Qaadirah Abdur-Rahim (Furture Foundateion CEO) was honored with the Bill Bolling Nonprofit Leader Award at a celebration honoring exceptional nonprofit charitable 501(c)(3) organizations in Metro Atlanta. Two hundred people who serve nonprofits as staff, advisors, and supporters gathered together at The Carter Center to applaud outstanding nonprofit organizations and pay tribute to Qaadirah’s unique brand of leadership and purpose. Qaadirah is a perfect fit because The Nonprofit Leader Award celebrates individuals who exercise original thinking about societal problems and utilize technology to do more good for people with the better, faster, smarter solutions available today. That perfectly describes Qaadirah and the team she’s assembled at Future Foundation.
Qaadirah is recognized for her authenticity, innovation, and effectiveness as a servant leader. Her collaborative approach as CEO of Future Foundation really unlocks purpose and ingenuity in those around her, resulting in higher performing fulfilled employees and more engaged volunteers,
says James Franklin, CEO of TechBridge.
Future Foundation empowers youth (and their families) through education with life skills and supportive networks to help them take steps up and out of poverty. Utilizing a proven model to identify program participants and community partners, the dynamic organization has achieved unprecedented community impact with its Theory of Change wherein its participants graduate from high school at a 100% rate — a statistic that far exceeds the average graduation rate for these communities.
Future Foundation has grown in leaps and bounds under Qaadirah’s active stewardship. Once a two-person team serving a dozen students, it was strategically built up by Qaadirah. Its current staff comprises 40 amazing people. She engaged more than 30 board members and raised $25+ million to service four locations serving more than 11,000 students. Qaadirah is also undertaking the herculean effort of expanding the organization’s work on a wider state level with an eye on national expansion. Working with the guidance of organizations like The Annie E. Casey Foundation, TechBridge, and others, Future Foundation is refining its model to realize greater potential.
