Ascend: Career and Financial Leadership
Interest Form
Ascend is an 11-week pilot cohort designed to empower Southern Arizona’s emerging nonprofit leaders with practical financial skills and strategic career development tools. Presented in collaboration with 3rd Decade and the Center for Healthy Nonprofits, this program helps participants thrive both personally and professionally.
Who Should Apply
- Ages 18–40 as of June 16, 2026
- Individual income $75,000 or less, or household income $150,000 or less
- Live in Southern Arizona
- Currently employed by a Southern Arizona nonprofit
Program Schedule
Sessions 1: Tuesday, June 16, 2026 | 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm | Community Foundation Campus
Topic: Self-Assessment and Communication
Session 2: Tuesday, June 23, 2026 | 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm | Community Foundation Campus
Topic: Leadership Development and Understanding the Nonprofit Sector
Session 3: Tuesday, June 30, 2026 | 5:30 pm – 6:45 pm | Zoom
Topic: Budgeting
Session 4: Tuesday, July 7, 2026 | 5:30 pm – 6:45 pm | Zoom
Topic: Avoiding and Reducing Debt
Session 5: Tuesday, July 14, 2026 | 5:30 pm – 6:45 pm | Zoom
Topic: Credit Scores and Income Taxes
Session 6: Tuesday, July 21, 2026 | 5:30 pm – 6:45 pm | Zoom
Topic: Housing
Session 7: Tuesday, July 28, 2026 | 5:30 pm – 6:45 pm | Zoom
Topic: Investing Basics (Part 1)
Session 8: Tuesday, Aug 4, 2026 | 5:30 pm – 6:45 pm | Zoom
Topic: Investing Basics (Part 2)
Session 9: Tuesday, Aug 11, 2026 | 5:30 pm – 6:45 pm | Zoom
Topic: Investing Incentives
Session 10: Tuesday, Aug 18, 2026 | 5:30 pm – 6:45 pm | Zoom
Topic: Insurance and End of Life Planning
Session 11: Tuesday, Aug 25, 2026 | 5:30 pm – 8:00 pm | Community Foundation Campus
Topic: Setting Career Goals
Graduation Celebration: Tuesday, Aug 25, 2026 | 7:30 pm – 8:00 pm | Community Foundation Campus
Application
Participation is limited to 30 people.
Deadline: Tuesday, June 9, 2026, or until the class is full.
Eligible applicants will receive the full 3rd Decade application. Cohort enrollment will be confirmed within one week of submitting the interest form.
Cost: Free
Interest Form
About the Center for Healthy Nonprofits
The Center for Healthy Nonprofits, an initiative of the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, supports the Southern Arizona nonprofit community by offering affordable capacity-building workshops and training. While nonprofit professionals, their boards of directors, and volunteers share a passion for their organizational mission, very few enter their nonprofit roles with the knowledge and experience needed to handle the diverse roles they must play. The Center is dedicated to fostering their growth through professional and organizational development in a collaborative, learning-focused environment. By addressing the challenges of limited resources, the Center aims to empower nonprofit leaders to achieve their missions effectively. Learn more at cfsaz.org/center
About 3rd Decade
Founded in 2019 out of frustration of the lack of financial education in the United States, 3rd Decade has been working to change financial futures starting now by providing relevant financial education for young adults, personalized mentoring services, financial workshops, resources, and a supportive community.
As a 501(c)3 national nonprofit, 3rd Decade is uniquely positioned to serve Millennials and Gen Z as they face everyday financial challenges. Rising student loan debt, high living costs, stagnant wages, a lack of financial knowledge, and much more are all significant financial hurdles that create a challenging path to economic stability.
Despite these obstacles, these generations are resilient and actively seek out financial education to navigate their financial journeys and pursue financial independence. That’s where 3rd Decade comes in.
The core 3rd Decade Program serves young adults ages 18-40. This “third decade” of life is the perfect time to build healthy financial habits, begin planning for financial futures, and build knowledge that leads to confident financial choices. Learn more at 3rddecade.org