bird deadline and receive a bonus in-depth in-depth 1:1 interpretation and executive coaching session with program founder and certified Strengths Coach Caroline Ouwerkerk.
Coffee Chats
Connecting, made easier. Each month, you’ll be paired with another cohort member to deepen inter-group connections and expand your network.
Workbook + Reflection Journal
Your guide to our time together, this printed workbook (mailed to all participants!) offers reflection prompts, further details, and resources to enhance your experience.
Private online SPACE
We’ll have a private online member space where we can come together to share reflections, celebrate successes, and draw from the wisdom of the community.
Our love language is resources, so we’ll serve up plenty – conversation-starting articles, helpful toolkits, recordings of live sessions, and more.
Bonus Resources
Impact Leaders Incubator members get access to a variety of additional resources, including:
Access to Beat Imposter Syndrome: Strategies for Career Confidence, an online course with more than 25 strategies for overcoming imposter syndrome and increasing career confidence
Additional professional development webinar recordings and workbooks
Invitations to events, both online and in person
Connection to a larger community of impact professionals
Optional Private Coaching
Stepping into a new leadership role? Navigating a transition? Want extra support to reach ambitious goals? Craving a moment to process your work life with a nonjudgemental advocate?
Combine the dynamic cohort experience of the Incubator with private coaching sessions to get targeted support to help you troubleshoot obstacles, navigate blocks, process your experiences, and plan for what’s next.
Impact Leaders Incubator founder and certified coach Caroline Ouwerkerk works with clients on five continents to reach ambitious goals and transform their leadership. These sessions are Strengths-focused and designed to help you reach your goals faster. Sessions are scheduled at your convenience, typically twice per month. Two options available:
Option 1: Incubator plus 4 coaching sessions
Option 2: Incubator plus 12 coaching sessions (combining the Incubator with all of the benefits of our Leadership Coaching package)
MONTHLY THEMES
Our themes serve to jumpstart reflection and conversation in our Community Circles and Strategy Intensives. We’ll have space to share reflections in our private online community and in the printed program workbook and reflection journal each member will receive.
Our themes are cumulative–over the arc of our time together, we go from exploring the personal, to examining how we show up in our professional spaces, before getting clarity on the impact we want to make more broadly.
Our themes for 2024 are:
PURPOSE
Who are you, and what are the contributions only you can make? What does your leadership look like?
VISION
What do you believe is possible? How do you want to make the world a better place? What support do you need to get there?
Growth
What does sustainable ambition mean? How do you want to grow, personally? How do we want the movement to grow and change?
Power
What are the networks and structures that we can influence and which influence us? How can we navigate power to make an impact?
LEGACY
What do you want to be known for?
STRATEGY INTENSIVES
Laser-focused 90-minute skill-building workshops designed to help you level-up as a social impact leader. Strategy Intensives will be recorded and shared in our community portal in case you’re not able to attend live.
Sessions center on one of the elements of the Four Dimensional Model of Social Impact Leadership, the framework that underpins this program:
Emerging Issues in Social Impact
The world of CSR, social impact, and sustainability is continually changing. These sessions will focus on what we, as leaders in the field, need to know to stay up-to-speed on emerging trends, shifting regulations, and developments from other sectors.
Communication Skills for Lasting Change
Our work is rooted in sharing new ideas with others. These sessions will help you take your communication skills to the next level so your ideas, initiatives, and strategies get the momentum they deserve.
Management Skills for Leading Social Impact
These sessions will focus on sharpening your skills as a manager and people leader so you’re better able to motivate teams and drive lasting change
Long-term Leadership and Social Impact Career Growth
We’re a community of ambitious problem-solvers on a mission to leave the world better than we found it. In these sessions, we’ll focus on intentional career planning, career confidence, and making space in our lives for all of our priorities.
Previous Strategy Intensives + Speakers
We’re putting together a stellar lineup of guest experts to facilitate this year’s Strategy Intensives. Here are a few of our workshops from previous sessions:
Visioning for Impact
Anna Dausman, Social Impact Facilitator and Founder, Goodlands Food Co.
Imagination Abundance and Social Change
Nairuti Shastry, Founder and Principal, Nuance Research, Strategy, & Consulting
Decision Making with Clarity
with Michelle Florendo, founder of Powered by Decisions
Leading People when Everyone is Burned Out
Megan Mozina, Owner & Principal, Cresta Solutions + Caroline Ouwerkerk, Founder, Impact Leaders Incubator
What are we talking about when we talk about social impact?
with Caroline Ouwerkerk, Founder, Impact Leaders Incubator
Thinking in Public and Acting Like a Thought Leader
with Lee Price, Founder, Viewfinder Partners
Emerging Tech and Trends in ESG
with Stefanie Falconi, Ph.D., Policy Entrepreneur, Speaker, and Emergent Tech Advisor
Mapping our Social Change Roles
with Deepa Iyer and Uyenthi Tran Myhre of the Building Movement Project
Innovative Project Leadership
with Megan Mozina, Founder, Cresta Solutions
The Science of Luck and Generosity
with Anna Dausman, Social Impact Facilitator and Founder, Goodlands Food Co.
Rest as a Radical Act
with Tes Cohen of Transformative Gatherings
Emerging Issues in Social Impact
with Rhian Rotz, Senior Director, Corporate Citizenship/ESG & Employee Engagement, WE Communications and ICF-certified Leadership Coach
OUR COMMUNITY
This is a community for women using our careers for impact, whether or not your job title reflects that.
You’ll join leaders in corporate social responsibility, sustainability, and philanthropy, as well as folks working in nonprofits, B Corps, public service, and social enterprise. Some run mission-driven businesses or lead grassroots organizations. All are committed to deeper, more fulfilling work that helps leave the world a little bit better than we found it. Our community is intentionally small, allowing you the opportunity to develop deep, lasting relationships with the other members. We also build in multiple ways for you to connect with others in the cohort – coffee chats, community stewards, and numerous small group conversations.
This is a community of motivated, dynamic, ambitious women, interested in all facets of social impact. Fellow community members have a range of previous experiences, but most are joining with around seven to twenty years of work experience.
That said–we’re looking to create a community of people who want to grow and learn from each other, and having members with a wide range of experiences only adds to our community. We welcome earlier-career professionals as well as more senior leaders. Trust that if you’re reading this and it sounds exciting to you, you’re meant to be here. There’s room at the table for all of us.
Previous participants:
Joined from across the US and Africa
Had a wide variety of roles in the social impact sector, including at:
Large, well-known companies (Pinterest, Starbucks, Ann Taylor, GoodRx)
Startups growing their social impact initiatives (Swayable, Indigo AG)
Industry Associations (Association of Corporate Citizenship Professionals)
NGOs and nonprofits (SAFECampus, TrendCDC, Uzima Chicken Uganda, Village Enterprise, IES Abroad)
Consulting, PR, and Legal (Morey Creative Studios, Rios Partners)
University impact accelerators and civic engagement offices
Impact entrepreneurs
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• Are looking to step into your role as a social impact leader
• Want to learn from and grow with an intentional community
• Want to learn frameworks and tools you can implement in your day-to-day work
• Love settings where you can be an active participant, engaging with others
• Are eager to learn about new ideas and perspectives
• Are looking to connect with a broader network of folks using their careers for good
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• Expecting a passive, “read-only” experience
• Are not interested in engaging with this dynamic community
• Are looking for individualized strategy support–this program leverages the power of cohorts to help you develop as a leader. For individualized support, consider adding on private coaching.
• Not able to attend our calls– this is a time-bound, cohort-based experience, and you’ll get the most out of this program if you’re able to participate in the community conversations and Strategy Intensives live (although life happens and we’ll share the recordings so you can catch up if you can’t make it)
• Not currently working in the social impact space – this is a leadership incubator and is designed for active social impact practitioners to implement the tools and skills we’re learning in real-time. (If you’re looking to transition into the field, stay tuned! We’ll be launching a program just for you in early 2024!)
“The Impact Leaders Incubator helped me to build strong connections with others in my field, clarify my own goals and challenges, and feel energized - and organized - about where I’m headed.”
JOIN US!
January 30, 2024 – April 16, 2024
Registration for the 2024 cohort has closed. Please sign up below to join the interest list for the 2025 program!
All live sessions are held on Tuesdays from 12-1:30 PM EST (11 AM CST/9 AM PST/5 PM GMT/6 PM CET) on Zoom.
All sessions have closed captioning and will be recorded if you’re not able to attend live (though we’ll miss you!)
Level 1: Impact Leaders Incubator
$1900 (corporate rate) (2024 rate)
$1500 (nonprofit participants, previous clients, and members who identify as BIPOC or LGBTQ) (2024 rate)
A carefully designed experience to catalyze your social impact leadership, including:
Twelve weeks of intentionally designed weekly sessions, including:
All-cohort Community Circle calls, creating space to connect with other cohort members and explore our leadership themes: Purpose, Vision, Growth, Power, and Legacy.
Strategy Intensives – five 90-minute skill-building workshops on crucial leadership topics informed by the Four Dimensional Model of Social Impact Leadership: Planned topics for 2024 include: Strengths-based Leadership, Storytelling and Behavior Change, Negotiation, Thought Leadership, and Decision Making
CliftonStrengths 34 Assessment and Report – Each participant will receive a code to take the CliftonStrengths 34 Assessment, an in-depth, personalized leadership profile offering crucial insights into how you show up as a leader. We’ll also have a group workshop on Strengths-Based Leadership.
Coffee Chats – Each month, you’ll be intentionally paired with another community member to deepen inter-group connections and expand your network
Workbook + Reflection Journal – Your guide to our time together, with reflection prompts, further details, and resources to enhance your experience
Access to a private, dedicated member space stocked with resources, recordings of our live sessions, and thoughtful conversation starters
Carefully selected leadership themes and thoughtful reflection questions
Connection with a small, intentionally gathered cohort of mission-driven impact professionals, working across a variety of industries
Invitations to optional in-person and online events
Recordings of all sessions so you can join on your own time
Bonus access to our self-paced course, Beat Imposter Syndrome: Strategies for Career Confidence
Level 2: Incubator + Coaching
$3000 (corporate rate) (2024 rate)
$2700 (nonprofit participants, previous clients, and members who identify as BIPOC or LGBTQ) (2024 rate)
Combine the dynamic cohort experience of the Incubator with four additional 60-minute coaching sessions to get targeted support to help you troubleshoot obstacles, navigate blocks, process your experiences, and plan for what’s next. This level includes:
Everything in Level 1 of the Impact Leaders Incubator (above), plus:
Personalized Strengths-based coaching tailored to your goals and priorities. Receive four additional private 60-minute coaching sessions with Impact Leaders Incubator founder and Gallup-certified CliftonStrengths coach Caroline Ouwerkerk. Caroline works with clients on four continents and focuses on helping clients reach ambitious goals and transform their leadership. You’ll get targeted support to help you troubleshoot obstacles, navigate blocks, process your experiences, and plan for what’s next. Sessions are scheduled at your convenience, throughout the program
Personalized activities designed to help you reach your goals and navigate challenges
Periodic email check-ins throughout the month.
Level 3: Incubator + Social Impact Leadership Coaching package
$5997 (corporate rate) (A $900 savings) (2024 Rate)
$5497 (nonprofit participants, previous clients, and members who identify as BIPOC or LGBTQ) (A $1500 savings) (2024 Rate)
This level combines the dynamic cohort experience of the Impact Leaders Incubator with all of the benefits of the signature Social Impact Leadership Coaching Package for a special rate. It includes:
Everything in Level 1 of the Impact Leaders Incubator (above), plus:
Twelve private Strengths-based coaching tailored to your goals and priorities with Impact Leaders Incubator founder and Gallup-certified CliftonStrengths coach Caroline Ouwerkerk. Caroline works with clients on four continents and focuses on helping clients reach ambitious goals and transform their leadership. You’ll get targeted support to help you troubleshoot obstacles, navigate blocks, process your experiences, and plan for what’s next. Sessions are scheduled at your convenience, throughout the program
Customized prep activities, worksheets, and reflection questions to maximize our time between sessions
Follow up notes with a brief summary of our conversation, any recommendations/suggestions we discussed, and resources for further information
Six months of access to the Reconsidered Change Hub, a resource hub and community for social impact practitioners with tools, templates, and trainings
Please note:
Payment for all levels is due when you accept your spot in the program. Payment plans are available. If you choose a payment plan, you are responsible for all payments, and your spot is non-refundable. Many participants use professional development funding to pay for all or part of their participation in the program – we’re happy to issue invoices or split payments between two fiscal years. If cost is a barrier to your participation and you would need a scholarship to participate, please email us for options.
QUESTIONS
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This is a leadership incubator and is designed for active social impact practitioners to implement the tools and skills we’re learning in real-time.
If you’re looking to transition into the field, stay tuned! We’ll be launching a program just for you in early 2024!
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We ask participants to share their responses to our application for several reasons. We want to make sure this program is a good fit, and reading your responses allows us to understand if we’re able to meet your goals (or whether we should offer recommendations for alternatives). The application allows us to get to know you and your background so that as we plan out our work together, we’re better able to customize the program to meet the needs and interests of participants. We’ve also found that the application process allows time for you to pause and reflect on your own goals and dreams for your personal and professional life, which is always a good thing.
Here’s what we’re not looking for through this process: we’re not looking to have a competitive process where you’re judged against others (this is a nonjudgemental space). We’re not looking to make this program highly selective (the challenges we’re addressing will require all of us to contribute). And we’re not looking to make this a time-consuming or onerous process. Take 20 minutes max to share your responses.
The bottom line? If you’re interested, please apply. Our community will be stronger with you here, and there is plenty of room at the table for all of us.
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Certainly–many previous participants have used professional development funding to pay for all or part of the Impact Leaders Incubator. Founder Caroline Ouwerkerk has more than 15 years of experience designing leadership development programs, and we’ve designed this program to equip you with skills you can use right away to be a more effective leader at work. It’s certainly worth asking if you can use your professional development funding to support your participation in this opportunity – (we love this great resource from Ama La Vida Coaching on how to ask your employer for professional development funding.) We’re happy to send an invoice or split payments between two fiscal years (perfect for maximizing professional development funding!) You don’t know unless you ask. Let us know if you need special paperwork or invoices to make it happen.
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Of course! Check out this snazzy PDF overview of the 2024 program, complete with all of the details about what’s in store.
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Like any professional development opportunity, you’ll get out of this experience what you put into it. This program is twelve weeks, with a session weekly on Tuesdays.
All live sessions will take place on Tuesdays, from 12 to 1:30 PM, EST (11 AM CST/9 AM PST/5 PM GMT/6 PM CET). If you sign up for optional private coaching, you’ll schedule your 60-minute coaching sessions at a time that best fits your schedule.
Our member space is available 24/7 for you to share reflections, post resources, and connect with others.
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Our live sessions take place on Tuesdays, from 12 to 1:30 PM, EST (11 AM CST/9 AM PST/5 PM GMT/6 PM CET), and we encourage you to attend live so you can connect with the other group members and tap into this incredible community. If you anticipate missing four or more sessions of the program, we encourage you to consider joining a future cohort or signing up for private coaching.
Life happens, though, so you’ll find recordings of all of our Community Circle and Strategy Intensives in our private member space for you to watch later if that is better for your schedule.
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Everyone benefits from coming together in community, and we are committed to bringing together a vibrant community of social impact leaders.
We offer a special rate to community members who identify as BIPOC and/or LGBTQIA, as well as those currently working in the nonprofit sector. If cost is a barrier to your participation and you would need further support to participate, please email us for options.
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Amazing things happen when we come together to share, learn, and grow.
Registration for the 2024 cohort is closed – please join our interest list for 2025!
