Ladies of Virtue

Since founding Ladies of Virtue in 2011, CEO Jamila Trimuel has often shared success stories of the Black girls her nonprofit has mentored. But for years, she hoped to back those stories with comprehensive data demonstrating the organization’s long-term impact.

That opportunity arrived through IGNITE, a nine-month program designed to equip nonprofit leaders serving Chicago communities with business skills, strategic coaching and peer support. IGNITE is a free program offered by the Golub Capital Social Impact Lab at Chicago Booth’s Rustandy Center for Social Sector Innovation, in partnership with the Chicago Urban League. Ladies of Virtue was one of eight nonprofits selected for the 2025 cohort, along with Bright Star Community Outreach, Chicago Lights, EMMAUS, Greenwood Project, Kehrein Center for the Arts Foundation, Lighthouse Foundation of Chicagoland and The Night Ministry.

Trimuel is already applying lessons from the program. She hired a data consultant to help develop an organizational dashboard to track key metrics in finance, operations and program outcomes. She expects it will improve how her team monitors and presents impact data to the board and staff. 

“I’ve always shared our impact through individual stories and separate data points, but now we’ll have a cohesive snapshot that shows our progress across the entire organization,” said Trimuel. “This dashboard will help us clearly identify where we’re growing and where we need to improve so we can make more informed decisions and drive lasting change.”

For Trimuel, one of the most valuable components of IGNITE was the opportunity to participate along with two members of her leadership team. “It allowed them to take a deeper dive into their own roles—and to see how their roles impact the entire organization,” she said. 

Ladies of Virtue is a $1.8 million nonprofit that provides mentorship, college and career readiness programs, and mental health support to Black girls. In 2024, nearly 650 girls enrolled in the leadership program, many of whom were paired with a dedicated mentor, while others participated in group mentoring settings. An additional 2,500 young women and girls took part in outreach initiatives such as mental health summits, health and wellness conferences, back to school events, and more.

Trimuel was inspired to start the organization by the confidence instilled in her as a child. “My dad would frequently say to me: ‘You’re an African girl. You can do anything you put your mind to.’”
Growing up, she assumed her friends heard similar messages—until high school, when she began to see some of them take a downward turn. “That’s when I realized that having these positive role models—whether they’re a parent, a teacher or a mentor—can literally change the trajectory of your life,” she said.

Meeting the leaders of other impactful nonprofits led to an unexpected collaboration for Ladies of Virtue. After connecting with the leadership team at the Kehrein Center for the Arts Foundation, the two organizations applied for—and were recently awarded—a joint grant from Mielle Cares, which supports youth mental wellness programs. 
IGNITE sessions on fundraising strategy and donor engagement were especially informative, Trimuel added. Participating nonprofits presented case studies highlighting what was – and wasn’t – working in their fundraising efforts.

For Ashley Jones, director of operations for Ladies of Virtue, the fundraising sessions proved particularly valuable in honing her skills in soliciting support with clarity and professionalism.
In one workshop focused on refining elevator pitches, the Ladies of Virtue team received direct feedback from funders on what resonated and how their message could be strengthened.
“The pitch practice helped us sharpen our storytelling and refine our key messages,” Jones said. “We gained experience in sharing personal stories and impact examples that connect emotionally with an audience.”

Added Trimuel: “All of those learnings have truly been a game changer and instrumental for our organization.”

Now, IGNITE is getting ready to welcome the 2026 cohort, expanding the program’s network and strengthening a new group of nonprofit leaders.