Ten-Week Training Program Prepares Residents of Color to Serve on Nonprofit Boards
HARTFORD, CT — The Fundación Greater Hartford Gives is pleased to announce the launch of the third Hartford cohort of SEAT (Skills Educate Act Transform), a 10-week training program that prepares community residents of color to serve with confidence and purpose on nonprofit boards.
Of the Black and Latine residents who have completed SEAT’s annual cohort training, 82 percent have been recruited to board service; a placement rate that reflects both the quality of the program and the recognition that lived experience is an important component of nonprofit leadership.
Now in its fifth year of statewide delivery across six Connecticut cities, SEAT does not require participants to hold a professional title or have prior leadership experience. The program is designed for community residents of color who have heart and a desire to contribute to their community nonprofits. SEAT provides the skills and the capacity.
“The SEAT Program allows community residents who may otherwise not have thought about serving on a nonprofit board to gain the knowledge, skills and confidence to participate in the SEAT program in order to affect change in their community,” said Meher Shulman, Greater Hartford Gives Associate Director of the Nonprofit Support Program.
Cohort Details
Start Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Format: Weekly in-person evening sessions for 10 weeks
Location: Hartford, Connecticut
Who Should Apply: Black and Latine community residents living in the Greater Hartford area who have no prior board governance experience.
Throughout the program, participants will explore topics on nonprofit governance including board responsibilities, financial oversight, and board engagement. The experience culminates with a capstone event where program graduates will meet with curated nonprofit organizations committed to strengthening their boards with diverse voices and lived experience.
“What makes SEAT remarkable is that it is built on a mutual recognition,” said Kim Bianca Burgess, SEAT Curriculum Author and Lead Facilitator. “Nonprofit organizations are saying, ‘We see the value of what you have lived, and we want that at our table.’ And community residents are saying, ‘I am ready to step into a space where my voice carries real weight and my decisions shape what happens in my community.’ That exchange is powerful. SEAT is where those two commitments meet.”
Residents interested in participating in the next Hartford cohort are encouraged to complete the online application at www.seatct.org.
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About the Greater Hartford Gives Foundation
La Fundación Greater Hartford Gives es una fundación comunitaria, un centro para el cambio impulsado por la comunidad. Impulsamos el impacto en todo el Gran Hartford y sus alrededores, creando conexiones, proporcionando financiación y compartiendo conocimientos. Nuestro objetivo es crear una región inclusiva donde todos prosperen. Juntos, con una sólida red de agentes de cambio, identificamos las necesidades más urgentes de nuestros vecinos e invertimos recursos en iniciativas que eliminan las barreras raciales y económicas y mejoran la calidad de vida. En nuestros 100 años de historia, hemos invertido más de 1000 millones de dólares en toda la región. Únase a nosotros para construir un Gran Hartford lleno de oportunidades. Obtenga más información en greathartfordgives.org.
About SEAT
SEAT is a program by VCL Consulting Group, Inc. SEAT is a cohort-based nonprofit board training program operating across six cities in Connecticut. Now in its fifth year, SEAT prepares Black and Latino community residents for first-time nonprofit board service.
MEDIA CONTACT
Kim Bianca Burgess
Senior Consultant, VCL Consulting Group, Inc.
(203) 612-1210