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According to research conducted by the Bridgespan Group, Meyer Foundation and Annie E. Casey, there will be a significant deficit of executive leadership available to the nonprofit sector in the next decade. At least three out of four Executive Directors plan to leave their jobs within the next five years, and about half of current younger leaders plan to leave the sector altogether. In fact, over the past five years, the Nonprofit Roundtable has seen firsthand that about 15-20 percent of our member organizations experience leadership transitions each year.
So, where will our future nonprofit leadership come from? The Nonprofit Roundtable is committed to helping to develop the pool of motivated, well-trained professionals to take on the challenge of community-based nonprofit executive leadership. We envision that the Future Executive Directors Fellowship will help to bridge the nonprofit leadership gaps in the region by building a community of strong emerging leaders who are primed to lead, innovate and make a difference.
Program Structure and Components
The Future Executive Directors Fellowship is a nine-month program that begins with an intensive six-month series conducted over 11 days and concludes with three months of ongoing support facilitated by the Roundtable. We will utilize multiple adult learning methods, including the peer coaching and mentoring that emerging leaders have indicated is their most pressing need. The program combines six key elements to strengthen emerging leadership in the nonprofit community:
Visibility & Networking: Fellows will be exposed to a rich network of colleagues, current leaders, mentors, funders, and other experienced professionals. In addition, the Roundtable will provide multiple opportunities for increased visibility in the region’s nonprofit community.
Skills Development: Fellows will engage in intensive skill-building workshops designed to fast track their functional understanding of board management, finance, fundraising, communications, legal requirements, advocacy, human resources, and managing change.
Executive Director Modeling: Participants will have the opportunity to have candid conversations as a group with senior nonprofit leaders who are recognized as exceptional Executive Directors for the region’s nonprofit community. Sessions on the role of an Executive Director and work-life balance strategies will also be presented.
Advising & Peer Coaching: Participants will receive informal advice and support from seasoned nonprofit leaders during each month of the program. Peer coaching sessions will also be facilitated to help participants achieve personal leadership goals though the “stretch assignment.”
Mentoring: Fellows will learn how to identify and work with mentors. Throughout the program, we will facilitate the process of matching mentors with Fellows and expose Fellows to a pool of experienced nonprofit leaders from whom to learn in various ways.
Stretch Assignment: The capstone of the Fellowship is a personal stretch assignment that allows Fellows to customize and pursue a specific learning goal. (For example, a Fellow may take on a fundraising project to gain development experience or join a nonprofit board of directors to gain experience and perspective on boards.) Stretch assignments are to be completed by the end of the program and may be implemented within or outside the Fellows’ organizations.
Eligibility Requirements
The Future Executive Directors Fellowship will provide intensive leadership development and preparation to mid- and senior-level nonprofit professionals who:
- possess several years of nonprofit work experience;
- have managerial experience (which may include experience in the private or public sectors that is equivalent and directly transferable);
- indicate the intention to become a nonprofit Executive Director or CEO of a small to medium-sized community-based organization in Greater Washington as the next step in their career;
- possess many of the skills and attributes necessary to be a successful Executive Director and are aware of areas needing further development;
- and have the support of their current organizations.
In the pilot year, the Roundtable will select up to 25 Fellows. While preference will be given to members of the Roundtable, several slots will be available to applicants who are not currently working in member organizations. The fellowship class will likely include program managers, deputy directors, and other mid- and senior-level nonprofit professionals and will reflect the diversity of the region including, but not limited to: geography, race & ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, and religion.
How to Apply
Applications are due Friday, May 30, 2008. Interviews will be held in June 2008 and applicants will be notified of their acceptance into the program by mid-July 2008.
Components of the application include:
- Applicant & Organization Contact Information
- Leadership Readiness Narrative
- Letter of recommendation from Executive Director
- Additional reference
- Current resume
Applications will be competitively ranked based on commitment to becoming a nonprofit Executive Director or CEO; clarity of professional development goals; strength of Executive Director’s recommendation; strength of interview; and the match between needs, goals and the program components.
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