KBL Impact Partners Calls for Corporate Collaboration to Transform Social Leadership

KBL Impact Partners calls on corporations to join its cross-sector leadership movement, blending corporate development and nonprofit innovation into a shared model for sustainable impact.

/EIN News/ -- St. Louis, Missouri, April 29, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- KBL Impact Partners, a social impact consultancy, invites forward-thinking corporations to partner in a new leadership exchange model that can redefine the nonprofit and corporate sectors. This initiative seeks to bridge the worlds of the typically under-resourced but innovative nonprofit landscape and the resource-rich corporate sector striving for meaningful purpose and leadership development.

Since its establishment, KBL Impact Partners has helped nonprofits scale their operations, strengthen their funding strategies, and amplify their long-term community influence. Its mission is to urge organizations to scale their social impact and diversify funding by leveraging a proven model for sustainable growth.

Founders Kathy and Brad Lambert shaped this mission, leveraging a combined 50 years of leadership experience in building evidence-based programs that address social, economic, and workforce development challenges. Kathy’s journey began in 1997 when she founded Dress for Success Midwest. Brad, a former civil engineer, launched Wheels for Success in 1998 to provide transportation solutions for low-income families.

In 2001, the Lamberts combined their efforts to co-found Connections to Success, delivering workforce readiness, mentoring, and family support. After stepping away in 2021, they founded KBL Impact Partners to help nonprofits build capacity, secure sustainable funding, and form strategic partnerships.

“Kathy and I led a nonprofit for 23 years, so we know the gaps in this space,” says Brad. “What we’ve seen and heard from foundations and corporations is that nonprofits don’t have access to quality leadership training and organizational development. At the same time, corporate teams invest in these areas. So we asked ourselves: ‘What if we created a model where nonprofit and corporate leaders could train together, learning from each other and mentoring one another to strengthen both sectors?’”

Brad & Kathy Lambert

This question molded KBL Impact Partners’ goal of facilitating mutually beneficial partnerships between the corporate and nonprofit sectors. The model addresses the lack of genuine collaboration and communication between corporations seeking social impact and nonprofits striving for sustainability.

KBL Impact Partners brings this model to life through two core initiatives: the KBL Impact Leadership Academy and Voices of Impact. The Academy was developed in partnership with a company that offers a platform where corporate and nonprofit leaders engage in shared leadership development. Its goal is to develop top talent, deepen engagement, and align leadership goals with community impact.

Utilizing recognized nonprofit assessment tools, the Academy helps nonprofit organizations identify specific leadership and organization needs. In addition, through it, corporate leaders with similar development goals train alongside them, sharing expertise, learning from real-world nonprofit innovation, and participating in structured, skills-based volunteering.

Voices of Impact, a TV/radio show hosted by Brad and Kathy, is just as critical to KBL’s engagement strategy. It highlights underrepresented nonprofit leaders, showcases innovative solutions, and tells the real stories behind community transformation. With over 3 million viewers and listeners and growing, Voices of Impact provides corporate partners with a highly visible platform to amplify their commitment to purpose, equity, and leadership. It also opens the door to better partnerships by spotlighting how corporations and nonprofits can collaborate meaningfully.

The benefits are immense for corporate partners. Research shows that companies with strong Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives earn nearly 50% more in annual return premiums than their less socially responsible peers. In addition, 93% of employees believe businesses must lead with purpose. In fact, nearly 70% say they wouldn’t work for a company without one. These figures mean social leadership is essential in today’s workforce. Partnering with KBL Impact positions corporate brands as purpose-driven leaders committed to innovation, diversity, and meaningful impact.

Consequently, KBL supports nonprofits in becoming more agile, strategic, and sustainable. In nonprofit capacity-building, leadership and organization development are usually overlooked because of the lack of unrestricted funding. KBL’s model fills this void by helping nonprofits assess their organizational strengths and areas for growth and then aligning them with corporate partners who can support and engage in that process. This exchange delivers value to both sides through shared learning, leadership innovation, and co-created solutions.

“People don’t know how much nonprofits have to teach,” says Kathy. “They operate in high-stakes, resource-constrained environments where innovation is a survival mechanism. Those who want to be agile can learn from nonprofits because they’re like a wellspring of insight.”

Ultimately, KBL Impact Partners aims to redefine how corporations and nonprofits engage with each other, from being a benefactor and a beneficiary to co-creators of change. “When you go from transactional to transformational, the impact is personal,” says Kathy. “Leaders grow, communities evolve, and the partnership itself becomes a source of renewal and innovation for everyone involved.”

Media Contact

Name: KBL Impact Partners

Email: kathy@kblimpactpartners.com