Every great passion begins with a story. For Jacqueline Jones, her passion began in the small town of San Angelo, Texas. As a young girl, ministry was always a theme in her life. When her father took on the role of pastor at their local church, she and her entire family came alongside him in his ministry. Jones began doing administrative work in the church and found that it came naturally for her. Little did she know that this was the beginning of the professional story God was writing in her life.
Because of her love for working with people, Jones pursued a bachelor in psychology. She graduated from Angelo State University and immediately got to work in the world of service. She worked in child protective services with the dream of helping young people experience a better life. Then, she transitioned into working at a girls’ home that aimed to help young women aging out of the foster care system.
“I loved my time working with this organization,” she shared. “They provided so many services for these sweet girls. Being part of that was a beautiful experience!”
Before she knew it, Jones had fallen in love with working with nonprofits. When she and her husband moved to Amarillo, Texas, they took over a church and ministry center that was not incorporated. So, they both dove headfirst into the legal logistics of what it takes to make a nonprofit legitimate!
“It showed me all the things that go into the behind-the-scenes of a nonprofit,” she shares. “I quickly realized there was so much more to it than we see at the surface.”
Jones found a passion for getting ministries up and going and creating outreach strategies for nonprofits to grow and thrive. She grew to love the process of incorporating organizations so that they could benefit from the many grants available to them. She is in the process of working with a consultant agency to establish a nonprofit organization called IMPACT to make this passion a career! Jones knew it would be helpful to pursue a masters in nonprofit management in order to help other organizations thrive at full capacity.
“That’s when I found Grace College Online,” said Jones. “The online masters in nonprofit degree worked well with my schedule. Most professionals opt for the online programs so that they can work at their own pace. As a mother of two and full-time employee, I found this schedule to be a necessity for me!”
While still in school, Jones was able to put her masters in nonprofit management to use when she saw inefficiencies in the nonprofits around her. Jones realized that there are many philanthropists that want to give to nonprofits, but so many organizations are not prepared to receive the gifts.
“I wanted to help nonprofit organizations with the legal side of becoming incorporated so that they could begin to receive the funds that are out there.”
In addition to creating outreach strategies for nonprofits, assisting with organizational structure, and writing grants, Jones stays busy as the CFO of her church, where she provides funding assistance for low-income families to obtain affordable housing, employment, and financial literacy. According to Jones, her church, Refreshing Springs Christian Center, is aptly named.
“God’s word says that Jesus will provide us with refreshment,” reflected Jones. “God is on the move, and it is important that we are ready to respond to His call!”
As Jones has discovered, passion ignites ministry. Her passion to see people succeed no matter their situation or background is what motivates her to give her best each day. And without a doubt, Jones knows that her nonprofit management degree paved the way for her to live out her passion.
“I recommend a degree in nonprofit management to anyone who wants to produce something that can help people around you,” she shares. “Move forward with your passion!”
Do you have a dream to help others succeed? Does developing outreach strategies for nonprofits excite you? An online masters in nonprofit management may be perfect for you. Move forward with your passion today!
