“ If you don't like the way the world is, you change it. You have an obligation to change it. You just do it one step at a time.”
- Marian Wright Edelman
Monday, September 29, 2008
Quote of the Day
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Nonprofit Times Editor Responds
I wrote a letter to the Nonprofit Times yesterday expressing my disappointment that their very prestigious Nonprofit Times Top 50 Power and Influence list for 2008 included so few nonprofit leaders of color and did not reflect the racial diversity of our nonprofit community. The NPT's Vice President/Editorial Director Paul Clolery was kind enough to respond and briefly shed some light on the selection process the NPT employs:
Emmett, Marc and Janet were previously honored. And, based on your statistics below, the make-up of the 50 is in line with senior management at charities. We don't do this in the dark. A diverse group of executives makes nominations. You also have several people on your list who's CEOs did make the list. You might want to look at the past several lists.
This was my response to Paul. I suggested whether the NPT might consider opening up the nominations process next year so the selections committee could choose from a more diverse pool of leaders for the 2009 list. If YOU have other suggestions for helping the Nonprofit Times' express the multiculturalism of our sector in its pages, please send an email to Paul at: ednchief@nptimes.com or call him at: (973) 401-0202 Ext 211
Hello Paul,
Thank you very much for your response. I did have a chance to review the previous Nonprofit Times Top 50 Power and Influence lists prior to sending my letter to you. And what was very clear to me, and to many others in our nonprofit community, is that across the board, there have been very, very few people of color recognized by your publication in relation to the actual makeup of our sector. Just to clarify the statistics that I shared - if in fact your list were in line with the trends in senor management of color in charities, this year's list would have included at least 7-9 people of color. But it did not.
I understand that a nomination committee helps the NPT to make these decisions. But as a widely respected authority on our sector, ultimately, we would expect to see a committment to diversity from the NPT within your pages. Because if you just look at the numbers alone, there is a real disconnect between who we see reflected on your Top 50 list and the kind of leadership we really and truly represent as a nonprofit community across the country. But more important is getting beyond the numbers, and the NPT is certainly a medium to express the values we hold in our sector of diversity and inclusion.
In light of my comments, I would like to know whether you and the NPT will consider a more open nomination process to decide next year's Nonprofit Times Top 50 Power and Influence? By engaging an even more diverse group of executives to select who will receive this prestigious honor, I believe we could be on the right track to see more leaders of color in your publication next year.
I appreciate your taking the time to read my comments, and would like to share a positive outcome with my blog readers if you have thoughts.
In the spirit of inclusion,
Rosetta Thurman
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Letter to John D. McIlquham, Publisher of the Nonprofit Times and the 2008 Power & Influence Top 50
Heather Carpenter's list of next generation leaders inspired me last week. But when I saw the official Nonprofit Times Power & Influence Top 50, I got so riled up that I wrote a letter to the publisher. There were barely any people of color on that list, and I feel that it is really time for us to start pointing that out when we see it, instead of just saying "well, that's the way it is." Below is the letter I emailed to John McIlquham, the publisher of the Nonprofit Times. Hopefully he will write me back.
In the meantime, please help me add to my list in the comments, so we can all learn from each other about the depth of multicultural leadership in our sector. How do we pay this forward so that we can begin to build a culture of honoring contributions from people of color in the nonprofit field?
Dear John,
Like my colleagues in the nonprofit field, I am an avid reader of The NonProfit Times, as the "premier business publication written for nonprofit executives." As your website notes, the NonProfit Times reaches 38,000 executive decision makers, and we all appreciate the timely information that is presented in each issue. That is why it shocked me to see that this year's Nonprofit Times Power & Influence Top 50 included so few leaders of color in a list of 50 influential people in our sector. I was very disappointed that your publication did not reflect the racial diversity of nonprofit leadership. From looking at your list, one might be inclined to think there aren't really any minorities leading in the nonprofit sector. But you would be wrong.
Recent studies show that: people of color represent 18% of nonprofit CEOs and 14% of board leadership.
As a nonprofit community, I think it fits within our values to recognize the deep talent and contributions that people of color are making in our field. I have only worked in nonprofits for six years, and I am aware of way more than 50 leaders of color that are leading the way for social change and making an impact on our sector overall.
I hope to be helpful in my remarks to you in the hopes that we will see a more inclusive set of leaders in your publication next year. For now, I offer this brief list to the NonprofitTimes Top 50 Power and Influence selection committee as a small sample of other folks to consider for 2009.
Sincerely,
Rosetta Thurman
Blogger & Leadership Consultant
Perspectives From the Pipeline
http://fromthepipeline.blogspot.com
rosettathurman@gmail.com
703-965-6631
- Julian Bond, NAACP Board Chair
- Emmett Carson, President,
- Patrick Corvington, Senior Associate, Annie E. Casey Foundation
- Erica Hunt, President, 21st Century Foundation
- Diane Bell-McCoy, Associated Black Charities
- Michael Lomax, United Negro College Fund
- Marc Morial, President, National Urban League
- Ron McKinley, Fieldstone
- Bao Vang, Leadership Program Coordinator,
- Terri Lee Freeman, President, Community Foundation for the National Capital Region
- Mai Moua, Leadership Paradigms
- Janet Murguía, President, National Council of La Raza
- Rodney M. Jackson, President,
- Diana Campoamor, President, Hispanics in Philanthropy
- Albert Ruesga, Chair, Hispanics in Philanthropy, Vice President Eugene & Agnes E. Meyer Foundation, blogger at White Courtesy Telephone
- Lisa Morton, Nonprofit HR Solutions
- Trista Harris, Executive Director, Headwaters Foundation for Justice
- Trabian Shorters, Knight Foundation
- Maxine Baker, African American Nonprofit Network
- Greg Taylor, W.K. Kellogg Foundation
- Van Jones, formerly Ella Baker Center for Human Rights
- Geoffrey Canada, Harlem Children’s Zone
- Cristina Lopez, National Hispana Leadership Institute, formerly Center for Community Change
- Deepak Bhargava, Executive Director, Center for Community Change
- Beatriz Otero, CEO, CentroNia
- Linda Nguyen, Director of Civic Engagement,
- Priscilla Hung, Co-Director of Grassroots Institute for Fundraising Training
- Mia Herndon, Executive Director, Third Wave Foundation
- Alison Lugo Saenz, Associate Director, The
- Sonya Garcia Ulibarri, Executive Director –Youth Build,
- Eddy Morales, - Center for Community Change, Generation Change Program
- Taij Moteellal – Executive Director, Resource Generation
- Phuong Quoch, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy
- Dwayne Patterson, Southern Organizer for Center for Community Change, Black America’s Organizing Project
- Tracey Greene Dorsett – Director of Evaluation, National Rural Funders Collaborative
- Glen O’Gilvie, Center for Nonprofit Advancement
- Joanna Opot, Executive Director, StartingBloc
- Jeremy Foreman, Executive Director, Hands On
- Elsie L. Scott, President, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc.
- Cassandra Butts, formerly Fund for American Studies, Obama Campaign
- Mando Rayo, Hands on
- Michael Watson, Girl Scouts
- Benjamin Jealous, President, NAACP
- Luz Vega-Marquis, President, Marguerite Casey Foundation
- Wenda Weekes Moore, Secretary, Board of Directors , The W.K. Kellogg Foundation
- Lillian Cruz, formerly with The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven
- Antonio Romero, Executive Director, American Civil Liberties
- H. Alexander Robinson, National Black Justice Coalition
- Dorothy Height, National Council of Negro Women
Monday, September 15, 2008
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Heather Carpenter's NP Times Top 50: The Next Generation of Nonprofit Leaders You Should Know
From my girl Heather Carpenter on the west coast, always promoting the sector and our unsung leaders! Psstt, take a guess how many nonprofit leaders of color made this year's "real" list. Answer: it's more than one, but less than 5. Out of 50. See for yourself...
My NP Times Top 50: The Next Generation of Nonprofit Leaders You Should Know
About a month ago the Nonprofit Times came out with its top 50 most powerful and influential people in the nonprofit sector. I was thankful that the CEO of the American Red Cross was not included in this year's list--after what happen with Mark Everson last year. I was also happy to see some familiar faces of CEO's like Marnie Webb of Tech Soup, Melanie Herman of the Nonprofit Risk Management Center, Gavin Clabaugh of the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation and more!However I do kind of cringe every year when I see the list because it is made up of CEOs and leaders of very large and very well known nonprofits. Don't get me wrong, these large nonprofits are great and help many people across the US, however the majority of nonprofits in the sector have budgets under $1mil. Let me reiterate the 2008 Nonprofit Almanac states that 77% of all nonprofits have under $1mil in expenditures. So my question is -- Where's the list with the other 77% of nonprofit leaders?
I really like to connect people together in the nonprofit sector, so I decided to create my own Top 50+ list--the next tier of leaders in the sector. Here is list of people and organizations in my network I think you should know in the nonprofit sector. They are all amazing individuals with a passion for what they do and a desire to create a sustainable nonprofit sector.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Is it Better to Work in the 'Front of the House'?
When I was in college, I worked three jobs to support myself. I worked in a library, at a hotel, and in a few restaurants. I loved the restaurant business because I got to be around food all the time and talk to people when they are most happy: drinking and stuffing their faces. One of the main concepts you learn during orientation to work at a restaurant is the difference between 'front of the house' and 'back of the house'. Front of the house restaurant staff are the managers, the hosts & hostesses, bartenders and the servers. Back of the house included all the kitchen staff - the cooks, prep staff, and dishwashers. Basically, front of the house staff represent the 'face' of the restaurant, while most customers never see the back of the house employees.
This concept is also true for the nonprofit sector. Most organizations are mainly represented by the Executive Director and/or the senior management team. The program and administrative staff are the ones making the organization impactful on a daily basis, but the quotes in the news and the faces on the screen are that of the front of the house nonprofit staff. The higher salaries are also going to the front of the house.
But that's often the dilemma for young nonprofit professionals who want to be close to the organization's work on a daily basis: feeding the homeless, tutoring the kids, providing the counseling or training. Those program positions usually don't pay the bills, so we are compelled to move closer to the front of the house to increase our salary. Many would say that being back of the house is more fulfilling, but front of the house is more financially rewarded.
What do you think? Is is better to work in the front of the house?
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Teaching Nonprofit Leadership Series Sept 8-15 in DC
From Entry Level to Leadership: Advancing Your Career in the Nonprofit Sector
Register for the class on the SALSA website.
Part 1
Mon, September 15, 2008 -- 6:45-8:45pm
Landing a mid-level job you can feel passionate about takes a combination of skills. Part 1 of this interactive learning series will use discussion and role play to show participants: how to assess your current skills to determine readiness for a leadership position, how to conduct a strategic job search to find the right opportunity, and how to effectively present your entry-level experience in a resume and interview.
Part 2
Mon, September 22, 2008 -- 6:45-8:45pm
Advancing your career in the nonprofit field doesn't have to be a long process. Part 2 of this interactive learning series will use discussion and role play to teach participants: how to negotiate for a higher salary, how to identify and work with a mentor, and how to find and implement strategic "stretch assignments" to enhance your reputation as a leader.
Led by Rosetta Thurman: Rosetta is an Adjunct Professor teaching nonprofit management in the School of Professional Studies at Trinity University in DC. Rosetta holds a Master's degree in Nonprofit Management and is the Principal Consultant at Thurman Consulting with experience in fundraising, human resources, financial management, communications, and training. Rosetta is an active member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals and currently serves on the boards of Young Nonprofit Professionals Network DC, DC Central Kitchen and the DC Creative Writing Workshop. She is also a blogger at Perspectives From the Pipeline and the Stanford Social Innovation Review. 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, the Chronicle of Philanthropy, and WAMU 88.5FM.
Register at the SALSA website.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Independent Sector's Annual Conference Makes Space for Emerging Leaders This November
Check out Independent Sector's new next gen track for emerging leaders this year:
Are you a part of the next generation of nonprofit leaders? Do you want to be?
At its 2008 Annual Conference, Independent Sector is introducing the NGen program: Moving Nonprofit Leaders from Next to Now, which is designed to develop the leadership skills and networks of emerging leaders. Open to nonprofit professionals under the age of 40, NGen will offer participants both special sessions addressing issues they face as emerging leaders and opportunities to collaborate with leaders of all ages in addressing issues facing our communities.This program is part of Independent Sector’s work to convene and strengthen nonprofit community.
This year’s Annual Conference takes place in Philadelphia, November 9-11, and a special summer registration rate ends Tuesday, September 9. NGen is free to those attending for the full conference; sign up after your complete your registration. Visit the IS website to:
- View the preliminary program, which features descriptions of nearly 40 sessions.
- See the list of registrants -– more than 500 of your colleagues have already signed up.
- Take advantage of special programs, including the Public Policy Action Institute, the Global Civil Society Dinner, and the IS members-only CEO Track.
- Register now! Special rates end September 9.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Quote of the Day
"This is not the time to be afraid or timid because the challenges are formidable. Now is the time to take both personal and institutional risks."
-Wenda Weekes Moore, W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Monday, September 1, 2008
In Order to Create a More Perfect America: Promoting the Non-Monetary Value of Nonprofit Labor
Today, we are watching the Gulf Coast as a nation, praying with all our hearts that the damage is minimal to people living there. Organizations like FEMA & the American Red Cross are being watched closely in their response efforts to be sure they don't repeat the mistakes that occurred during Hurricane Katrina just three years ago. (FYI - The Nonprofit Congress will be held in New Orleans in May 2009.)
Today is the first day of Ramadan, the Muslim holy month for fasting, spiritual renewal, and charity to those less fortunate. Muslims all over the world are recommitting themselves to a life of holiness and service to others.
Today, we are in the midst of a Presidential election year which could lead to massive change in January 2009. This 2008 election marks the first time an African American is a presidential nominee for a major party, and the first since 1928 in which neither an incumbent president nor an incumbent vice president is running for their party's nomination. Young people across the country are rocking the vote and getting more involved in the political process than ever before.
Now is the time for all of us to be promoting careers in nonprofits. Now is the time when we should be encouraging social entrepreneurship in our universities to lead young people into careers of innovative public service. Now is the time for courageous changemaking. Regardless of the challenges we have as a nonprofit field, we can continue to make strides to market social change as meaningful work that is worth doing.
Last week, The Johns Hopkins University Center for Civil Society Studies released Communique #10, Report on the Nonprofit Workforce Roundtable, saying:
The nonprofits participating in the session agreed with the Sounding’s finding that recruitment and retention are challenging processes, but their experiences demonstrate that there are numerous strategies that nonprofits can employ to attract and retain quality staff. Five overarching lessons emerged from this conversation:
1) The importance of selling “the context” of nonprofit jobs;
2) The realization that new, costly methods do not always have better results;
3) The importance of thinking creatively about bringing people into the sector;
4) The need to re-define work and the working environment;
5) The importance of professionalizing the human resource function.
We can all do a better job of communicating the value of nonprofit work to potential employees, board members, donors, etc. Of course, this is not to discount the compensation challenges we face as a sector. I got my hot little hands on some data from Wider Opportunities for Women in DC about what it takes to live on one's own in the DC area. Their Self-Sufficiency Standard for a single adult living in the DC area can be anywhere from $23,000 to $33,000, depending on your neighborhood. But if one has a small child and no husband, that number almost doubles. Keep in mind that their data is based on a basic, bare bones, no-frills budget and calculates a figure based on average costs in the particular jurisdiction. And you and I both know that these numbers are well below a benchmark we should use to measure a nonprofit salary, but it gives us an idea of how economically fragile our nonprofit workers are.
But back to the Jonhs Hopkins study. What can we do to attract more workers to our field in order to create a more perfect America?
At the end of the session, participants came together to identify a strategy for moving forward on nonprofit recruitment and retention. This Action Agenda includes six major points:
1) Recognize the advantages that work in the nonprofit sector offers: Nonprofit organizations have numerous strengths that uniquely match the interests and needs of the returning baby boomers and the new Millennial generation workers. Nonprofi ts need to identify and celebrate these strengths, which include their organizational values and society-focused purposes, and communicate them to these potential workers and volunteers.
2) Invest in the HR function: Too often, nonprofits view HR as a clerical function, which puts the sector at a huge disadvantage in terms of recruitment and retention. Nonprofits need to recognize the value of thinking pro-actively and strategically about recruitment and retention, and the importance of investing in human resources to do so. Funders could play a critical role in this by supporting nonprofit HR needs. Nonprofit boards could also promote the importance of a well-supported HR function and help their organizations obtain the resources they need to elevate and expand HR activities.
3) Better connect nonprofi t practitioners to existing HR resources: Although a range of resources are available to help nonprofi ts address human resource and workforce issues, most practitioners indicated that they were not familiar with such materials. As such, there was a clear disconnect between the groups producing such resources and those on the ground in need of such information. Nonprofi t intermediaries could play a role in helping these resources penetrate down to grassroots nonprofits. Roundtables such this are especially useful in bringing nonprofit practitioners together with the researchers and intermediaries familiar with these resources.
4) Take a more flexible approach to the definition of work: By remaining flexible about the nature of work and the working environment, nonprofits can better ensure that opportunities at their organizations appeal to the next generation of nonprofit workers, including baby boomers and the “Millennials.” For example, recognizing that young people genuinely value learning, organizations could consider offering non-traditional benefits such as further education and training to attract this group. Rather than a “one-size fits all” approach, an entrepreneurial approach is needed in recruiting and caring for one’s workers.
5) Address the financial impediments discouraging young people from working in the sector: Student debt burdens often make it challenging for students to pursue a career in the nonprofi t sector, which generally cannot compete with for-profit pay scales. As such, the sector as a whole needs to push for legislation that would reward students with loan forgiveness if they choose nonprofit work. A national policy such as this could make a huge difference in younger workers’ career-path decisions.
6) Build stronger relationships with diverse community organizations: Too often, nonprofits are entrenched in particular networks, which results in their recruiting from only certain populations and limits their ability to benefit from a diversified staff. Building relationships with other organizations is thus critical for nonprofits to expand their networks. One type of organization that is especially important to reach out to is historically black colleges and universities, as these connections will also allow nonprofits to introduce diverse students to the sector. Nonprofit intermediary groups and funders could help by encouraging nonprofits to add relationship-building to their agendas so it becomes an active part of their practices, and by offering opportunities for various types of community organizations to come together.
We can do this; you can help. You can share the resources below about nonprofit careers with your colleagues who haven't made the leap. You can invite your peers to volunteer and serve on boards of nonprofit directors. You can do more to recruit amazing talent from our communities and universities. We need more talented people to choose nonprofit labor if we are going to address the huge challenges we have created for ourselves in America. On a day like today, the need is great, but so too is the opportunity.
Idealist.org
The Young Nonprofit Professionals Network
The Chronicle of Philanthropy
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