Leading a nonprofit is highly rewarding but also quite challenging, said Jequette Edmonson Noland, Executive Director of the Legal Aid Society of Birmingham. Since her job requires her to be constantly focused on day-to-day operations and problem-solving, it can be hard to set time aside for long-term planning.
That’s why she was so pleased that the United Way of Central Alabama (UWCA) recently provided the first LEARN United training session of 2025. The daylong session was dedicated to fostering cooperation between executive directors and their board members. LEARN United, which stands for Leadership Education and Readiness for Nonprofits, was created by UWCA last year to offer free training opportunities to agencies that have received United Way funding. In 2024, topics for the sessions included digital marketing, accounting, grant writing and more.
During this latest session, agency representatives worked with Dr. Alice Gordon Holloway and Myrna Pittman to help set goals for the year. Holloway, who holds a doctorate in business administration, and Pittman regularly use their decades of experience in business and communication to help focus and grow organizations of all types and sizes.
Attorneys at the Legal Aid Society represent juveniles in cases throughout Jefferson County. As a result of that work, continuing education is a necessity, Noland said. United Way gives her access to some of the strongest leadership training available.
“This kind of training lets donors know that this is a high-quality organization,” Noland said. “It’s a privilege and an honor to be connected to, and associated with, United Way.”
The training also served as a meaningful collaborative opportunity for attendees. Dulce Rivera, Board Chair of the Hispanic and Immigrant Center of Alabama (¡HICA!), said that talking with others about the intersections of their work was meaningful.
“Having the opportunity to connect with other agency leaders to see how you can work together, instead of competing, was really helpful,” Rivera said.
This year’s additional training sessions will cover a wide variety of topics – all addressing issues that are specifically relevant to nonprofit leadership. For more information about LEARN United, click here.
To learn more about all the ways United Way partners and programs impact Central Alabama, click here.