HEAL: A Nonprofit Incubator is a 15-month formation program for founders committed to building durable, ethical nonprofit institutions. It is not a crash course, a networking retreat, or a motivational series. It is a deliberate, structured pathway that guides participants from early concept through legal incorporation and responsible launch.

Over fifteen months, participants construct the essential foundations of a functioning nonprofit: IRS-compliant formation documents and aligned mission, vision, and values language; a working theory of change; independent governance; compliant bylaws; realistic multi-year budgets; diversified revenue strategy; fundraising systems; operational infrastructure; and clear board governance practices. The program is intentionally designed to ensure participants understand the full scope of nonprofit administration, formation, and long-term maintenance. A formal July/August decision gate ensures incorporation documents are filed only when the organization is structurally and financially prepared.

Each month includes a cohort session, supported co-working time with office hours, and guest speakers with institutional experience in nonprofit leadership and administration. Participants produce real governing and operational documents — including a completed Form 1023 draft, board roster, financial projections, case for support, donor appeals, and a launch plan. By completion, organizations are not simply incorporated; they are positioned to operate with accountability, credibility, and long-term sustainability.

HEAL is led by Claudia Nagy, Founder and Director of Earth Arts Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit she has stewarded in full compliance since 2017. Claudia holds a Master of Public Administration and BA in Environmental Science & Policy from Columbia University and Barnard College respectively. Over the past decade, she has administered more than $210,000 in nonprofit funds, secured over $85,000 in institutional grants, and raised more than $32,000 through individual appeals and campaigns. She serves as Outreach and Development Coordinator for Mountain Top Arboretum and as Director of EAT Catskill, a food and farm business incubator. Through Earth Arts Initiative’s fiscal sponsorship program, she has overseen charitable fund administration, compliance systems, and grant management across multiple community-based projects. The HEAL Incubator reflects this lived institutional experience — in both theory and practice.

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HEAL: A Nonprofit Incubator Schedule

15-Month Formation Cohort
April 2026 – June 2027
Last Sunday of Each Month | 5–7 PM
Formal Incorporation Filing Window: July/August 2027

HEAL is a structured formation pathway. Participants move from discernment through governance, financial infrastructure, fundraising systems, and operational readiness — in sequence.

PHASE I — DISCERNMENT & STRATEGIC CLARITY

April – June 2026

April 26, 2026
Month 1 — Founder Discernment & Nonprofit Law Foundations
Understanding charitable purpose, IRS eligibility standards and expectations, the Organizational and Operational Tests, founder readiness, and when incorporation is — and is not — appropriate.

May 31, 2026
Month 2 — Community Need & Strategic Positioning
Structured needs assessment, stakeholder mapping, landscape analysis, and refinement of mission, vision, and values.

June 28, 2026
Month 3 — Theory of Change, Program Design & Structural Pathways
Impact logic, measurable outcomes, and structural options including 501(c)(3), 501(c)(4), hybrid models, fiscal sponsorship, and nonprofit/for-profit partnerships.

By the end of Phase I, participants can clearly articulate why their organization should exist and under what structure.

PHASE II — GOVERNANCE & LEGAL FORMATION

July – September 2026

July 26, 2026
Month 4 — Legal Structure & Compliance Framework
State incorporation requirements, public charity status, lobbying rules, charitable registration, and creation of a federal and state compliance calendar.

August 30, 2026
Month 5 — Governance Architecture & Fiduciary Duty
Drafting IRS-compliant bylaws, conflict of interest policy, board independence standards, fiduciary duties (care, loyalty, obedience), and governance boundaries.

September 27, 2026
Month 6 — Board Recruitment & Board Operations
Securing independent directors, building meeting systems (agendas, minutes, calendars), onboarding practices, and first-year governance planning.

By the end of Phase II, participants have real governance in place — not just intention.

PHASE III — FINANCIAL INFRASTRUCTURE & INCORPORATION PREPARATION

October – December 2026

October 25, 2026
Month 7 — Budgeting, Banking & Internal Controls
12-month operating budget, cash flow projection, chart of accounts, banking setup, separation of duties, and written financial procedures.

November 29, 2026
Month 8 — Revenue Modeling, 3-Year Projections & Year-End Fundraising
Diversified revenue strategy, realistic 3-year projections, financial stress testing, and development of a year-end fundraising plan aligned to revenue targets (goal setting, segmentation, messaging timeline).

December 27, 2026
Month 9 — Incorporation Readiness & Form 1023 Preparation
Formal readiness review, board adoption of bylaws, narrative drafting, budget narrative preparation, and completion of incorporation documents.

By the end of Phase III, organizations know exactly how much must be raised — and are structurally prepared for the July/August 2027 filing window.

PHASE IV — DEVELOPMENT, TRUST & ACCOUNTABILITY

January – March 2027

January 31, 2027
Month 10 — Fundraising Systems & Donor Operations
Donor retention systems, acknowledgment standards (including $250+ compliance), grant pipeline tracking, CRM basics, and stewardship workflows.

February 28, 2027
Month 11 — Case for Support, Appeals & Communications
Compelling case writing, annual appeal drafting (email and letter), donor correspondence templates, website compliance disclosures, and 12-month communications planning.

March 28, 2027
Month 12 — Evaluation, Reporting & Public Accountability
KPIs, evaluation frameworks, reporting norms, transparency practices, and development of an annual impact reporting structure.

By the end of Phase IV, organizations can communicate clearly, fundraise responsibly, and report with integrity.

PHASE V — OPERATIONS, RISK & STABILIZATION

April – June 2027

April 25, 2027
Month 13 — Compliance, Insurance & Operational Infrastructure
Form 990 cycles, state filing renewals, record retention policies, insurance basics (D&O, general liability), contract overview, and technology systems.

May 30, 2027
Month 14 — Strategic Planning & Board Alignment
Year-one strategic plan, board retreat framework, financial oversight schedule, and risk register development.

June 27, 2027
Month 15 — Launch & First 90-Day Operating Plan
Public launch sequencing, fundraising runway, governance check-ins, and founder continuity planning.

By program completion, participants are not simply incorporated — they are prepared to operate.

July/August 2027

Formal Incorporation Filing Window

Organizations file when ready — with governance, budgets, projections, fundraising systems, and compliance structures already in place.