Leadership Development

Across southeastern Louisiana – through our cities and towns and parishes – are passionate leaders ready to elevate their skills, perspectives, and networks to become the region’s next executive and senior leaders. Emerging Leaders provides an opportunity to level up in leadership.

Emerging Leaders is a leadership development program aimed at creating a pipeline of senior and executive leadership in the nonprofit sector of southeast Louisiana. This program will equip participants with the technical and relational skills, as well as the critical systems-level thinking, necessary to lead strong, healthy, and effective nonprofits. Program components will introduce participants to foundational and innovative practices in organizational finance, team and board management, fund development, network building, and organizational and self-sustainability.

In addition, the program will provide space to explore leadership styles and how power, justice, and equity shape leadership practices and development. Participants will have access to a bank of coaching hours and an online learning platform and community and receive a comprehensive toolkit that will include articles, templates, samples, and worksheets. With these skills and resources, participants should experience an increase in confidence, be better prepared to move into new areas of leadership, and be better equipped to lead organizations that are equitable and just.

Because we acknowledge there is a racial leadership gap in the greater New Orleans area, Emerging Leaders will center Black and Indigenous leaders and other leaders of color (BIPOC leaders) in this learning community and affirm their strengths, their experiences, and the unique challenges they face. The content and facilitation of this program will also be rooted in an analysis of justice, power, and equity.

Program Components and Schedule

Emerging Leaders is an in-person, cohort-based experience. Program sessions will take place over eight months and include five full-day training sessions and two networking opportunities. Please see the schedule and session topics below:

• Contextualizing Leadership on Tuesday, October 11th from 9:00am-3:00pm
• Financial Leadership on Thursday, November 10th from 9:00am-3:00pm
• Fund Development and Network Building on Thursday, December 1^st from 9:00am-3:00pm
• Networking Breakfast with Financial Supporters on Thursday, January 19^th from 9:00am-12:00pm
• Embodying Self-Sustainability on Thursday, February 9^th from 9:00am-3:00pm
• Networking Lunch with Change Makers on Thursday, March 9^th from 11:00am-1:00pm
• Fostering Leadership on Thursday, April 13^th from 9:00-3:00 pm
• Closing Session on Thursday, April 27^th from 9:00-12:00 pm

The program also requires engagement on an online platform, where session materials will be distributed and opportunities for community dialogue and resource sharing will exist. All cohort members will have access to individualized coaching sessions.

Parking and meals will be provided for all sessions. For a full description of each session, please Click Here.

Program Readiness

Leadership development is an ongoing process. We recognize that cohort members will already have skills, strengths, and perspectives that will serve them well as executive directors and senior leaders. To be aligned with the intentions and goals of Emerging Leaders, participants should, first and foremost, have a desire and aspiration for a senior or executive leadership role within the nonprofit sector. We also expect that participants will be open to interrogate how power and privilege have shaped their leadership styles and relationships with teams and colleagues.

Additionally, participants in this program should be currently employed at a nonprofit organization or be involved with the nonprofit sector and working towards social change. They may have experiences in:

• Managing a budget or financial resources;
• Managing or leading a team;
• Coaching or mentoring staff or colleagues; and/or
• Cultivating and managing partner relationships for a project, program, or organization.

Commitment to Participation

The ability to attend the in-person sessions and commitment to using our online learning platform is critical to the community learning experience. Please ensure your availability and obtain the support of your immediate supervisor and/or Executive Director before applying to the program.

Application Process

We will accept 25 participants to this program. Because space is limited, the application process is competitive. Applications will be evaluated on the eligibility requirements, program alignment, readiness, and capacity to participate. BIPOC applicants and those who work in youth-serving organizations will be prioritized. Click here to apply to the program. Applications will be accepted until Friday, September 9, 2022. Applicants will be notified of acceptance to the program by Friday, September 23, 2022.

Fee

The fee for this program is $400. However, we never want funding to prevent participation. We have a small pool of funds available for partial scholarships for qualified participants. Please email Kristen Craig at kristen@gnof.org for more information.

As an Executive Director, how do you powerfully lead your organization while facing complex leadership challenges?  How do you align your organization, staff and board around impact and achieve financial sustainability? As daunting as these questions can seem, they are fundamental executive leadership responsibilities.

The job of an executive director is challenging even for the most experienced executives, but for someone new to the position, it can be especially overwhelming. As Executive Directors, how do you powerfully lead your organizations while facing complex leadership challenges?  How do you align your organization, staff and board around impact as you struggle to achieve financial sustainability? As daunting as these questions can seem, they are fundamental executive leadership responsibilities. This session, exclusively for new Executive Directors, combines expert instruction and peer-learning to tackle these issues.

Executive Director Intensive is right for you if:

• You are a new executive director; have been in the role for 3 years or less.
• You are ready to invest in your personal and organizational development.
• You desire to think strategically and proactively about your individual leadership practice.
• You want to learn promising practices about nonprofit leadership, governance, and financial management to more powerfully steward your organization.
• You are excited to learn with peers, share your experience, and are open to others’ ideas.
• You would benefit from being in a safe, confidential, and generative learning environment.
• Neither you nor your organization is in crisis mode so that you are able to take full advantage of this program and can make it a good investment of your time and your organization’s resources.
• You can fully engage and participate in all program components:
  • Complete the Clifton StrengthsFinder online assessment (details will be sent upon confirmation)
  • Attend of the 3-day seminar in its entirety
  • Participate in periodic follow-up networking activities with your cohort peers.

Learning Objectives

• Strengths-based Leadership: Identify your individual talents using the StrengthsFinder assessment and begin to explore how you can maximize your strengths in your role as Executive Director.
• Financial Literacy and Leadership: Understand key nonprofit financial management concepts and strategies for sound budgeting. Learn how to assess the financial health of your organizational. Learn the principles of financial leadership.
• Aligning People to Purpose: Learn a framework to more powerfully align your staff to their positions and the needs of the organization. Understand the roles and responsibilities of effective supervision, including expectation setting, feedback, professional development and coaching for problem solving.
• Boards & Governance: Learn the principles of nonprofit governance and the board’s fiduciary obligations. Understand the roles and responsibilities of the board and how to maximize board engagement. Learn techniques to create a powerful and supportive partnership with your board of directors.
• Action Planning: Have identified a set of commitments and actions to further develop in your role as Executive Director.