Communities of Practice for nonprofits

Discussion threads

As nonprofits are adapting to online programming and training, most are merely migrating content to an online setting, somewhat forcing collaboration and learning into a box.

To combat this, we’ve designed our discussion threads to be collaborative and easily embedded into learning experiences within your community. Starting a discussion thread takes seconds and can be tied to organization-wide projects, training courses, topics of interest or simply getting to know one another in the community. Crowdsource ideas, embed media, tag users and subscribe to discussions for email updates so that you never miss a beat.

Online courses

Build virtual training and blended learning experiences that grow your initiatives through self-paced online courses. Our member-driven elearning structure allows you to create courses from scratch or using existing content. Easily embed media, connect with community members in learning checkpoints and monetize courses with our built-in e-commerce functionality. Each course is accompanied with a peer-reviewed micro-credential saved to a community member’s profile and easily shared via a micro-credential link.

Nonprofits use virtual courses to train new contributors, engage local volunteers and extend learning beyond in-person or virtual events.

Resource collections

Organize your nonprofit’s resources in online resource collections. Similar to any online cloud folder, resource collections house all of the links and descriptions you need in one, privacy-safe space. Our resources tab also offers the opportunity to create customized webpages within your community. Resources and collections can be hidden, public or private so that only members of the community or users of your choice can access them. Rather than merely migrating content, re-imagine the ways in which your contributors access resources from your nonprofit. We offer strategic support around community design so that your organization can thrive.

The Let’s Save Summer community is a joint initiative of MHA Labs and the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services to "save" as many summer youth employment and enrichment opportunities as humanly possible while also being 100% safe. The community is a space for resource sharing and communication between youth organizations and families. The community has around 20 collections on various topics from youth allyship, racial justice, leadership development, mindfulness and technology, each with robust resources to engage youth. The community combines virtual events, trainings and webinars with resources in the community so that youth and the organizations that support them can have educational and engaging opportunities this summer. Explore the community here.

The InSideOut Initiative connects thousands of educational and athletic leaders across the country in blended learning experiences to develop a culture that provides life-sustaining experiences to student-athletes. The InSideOut Initiative uses a Participate community to engage athletic administrators in experiences, strategies, resources and a learning pathway that equips them to become an InSideOut School—one that supports sports as a human growth experience and personalized and blended implementation pathways to encourage collaboration, discussion, guidance and productive feedback on the implementation of new practices.

Through crowd-funded pitch competitions, Black Girl Ventures (BGV) provides the infrastructure for women entrepreneurs to attain the funds and support they need for organizational growth. Training multiple people on how to organize and run successful pitch competitions requires more than one day of in-person training, so BGV uses an online community to train and connect pitch competition organizers and participants through elearning.

BGV’s community is the central space for content, communication, idea sharing and training around BGV pitch competitions. Virtual courses guide pitch competition facilitators through BGV culture, founder coaching, day-of event facilitation and investment readiness.

Why Participate?

Nonprofits rely on Participate because of our expertise in adult education and strong core values. As former educators, instructional designers and education researchers, our team designed our social learning platform to meet the needs of growing organizations and their constituents. We focus on mission-alignment and intentionally partner with organizations who share the same values of working together for the greater good, being kind, creating meaningful solutions and growing from successes and failures.

How can Participate communities support my existing blended learning or online training efforts?

If your nonprofit has existing content, events or training you’d like to move online, our instructional design team is here to help you transform those learning experiences. We’ll take you through a guided process of online learning experience design and draft courses alongside you. Most nonprofits come to us with some content, but if you’re just getting started that’s fine too! We can help you develop content and elearning experiences based on your nonprofit’s unique needs and goals.

What’s the difference between a Participate community and a Learning Management System?

Most traditional learning management systems will focus solely on e-courses or forums to guide e-learning opportunities. Within a single learning experience in a Participate community, members have the opportunity to pick a personalized pathway of growth and engage with multiple users through courses, discussions, resource collections, direct messaging and more. Our tool was built for adult learning and collaboration, whereas Learning Management System competitors were often built student-facing first then adapted for adults.

Do I need a Participate community or a Learning Management System?

Participate communities are similar to a social network combining its power with a Learning Management System. If your nonprofit only needs electronic courses or forums, then a Learning Management System may suffice. If you need a genuine community to facilitate connection and collaboration, then a community will be a better fit.

Grow your nonprofit’s mission and reach through online communities.

How nonprofits use Communities of Practice

Build authentic relationships with community members.

Discussion threads

Peer mentorship

Groups

Share updates with whom you want, when you want.

Direct messaging

Community announcements

Elevate your nonprofit's initatives.

Online courses

A one-stop shop for your nonprofit's resources.

Resource collections

Nonprofits in Action

Let's Save Summer Initiative

InSideOut Initiative

Black Girl Ventures

Resources for nonprofits

[Free download] Your guide to building collaborative, online communities

[Blog] How a non-profit uses a community to scale access to their curriculum

[Blog] Building community around the next generation of entrepreneurs

FAQs for nonprofits

Why Participate?

How can Participate communities support my existing blended learning or online training efforts?

What’s the difference between a Participate community and a Learning Management System?

Do I need a Participate community or a Learning Management System?

Ready to get started?

Participate, Inc.