A Beacon for Nonprofit Education and Development: The Edyth Bush Institute for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Leadership

Nonprofit organizations close the divide between the private sector and the government. To assist in the success of their missions, nonprofit entities can utilize support from institutions focusing on their industry, such as the Edyth Bush Institute for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Leadership (EBI). EBI is a Center of Excellence at the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College whose vision is to reimagine nonprofit impact. Their mission is to connect and strengthen nonprofit and philanthropic organizations through inspiring educational experiences. 

In response to the evolving market, EBI has undergone a purposeful reevaluation, unveiling a three-year strategic plan including the updated mission and vision above as well as clarifying its target audience and outlining four key strategic priorities to guide future efforts.  

Leading the charge is the executive director of the Center, Crummer alum Min Sun Kim ‘18MBA, who has held the position since January 2021. “We are leaning into the themes impact and connect with these shifts and changes. EBI has a strong foundation and we’re building upon that to continue to position the Center as a community innovator and leader, lifting up a lot of good in our community.” 

One of EBI’s strategic goals is to be a catalyst for nonprofit impact innovation.  This requires a deeper understanding of “impact.”  Impact is not just about numbers, it’s about people and understanding the business of nonprofits and philanthropy, nurturing the generosity of its community, ultimately going deeper than outputs and outcomes. The greater vision focuses on the social state we want our community to be in and how we all work together to get there.  

Other priorities include focusing on having a robust membership experience, offering the highest quality adult learning experiences, and improving EBI efficiency by investing in technology and infrastructure. This includes an updated website that is connected to the membership portal, so everything is clearer, and it is easier to become a member. They also invested in their team, ensuring they have the talents and skills required to reflect the nonprofit sector as well as the depth of experience needed to support these organizations.  

Since the pandemic, EBI has expanded its training capacity, piloted various training modalities, and focused its offerings. Today, the Center utilizes synchronous and asynchronous hybrid learning, added coaching to its repertoire, offers organizational assessments that align with nonprofit business cycles, and expanded custom solutions beyond strategic planning and board training. “We need to meet adult learners where they are,” Min said. “We work with nonprofit and philanthropic professionals. By leaning into adult learning motivators and respecting their real-life knowledge and challenges, we believe we can offer an educational experience where people can learn from each other.”  

With a clear strategic vision and a commitment to excellence, EBI is empowering nonprofit organizations to scale their impact, embrace innovative practices, and disrupt traditional business models. The Center’s focus on robust educational experiences, cutting-edge adult learning, and technological advancements ensures that it remains at the forefront of nonprofit leadership. 

To learn more about EBI’s offerings, visit their web page here.