Mission Forward, LLC was founded in 2022 by Jeff Burkhart to help non-profit organizations thrive based on more than 20 years of experience in organizational development.
Mission: To help donors and organizations support their communities and create a better world.
Vision: a thriving and sustainable world for humanity and other living things.
Our world faces major environmental, political and cultural challenges in the years ahead. Mission Forward brings expertise in strategy and fundraising to organizations with the courage, heart and passion to take on these challenges and make the world better.
Jeff works with organizations that are brave and invested in the work. He delivers practical tools to organizations who are committed to and live up to the highest standards and best practices.
Ultimately, he works with leaders who find joy in what they do and helps them move their mission forward.
About Jeff Burkhart, CFRE, MS, Founder of Mission Forward
Jeff Burkhart has more than 20 years of professional leadership experience in government and non-profit organizations.
For 14+ years, Jeff led an amazing team that develops and delivers high-quality programs for adult learners at Literacy Network. He decided to open the door to the next generation of leaders at Literacy Network, and left his position in mid-December 2022. He started Mission Forward to help nonprofits and donors create a better world.
Jeff specializes in strategic organizational development planning, executive leadership training and coaching, campaign and giving assessment, board development, and capacity building.
Over the years, he learned from a lot of talented and creative people about organizational development, and has put his learning into practice. Here are a few of the areas in which Literacy Network has developed:
Internal collaboration through creative thinking. Literacy Network’s team successfully navigated the challenges of COVID-19, helping hundreds of students connect to the basic resources they need to survive and at the same facilitating remote learning opportunities. The team was able to maintain programs through a high level of collaboration.
Building a positive staff and volunteer culture. The management team is continually building a positive and supportive organizational culture that helps all staff thrive in their roles. Literacy Network was named one of the best places to work by Madison Magazine in 2017 and 2020. Employee engagement scores placed them among the top three organizations of their size in the Madison area in 2020.
Cultivating best practices and donor confidence. For the last few years, Literacy Network has been named a Top Nonprofit from GreatNonprofits.org and earned the 2022 GuideStar Platinum Seal of Transparency. In 2022, they were certified by the BBB Wise Giving Alliance. They are also one of only 15 organizations worldwide to receive the 2022 Library of Congress literacy award.
Increasing impact. Hundreds of donors contributed to their successful $3 million capital campaign to purchase and renovate a new learning center in the heart of South Madison, where services are most needed. They also expanded student services and educational programming, built an endowment for operational needs and increased sustainability for programs.
Creating connection to support our community. Literacy Network has built strong community partnerships that make a significant impact on the lives of students and their families. Partners include UW Madison, Madison Public Libraries, Madison College, multiple school districts, health care systems, and more.
