The Community Leadership Project

Spring 2012

This year is an exciting period for the Community Leadership Project as the accomplishments of our community grantees become increasingly visible. We are pleased to share a mid-term evaluation report with you, which documents the early outcomes of our $10 million funding partnership to increase the effectiveness of small and midsize nonprofits working to benefit low-income people and communities of color in three important California regions – the San Francisco Bay Area, Central Coast and San Joaquin Valley.

Evaluation by Social Policy Research Associates
and Leadership Learning Community

With funding from the Community Leadership Project (and with the help of talented intermediary organizations), more than 100 community organizations have strengthened their operations in a variety of ways that will have benefits for the people they serve. An additional 500 organizations and staff have learned new management and/or financial skills and enhanced their leadership abilities.

Behind every number lies an interesting story about activities, accomplishments, challenges and surprises. The evaluation begins to tell these stories and provides us with a compelling view of the assets, competencies and struggles of small organizations that are deeply rooted in low-income communities and communities of color.

The evaluation also examines the design and implementation of the Community Leadership Project. It offers specific recommendations about how we might increase the project’s impact, and provides a story of how the project has impacted work at each of our foundations. We believe these considerations are relevant to all funders interested in effective principles and approaches for building capacity in low-income communities and communities of color.

We invite you to explore the evaluation report and this website to learn more about the Community Leadership Project, and we enthusiastically welcome your thoughts and feedback.

Sincerely,

Kathy Reich, Director of Organizational Effectiveness Grantmaking, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Anne Vally, Senior Program Officer, Special Initiatives, The James Irvine Foundation
John E. McGuirk, Director of Performing Arts Program, The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation

Latest Updates & Resources

• FAMILIES IN SCHOOLS: REQUST FOR PROPOSALS

  
  Families In Schools, in partnership with First 5 LA, is releasing a Request for Proposals (RFP) to strengthen nonprofit organizations in Los Angeles County that serve children from birth through age 5 and their families. The Social Enterprise Grants Program combines grants with technical assistance to help organizations diversify their funding. A total of $350,000 will be granted to seven organizations. A Webinar Information Session will be held on May 22, and a Community Information Session is scheduled for May 31 in Los Angeles. Deadline for proposal submission is June 29, 2012. For more information, visit http://www.familiesinschools.org/social-enterprise-grants-program.

• APPLICATIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR UPCOMING LEAD INSTITUTE

  
  The Community Foundation for Monterey County is accepting applications for the 2012–2013 Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) Institute. LEAD consists of monthly seminars, peer and leadership coaching, applied learning in the workplace, and personal and professional goal setting. Nonprofit managers serving Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz counties are encouraged to apply. Early-bird application deadline is April 30, and the final deadline is May 30. Visit cmfco.org to download an application or for additional information.

• THREE NEW FINANCIAL LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS AVAILABLE

  
  The Nonprofit Finance Fund will host the Financial Leadership Clinic, a two-day workshop that will include follow-on individual consulting for participating agencies. Three workshops will be held in the Central Valley in spring and summer 2012. For application information, contact
  Emily Upstill at (415) 255-4849 or emily.upstill@nffusa.org.

• APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR ADAPTIVE CAPACITY TRAINING

  
  Families In Schools is accepting applications for the Adaptive Capacity Technical Assistance and Peer Learning Project. This year-long capacity-building initiative will use the concept of adaptive capacity—a nonprofit’s ability to learn and apply organizational development skills—to improve programs and services. Up to 15 organizations will be accepted. Nonprofits located in the San Joaquin Valley that work in the areas of education, youth, children or families are encouraged to apply. Contact Melyora Trujillo at (213) 201-3913
  or via email.

• ETHNIC LEADERSHIP CLASS ANNOUNCED

  
  The Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits is pleased to announce its second Ethnic Leadership Class. This program to build, strengthen and empower the leadership of ethnically-led organizations is focused on executive leadership development, board development and recruitment, long term fundraising strategies, networking and advocacy. It runs from July 2011 through spring 2012, and will be facilitated and led by Teresa Alvarado, the first executive director of the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley. For more information, including a complete list of the nine 2011–2012 participants, contact Patricia Gardener at patriciag@svcn.org.