Monique Jones
Forefront
United States
Monique is the President & CEO of Forefront; Illinois premier association for grantmakers and nonprofits creating a vibrant social impact sector to benefit all Illinoisans. She serves grantmakers, nonprofit leaders and consultants with a focus on infusing racial equity, public policy & advocacy and trust-based philanthropy into their work. Monique’s goal is to increase charitable giving and improve public policy to proactively support the work of community-based organizations in some of Illinois’s most divested communities. Monique seeks the support of the WLW to adapt her leadership skills for unknown and ambiguous expectations as her organization adjusts to the changing environment and pivots it’s operational model.
About
Me.
What is your story?
What drives your work?
My drive is fortified by spending my formative years in Little Rock, Arkansas and the last twenty in Chicago (where I was born). Growing up I was the youngest of four in the household and unfortunately lost both of my parents to health issues when I was 14 (father) & 17 (mother). Much of my life I've been an independent thinker & doer out of necessity with no true opportunity to think about the future, strategy or care for myself. My first management position came at 24 years old, and the trajectory of my career has always been based in my strength of being an independent thinker and doer.
I'm a mother of a teenager and a wife of a City of Chicago employee and we reside on the far southwest side of Chicago. My family values center around prioritizing family travel time and staying healthy. I'm a person living with Multiple Sclerosis and my daughter is a ballerina in the studio company at Ballet Chicago. We are a super busy family and thus we all HAVE TO stay healthy. These are the times! So what drives me is being present with my family. I strive to put everything I can into providing a legacy for my daughter, unlike my parents were able to do for me.
Early in my career, I wanted to save the world. Now, I settle for leaving everything I've engaged with better than I found it.
Describe your biggest strength as a leader
Resiliency has proven to be my biggest strength as a leader. Not knowing that I would rely on it so much, I've built a cadre of supports to lean on when I've felt overwhelmed or underappreciated in my role.
Describe your biggest challenge as a leader
My biggest challenge is staying engaged in the larger social impact sector around me. When challenges come my way, I tend to turn inward and concentrate on what's right in front of me and lose sight on the continuous investment that maintaining a network requires. I am challenged by oftentimes being the only Black Woman in many spaces, where in the past I felt comfortable in those spaces.
About the
Organization
and the Project.
Sector
Not-for-profit
Website
Vision & Mission
Our mission is to build a vibrant social impact sector for all the people of Illinois. We provide education, advocacy, and thought leadership, and facilitate collective action around issues that are important to our members and to the sector.
Year Founded
1974
No. of Employees
23
Years in the Organization
3.8 Years
Annual Budget (USD)
$3.000.000
Geographical Area Served
Illinois
Organizational /
Project Description
By April 2025:
•Reestablish the organization's business model, including revenue sources and staffing structure.
•Reestablish the CEO role to primary outward facing and engagement.
•Increase revenue in two key areas: Fiscal Sponsorship & Accounting Consulting Business.
Objectives:
•Create a Business Development position to lead increased revenue goals.
•Develop revenue generation work plans for fiscal sponsorship & consulting opportunities.
•Establish marketing & communications plans for increased revenue streams
Why is this project important and timely?
What is the target population of your project?
My organization is currently experiencing significant change, precipitated by staff turnover and grant revenue reduction. I’m tasked with leading the organization through this change with a focus on increasing our revenue, reducing turnover and realigning our work. The business model and resources need to be reimagined and the organization's value proposition has to be reevaluated. While the larger population who benefits from my organization are the people of Illinois, by way of nonprofit organizations and philanthropy who fund the work in communities, in immediate I’m trying to solve the problem of staff morale and investment in /commitment to the mission. My organization is currently experiencing significant change, precipitated by staff turnover and grant revenue reduction. I’m tasked with leading the organization through this change with a focus on increasing our revenue, reducing turnover and realigning our work. The business model and resources need to be reimagined and the organization's value proposition has to be reevaluated. While the larger population who benefits from my organization are the people of Illinois, by way of nonprofit organizations and philanthropy who fund the work in communities, in immediate I’m trying to solve the problem of staff morale and investment in /commitment to the mission.
How will you know that you have achieved that impact? What data will you use to assess your impact?
•The organization will see an increased revenue and update our budget by FY ‘25 Q4/FY’26 Q1
•Staff turnover rate will decrease
•Consulting business & fiscal sponsorship program will have an increased clientele
How do you anticipate this unique leadership education impacting you personally? What new skills are you hoping too develop & grow through this experience?
As often as I hear and understand transferable skills, I've really only thought about those skills as they relate to what additional things I can do INSIDE of my organization. I think this opportunity could help me process where my skills would be useful in other sectors and areas of business. I would appreciate the place and space to test this theory of transferable skills in places where am civically engaged or looking to transition to my final career stages.
Where would you like to see yourself professionally in the next 3 years?
I would like to see myself as a significant thought leader with opportunities to share my gifts on a larger scale. Whether it be public speaking, panel discussions, coaching or teaching in some way, I'd like to raise my platform to engage across the world.