Business Services:

Advance Cohort Program

The Advance Cohort Program is a ten-month, cohort-based learning experience designed for entrepreneurs, small business owners, and nonprofit leaders navigating shifts in federal, state, and local procurement and changing funding environments. The program integrates structured workshops, individualized coaching, applied assignments, and ecosystem mapping to strengthen internal systems, clarify growth strategies, and prepare organizations for long-term sustainability. Participants will also receive monthly coaching as part of their experience.

 Advance is grounded in Leadership Montgomery’s approach to community leadership, emphasizing a cross-sector perspective, reflective practice, and accountability for decisions that affect organizations, partners, and the broader ecosystem. 

The curriculum moves participants from assessment and strategic clarity to system strengthening, procurement readiness, and funding and financing strategies, culminating in a finalized strategic or business plan supported by peer learning and expert guidance. 

Cohort Fee: $50/ per person

Applications for the Advance Program are due March 17, 2026



About Advance

Session Topics:

Session 1: Launching Together: Orientation and Foundation

Session 2: Designing Your Path Forward

Session 3:  Build a Financial Backbone 

Session 4:  Strengthening Operations and Accountability

Session 5:  Storytelling and Reach

Session 6: Procurement Readiness and Policy Shifts

Session 7:  Expanding Impact and Partnerships

Session 8: Digital Transformation

Session 9:  Funding, Financing, and Resource Development

Session 10:  Program Completion and Plan Presentation 

Session Dates:

March 24, 2026

April 28, 2026

May 26, 2026

June 23, 2026

July 7, 2026

August 25, 2026

September, 29, 2026

October 27, 2026

November 24, 2026

December 15, 2026

Why Now 

Federal changes are having a cascading and rippling effect on how organizations operate, grow, and remain viable. For entrepreneurs, small businesses, and nonprofit leaders alike, this moment demands clear decisions about where to focus, which opportunities to pursue, and how to align strategy with capacity. 

Advance is designed to help participants make these decisions now, through strengthening systems, testing assumptions, and translating strategy into action. 

Who should Apply? 

Advance uses an applied, practitioner-led instructional model. Sessions emphasize 

• Decision-making under uncertainty 
• Practical tools and frameworks 
• Cross-sector peer learning is intentionally designed to surface different assumptions, constraints, and decision logics across business, nonprofit, and public-sector environments. 
• Integration across strategy, finance, operations, procurement, and resource development 

Participants are expected to actively engage, complete assignments between sessions, and contribute to the cohort’s collective learning. 

Participant Outcomes 

Upon completion of this course, a participant will be able to: 

• Analyze their organization’s current business or operating model and identify risks and opportunities related to procurement and funding shifts 
• Strengthen financial, operational, and compliance systems that support stability and growth 
• Assess procurement readiness and identify appropriate federal, state, or local opportunities 
• Develop partnerships and strategic alliances to support expansion and resilience 
• Articulate a clear growth or sustainability strategy grounded in data and market realities 
• Leverage Montgomery County’s business and nonprofit ecosystem more effectively 
• Present a cohesive strategic or business plan aligned with near- and mid-term goals