Local Couple Helping African American Led Non-Profits

Learning the ins and outs of a nonprofit can be challenging, but those challenges are escalated even more for African American nonprofits.

“Let’s create an effort that focuses on black-led nonprofits because we see the need,” said Stephen Butler with NEOKCR. 

Nonprofits are crucial to a city’s health because they identify and address the needs within the community. “These folks are subject matter experts, in their communities, in their programs, and in the people that they work with, they just needed a little extra support,” said Stephen Butler.

That support comes from Stephen and Gabrielle’s thirteen-week 'Incubator course'. “In the same way that you have business incubators or business accelerators, we’re incubating these nonprofits,” said Stephen Butler. 

The classes are for new as well as existing nonprofits, teaching them everything about nonprofits in the state of Oklahoma. “Training in nonprofit governance, marketing and branding, fundraising and accounting practices,” said Gabrielle Butler.

Each week participants have time with nonprofit experts, as well as membership into groups that are key to their success. “Memberships to the greater OKC chamber, The Oklahoma City Black chamber, and the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits,” said Gabrielle Butler. “Just making sure you have a sound understanding of nonprofit best practices,” said Gabrielle Butler.

The couple’s focus is to keep the nonprofits from making critical mistakes, they are also connecting to much-needed resources. “This is something, we know you have a heart for this community, we know you want to help folks, but you might want to look at doing this practice a little differently,” said Stephen Butler. 

The session is set for the Fall, sign up for the session opens in June. For more information about the initiative and sign-up information visit www.neokcr.org