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 from Columbia University (Environmental Science & Policy) and a BA from Barnard College. 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.