New VPs of Color at the Kellogg Foundation

Last week, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation signaled a wave of change in “encouraging a more holistic problem-solving thought process” by announcing three new VPs, two of which are African-American: Gail Christopher and Greg Taylor. This is very good news for the future of Kellogg’s programmatic grantmaking, especially as a foundation whose funding areas include “exploring learning opportunities in leadership, information and communication technology, capitalizing on diversity, and social and economic community development”. I’m excited to see the insight these leaders will bring, specifically given Gail’s expertise in health-related issues, and Greg’s focus on youth development, two important areas for communities of color around the country. Kudos to Gail, Greg, and the Kellogg Foundation!


About Gail Christopher:

Christopher currently is vice president of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies’ Office of Health, Women and Families in Washington, D.C. She directs the Joint Center Health Policy Institute, a multi-year initiative created to engage underserved, racial, and ethnic minorities in health policy discussions. Previously, she was guest scholar in the Governance Studies Department at The Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., and executive director of the Institute for Government Innovation at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Christopher received a doctor of naprapathy degree from the Chicago National College of Naprapathy in Illinois and completed advanced study in the interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in holistic health and clinical nutrition at the Union for Experimenting Colleges and Universities at Union Graduate School of Cincinnati, Ohio.


About Greg Taylor:

Taylor joined the Kellogg Foundation in 2003 as a program director in Youth and Education. In that role, Greg was responsible for the design, planning, and management of programs related to the Foundation’s efforts to align community systems that increase learning outcomes for vulnerable young people. His most notable work includes serving as the national director of the Foundation’s Supporting Partnerships to Assure Ready Kids Initiative (SPARK) and co-leading the conceptualization, planning and implementation of the New Options for Youth Initiative – a Foundation funded program designed to create viable education and employment options for out-of-school youth.

Prior to that, he was the senior director and chief program officer at the Fannie Mae Foundation in Washington, D.C. Taylor received his doctor of jurisprudence degree from Indiana University School of Law in Bloomington and his bachelor of arts degree in political science and urban affairs from Hunter College, City University of New York.

The Leaders The Nonprofit Sector Has Been Waiting For

Many nonprofit colleagues my age are reluctant to call themselves leaders, even though many of them bring brilliant, innovative ideas to their organizations, organize support systems and professional networks within the nonprofit sector, and work tirelessly to create change for their communities. So I'm always on the lookout for inspiring definitions and examples of leadership that apply to young nonprofit employees. I recently came across a brief piece by Elise Roaf over at Communications Leadership, called "The leaders we need are already here". The title of the post comes from Meg Wheatley's idea that leadership emerges from within organizations, not without. And Meg's definition is simple. A leader is "anyone who wants to help, who is willing to step forward to make a difference in the world". Wow. I strongly suspect that applies to all of us do-gooders who took the paycut plunge into the nonprofit sector to make this world a better place. Elise expands the definition of leadership even further:

"Today’s leaders can emerge from any part of an organization. Rather than being given the title, leaders choose for themselves to make a difference and take action to do so. They see themselves not as experts but as learners. Rather than focusing on heroism and control they focus on enabling others to succeed."

For me, and hopefully many of my younger colleagues, this is an inspiring idea. The concepts of "stepping forward and taking action" are things we do every day. We see a problem or issue that needs to be solved - not with a band-aid, but with a strategic plan of action - and we hunker down until we get it right. Not because we're showered with praise from our executive directors, or rewarded with huge raises, but because it needs to be done. As the famous African American poet Nikki Giovanni has said:

"Sometimes we must do things not because we have a need for them, but because it is the right thing to do."

We do ourselves (and the nonprofit sector) a disservice by shrinking, by attributing each act of important change to our bosses, our boards of directors, our own dumb luck. We are the receptionists, administrative assistants, program associates, junior-level directors who work late into the night, digging in our heels to do the work of the public good. We are the ones who will enable the sector to grow and thrive and get better in the next decade of leadership transition. Are we ready to step up and take action? Let's get ready.

We are the leaders the nonprofit sector has been waiting for.

Quote of the Day

"The significant problems we have cannot be solved at the same level of thinking with which we created them." - Albert Einstein

The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University

Next month, I will be taking a course at The Fundraising School at The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University. The program came highly recommended from a group of fundraising colleagues I meet with every other month. The only program of its kind, the School focuses on the art and science of fundraising and philanthropy. If you want to learn from the best, this would definitely be the place to do it.

About the Center:

The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University was established in 1987 as a department of the university. The Center is located on the Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) campus. The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University’s mission is to increase the understanding of philanthropy, improve its practice, and enhance participation in it through programs in knowledge creation and dissemination and education and training for engaged community volunteers, donors, practitioners, and scholars. Through its leadership in the field of philanthropic and nonprofit studies and its outreach programs, the Center helps develop generous and engaged citizens and societies worldwide in which voluntary action and philanthropy for the common good are a part of the fabric of life.

Leadership Spotlight: Meet Van Jones, Ella Baker Center for Human Rights

"There is another way to do politics and that is what we are trying to find our way towards. It's a politics of hope and solidarity and inclusion that is constantly looking for ways to expand the circle and include more people in solving the problems, and I think that our way works better."
- Van Jones, Founder of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights

Meet Van Jones, a young changemaker of color in Oakland, California. Right now, Van's nonprofit is working with Congress to get a Clean Energy Jobs Bill passed to provide hundreds of millions of dollars to community colleges, vocational colleges and high schools, to start training young people up in the new green, clean economy. The idea is that by creating a "Green Jobs Corp", and opportunities for young people to obtain "green collar jobs" involved in making California (and the rest of the country) more ecologically sustainable, we can help reduce the cycle of poverty and save our environment at the same time, especially in communities of color.

"...it is that quality of real reverence for life that will keep you from shooting somebody in the neighborhood, or that will keep you from destroying the planet environmentally based on your consumer choices. That ability to stand in awe and reverence for what a precious gift it is, just to be alive, and just to share this planet with so many other beautiful sister and brother species and nations and neighborhoods. Just that quality of reverence, that is really the gateway through which we can begin to rediscover our capacity to do good."

I hope you are as inspired as I was when I read Britt Bravo's recent interview with Van on her blog, Have Fun, Do Good. He shares with Britt about his work and success with the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, as well as insight into his growth as a leader and founder/executive director.

"It's a feeling of pride that you have when you start something. The Ella Baker Center was just a scribble in my notebook, and then Diana and I got a borrowed closet, literally, from a not-for-profit, and pulled out the shelves and stuck a desk in there, and ten-and-a-half years later we've got 24 people on staff and a 1.6 or 1.7 million dollar budget, and six attorneys, and a new ED. So, it's pretty exciting."

Read the entire interview here.

About Van:

Van Jones is working to combine solutions to America’s two biggest problems: social inequality and environmental destruction. In 1996, Van founded the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights. Named for an unsung civil rights heroine, the Center promotes alternatives to violence and incarceration. As an advocate for the toughest urban constituencies and causes, Van has won many honors. These include the 1998 Reebok International Human Rights Award, the international Ashoka Fellowship, selection as a World Economic Forum "Young Global Leader," and the Rockefeller Foundation "Next Generation Leadership" Fellowship. Van is also a national environmental leader, having served on the boards the National Apollo Alliance, Social Ventures Network, Rainforest Action Network, Bioneers and Julia Butterfly Hill’s “Circle of Life” organization. Van’s dual roles have given him a unique perspective on the country’s problems – and its potential solutions. He is calling for green economic development for urban America. The City of Oakland has adopted the Ella Baker Center's "Green Jobs Corps" proposal, which will train youth for eco-friendly “green-collar jobs.” Now Van is pushing to create the first-ever Green Enterprise Zone, to attract environmentally-sound industry to Oakland.A 1993 Yale Law graduate, he is also a husband and father. A rising star, Van champions the most hopeful solutions to America's toughest challenges.

Closing the Nonprofit Leadership Gap: What Have You Done Lately?

Is this not cause for more alarm? The nonprofit sector is on the verge of experiencing what many are calling a “leadership deficit.” To cite a recent Bridgespan Group report, by 2016 the sector will need to attract a whopping 640,000 new senior executives to step up and take charge of the nonprofit landscape, which is 2.4 times the number currently employed. Are we really going to be able to meet this need, especially with competition from corporate and government salaries? And shouldn’t we be focused on developing the leaders we already have in the sector instead of trying to attract 640,000 new ones? It is apparent that in order for the sector to be able to attract and retain good leadership, we will need to put a lot more focus on developing nonprofit leaders. In short, it is becoming increasingly more important to build the capacity of nonprofit staff internally so that nonprofits have an adequate “pipeline” of employees prepared to fill vacant leadership positions in the coming years.

Both the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network recent survey results and an article in the Philadelphia Inquirer confirm what may be the nonprofit sector’s worst fears: there will be no one to replace most of the dynamic nonprofit leaders that will be leaving their organizations in the next three, five, ten years. As you absorb this alarming news and look wildly for cover around your nonprofit office, you might wonder if there’s anything anyone can do at this point, or are we to just face the fact that many essential nonprofits will have to close their doors for a severe lack of leadership? Like the hero in a bad movie might proclaim: No fear my dear, the answer lies within.

Pop icon Janet Jackson had a hit in the ‘80s with a catchy song titled: “What Have You Done For Me Lately?” To paraphrase Janet’s provocative question for today’s nonprofit executive directors nearing retirement: what have you done for your younger employees lately? What actions are you taking to ensure that other positions within your organization are getting the right leadership development opportunities so they can take over when you are gone? It’s clear that the shortage of leaders available to step into executive director roles is not going to fix itself. Therefore nonprofits need to be proactive in preparing their younger workforce to take the reigns. But how? There are several actions that executive directors can take right now to develop leadership within current staff:

• Provide mentoring opportunities to younger employees through your colleagues or board members. Allow work time to be used for mentoring sessions monthly or quarterly.
  
• Allow junior employees tangible leadership opportunities such as leading a meeting, managing an important project from start to finish, or supervising an intern or volunteer
  
• Encourage all staff to pursue learning opportunities outside of their job description – executive directors need to know each piece of the organization, so let your staff learn, too
  
• Involve staff in major decisionmaking, such as your organization’s strategic planning process or preparation for an important board meeting
  
• Encourage all staff to serve on other nonprofit boards

Don’t be afraid to give your staff room to shine! It can only benefit the organization in the long run when you are ready to retire and add leaders to the pool the sector will need in the coming years.

Speaking Calendar

July 23-25, 2008: AFP/DMAW Bridge Conference, DC. Workshop Presenter, "Take Back Your 9-5: Leading Beyond the Development Office"

June 9-10, 2008: Minnesota Council of Nonprofits, St. Paul. Plenary Speaker, "Nonprofit Leadership Summit: The Future of Nonprofit Leadership"

June 2, 2008: Nonprofit Congress, DC. Facilitator, "Trying it On - An Intergenerational Conversation Exercise"

May 31, 2008: Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital, Howard University, DC. Keynote Speaker, “Your Turn to Lead” Girl Scout Overnight

May 6, 2008: Georgia Nonprofit Summit, Atlanta. Panel Speaker, "Generation Y at Work: Forces Shaping the Future Nonprofit Workforce and Workplace"

April 23, 2008: Social Action and Leadership School for Activists (S.A.L.S.A), DC. Instructor, "From Entry Level to Leadership"

April 19,2008: WeLEAD, Women & Politics Institute, American University, DC. Speaker, "Minority Women in Politics and Leadership"

April 4, 2008: Panel Speaker, Next Wave Action Summit, Howard University, DC.

April 2, 2008: Massachusetts Council of Human Service Providers, Boston. Keynote Speaker, Annual Meeting. "Work With Me: Preparing the Next Generation of Leaders."

March 26, 2008: Ubuntu Village & Emergence Community Arts Collective, DC. Trainer, "Developing a Clear and Compelling Mission"

February 19, 2008: Words, Beats & Life, Inc., DC. Trainer,"How to Make the Ask - the Right Way"

February 13, 2008: Capitol Hill Rotaract Club, DC. Speaker, "Leading Where You Are Called"

September 26, 2007: Panel Speaker, Who's Got Next? Addressing the Leadership Crisis Among African-American Organizations

About Rosetta

Rosetta Thurman is an emerging nonprofit leader of color working and living in the Washington, DC area. She grew up in the public housing projects of Cleveland, Ohio, and if it weren't for the nonprofits in her community who helped her family in times of need, she doesn't know where she would be today. Given her own experience, Rosetta believes that change is possible, no matter what the situation. Rosetta came to the nonprofit sector to be a part of that change.

Rosetta currently serves as Director of Development and Special Programs at the Nonprofit Roundtable of Greater Washington where she leads fundraising to support a $1.5M budget as well as manages leadership development programs such as the Future Executive Directors Fellowship. She is also the Principal Consultant of Thurman Consulting, working with nonprofits to increase their leadership and management capacity. In addition to her work as a nonprofit practitioner, Rosetta serves as an adjunct professor teaching nonprofit management in the School of Professional Studies at Trinity University in DC. She is a creative, dynamic management professional who has been working in the nonprofit community for over six years with extensive training and experience in fundraising, human resources, financial management, writing and communications, strategic planning, and education/training for nonprofit managers and staff. She has worked in nonprofits within the fields of historic preservation, youth development, technical assistance and associations including: Landmark Resource Center, Alliance to Conserve Old Richmond Neighborhoods, United Way of America, and Fair Chance.

Rosetta holds a Master's Degree in Nonprofit Management from Trinity University and a Bachelor’s Degree in English from Virginia Commonwealth University. She has also completed advanced training programs at The Fundraising School at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University and the Institute for Nonprofit Management at Columbia Business School. Rosetta is an active member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and is Co-Coordinator of DC Fundraisers. She currently serves on three nonprofit boards – DC Young Nonprofit Professionals Network, DC Central Kitchen and the DC Creative Writing Workshop.

Rosetta is a prolific writer, speaker, trainer, and consultant and has been quoted in articles about the nonprofit sector in the Washington Post, Nonprofit Quarterly, and the Chronicle of Philanthropy. She writes about nonprofit leadership and management to share resources and ideas that might inspire and help others in their work. Her goal is to bridge the gap between challenges and solutions within the nonprofit sector, especially as they relate to the younger workforce and nonprofit leaders of color. As a member of the next generation of nonprofit leaders, Rosetta sees firsthand the challenges for our sector as well as many new ideas for solving them.

If you're wondering where to get started in reading this blog, here are some postings on topics Rosetta writes about frequently that may interest you:

• Nonprofit Leadership
• The Next Generation of Nonprofit Leadership
• Fundraising and Philanthropy
• Professional Development
• Nonprofit Management
• Organizational Change
• Leaders of Color
• Diversity and Race and Class Issues

When Rosetta isn't working or blogging, you can find her eating lots of ice cream, writing poetry, and dancing under the sun.

Email Rosetta at rosettathurman@gmail.com. She doesn't bite, honest.

About This Blog

I started Perspectives From the Pipeline as a learning experience for me as a young nonprofit professional to formulate my thoughts about the nonprofit sector. As a member of the "next generation" of nonprofit leaders, or as someone who is in that "leadership pipeline" of the next wave of the nonprofit workforce, I see many challenges for our sector as well as many new ideas for solving them. Unfortunately, when people my age speak up, few people listen. So this blog gives me a way to speak to the issues I care about in the hopes that they also speak to someone else. I write in this space about nonprofit leadership and organizational issues as well as share resources and ideas that might inspire and help others in their work. My goal is to bridge the gap between challenges and solutions within the nonprofit sector, especially as they relate to the younger workforce and nonprofit leaders of color.

If you're wondering where to get started in reading this blog, here are some postings on topics I write about frequently that may interest you:

• Nonprofit Leadership
• The Next Generation of Nonprofit Leadership
• Fundraising and Philanthropy
• Professional Development
• Nonprofit Management
• Organizational Change
• Leaders of Color
• Diversity and Race and Class Issues

I also maintain a Nonprofit Management wiki that features nonprofit management resources on the web as well as a plethora of nonprofit professional development opportunities. Feedback is always welcome! Email me at rosettathurman@gmail.com.