2010 Nonprofit Leadership Institute

Maine executive directors who are working in economically distressed regions and interested in building the relationships, organizational capacity, and the knowledge necessary to create lasting collaborative efforts to meet regional needs, are invited to apply to participate in MANP’s 2010 Nonprofit Leadership Institute.

Maine Association of Nonprofits Leadership Institute is created specifically for people who are dedicated to the mission and values of the nonprofit sector and will provide you the space to step back from the day to day to grapple with the leadership challenges that you face in your organization. You will expand your networks with other committed nonprofit leaders from across Maine and will build long lasting relationships that will strengthen your network and help you build power in the work that you do.

This program is funded by The American Recovery and Reimbursement Act (ARRA), and there will be no fee for participants selected to participate.

MANP’s Nonprofit Leadership Institute, is designed to help executive directors develop the essential skills needed to capture creative opportunities.  Program goals include:

• Helping leaders set goals and develop action plans for personal, board leadership and organization development;
  
  
• Focusing on content needed for the executive director’s role and leading through a strengths/asset model;
  
  
• Emphasizing network-building; identifying trends and opportunities; needs and resources; and mission sustainability.

Leaders enrolled in this program must commit to all eight sessions, and complete necessary preparatory work, including organizational, board and leadership assessments.  All organizations selected must have been in business for three years, have a budget, active board of directors, and delivered programming or services.

Pre-work includes:

• Completing the leadership assessment by February 5.
• Completing the governance assessment by February 22.
• Completing an organizational assessment by August 15.
• Bringing a marketing challenge to the May session.
• Submitting fundraising and human resource questions by May 4 and June 15.

The program will be held in the Mid-Coast, and will run from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day.

To apply to be selected, please contact, Program Manager Annie Sutton at asutton@nonprofitmaine.org.

Program Line-Up

March 4 - Effective Leadership in Contemporary Nonprofits
Presenter: Cathy Fellenz

Leaders in all sectors – private, public & nonprofit – are more effective when they are keenly aware of their own strengths and shortcomings.  In the nonprofit arena, successful leaders also need passionate commitment to their mission, understanding and appreciation of their shared leadership role with the Board of Directors, and the skills and practices that mobilize others to want to get extraordinary things done.

This session includes a summary of the Leadership Institute program, an overview of the nonprofit sector nationally and in Maine, an introduction to the Leadership Challenge model, the results of the participant’s leadership practices 360 assessment and an opportunity to begin building a powerful learning community.  A take away will be a personal leadership development work plan.

March 5 - Assessing Your Board/Developing a New Governance Strategy.
Presenter: Jeff Wahlstrom, Starboard Leadership Consulting

In this session, you will get hands-on experience in using a comprehensive board self-assessment tool to help your board assess its strengths and weaknesses and develop a plan for building a stronger governance model. Along the way, you will get lots of helpful advice about board recruitment, engagement, and leadership. All participants will be provided with access to an on-line assessment that can be used with your board.

April 16 - Financial Analysis for Viability and Strategy
Presenter: Cathy Ramsdell, Executive Director, Friends of Casco Bay & CPA

The flow of money moving through our organizations amplifies the effectiveness of what we do. Good financial reporting is essential to assessing health, and thus essential to decision making. Strong leaders understand key financial elements.  In this session, we will work to strengthen the strategic assessment skills of the executive director using financial information. We will identify and discuss indicators of viability using the participants’ own financial reports. 

The session will begin with a review of nonprofit financial elements and the basics of reporting and budgeting.  This will be followed by a discussion of the elements of viability.  Then we will turn to financial reporting to share how elements of viability may, or may not, be reflected. By the end of the session, we will have identified financial indicators of viability, along with the best options for content and presentation, and we will discuss viable responses to indicators trending in the wrong direction.

May 14 - Nonprofit Marketing Power: How to Gain Essential Response, Resources and Support
Presenter: Gary Stern, Stern International

Newsocial media techniques and proven marketing disciplines are a power combination for nonprofit leaders seeking to sustain programs and services, meet growing needs and seize new opportunities. This session offers a mix of discussion and audio-visual presentations. You will develop a new understanding of marketing and new tools for success. Session materials will include complimentary excerpts from the forthcoming 3rd Edition of Marketing Workbook for Nonprofit Organizations, a Fieldstone Alliance publication by Gary Stern and Elana Centor.  Session highlights:

• Marketing is a social media world
• How to set realistic and measurable marketing goals that guide planning and action
• Demystifying branding
• The “Six Ps of Marketing” – key concepts for traditional and e-marketing
• Identifying target audiences for outreach
• Ideas for cost-effective communications plans

June 4 - Fundraising: Developing Your Case for Support & Addressing Challenges
Presenter: Lisa Jepson Wahlstrom, Ovation Fundraising Counsel

Why should the community support your organization?  Why now?  The Case for Support is the key document for describing why your organization exists and its impact on the community.  This session will focus on creating a clear and compelling Case for Support.  We will also devote time to addressing participants’ questions about specific fundraising issues and challenges.

July 16 - Two Parts

I. 9-noon: Leadership in Human Resources Management
Presenter: Johnna Major

As a result of this training, participants will develop an understanding of the core elements of a successful human resources program and take away strategies for providing leadership in resolving employee relations and performance issues. Content will be customized based on participant questions submitted in advance of the program.

II. 12:30-3:30: Technology Planning for Leaders
Presenter: Laura Quinn

Prioritizing Technology Projects For Your Organization Technology is a critical part of every nonprofits' infrastructure. It can be hard to prioritize what's likely to be most useful for you, however -- should you be investing a better network infrastructure, or a constituent database? A new website or a better email strategy?

Where do the new social media tools fit into all of this? We'll walk through what's possible, what you might pay for different solutions, and how to think through what makes the most sense for you.

August 6 - Advancing Together: Forming and Sustaining Successful Strategic Alliances
Presenter: Gary Stern

Strategic alliances involve challenging high-intensity relationships between organizations where resources, risks and rewards are shared, and decision-making power and public recognition are negotiated. This half-day SkillBuilder will provide an opportunity to map your organization's current and prospective collaboration opportunities on an “alliance continuum” and learn the steps for staff and board members to help make your organization's alliances succeed.

• Information on the two major types of alliances: operational and programmatic
• Tools for assessing alliance opportunities and avoiding pitfalls
• In-depth discussions of alliance dynamics and what it really takes to make alliances work

September 17 - Into the Future
Presenter: Cathy Fellenz

This final session provides an opportunity to reflect on the learning of the past months and look to future:  mission sustainability, leadership development and succession planning.  This session provides the opportunity to revisit leadership practices and organizational status with an eye to the future:  yours and the organizations you lead.

Presenter Bios

Cathy Fellenz, CPCC, is a life coach and leadership consultant with over 30 years experience in nonprofits. Having started as a counselor and served in senior management and executive director roles, Cathy now coaches individuals seeking change and consults with organizations in transition. Her services include that of interim executive director and transition consultant, including corporate restructuring. www.coachcathy.com

Johnna Major, SPHR, is the President of Cornerstone HR, a human resources consulting firm specializing in assisting small businesses with their HR needs.  Previously, Ms. Major was the Chief HR Officer at Martin’s Point Health Care, Director of HR at GoFish.com, and Executive Director for the Maine Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.  www.cornerstone-hr.com

Laura Quinn is the Founder and Executive Director of Idealware, a national organization that helps nonprofits make smart software decisions. Laura directs Idealware's research and writing to provide candid reports, articles, and training about nonprofits' software options. Prior to Idealware, Laura founded Alder Consulting, where she helped nonprofits create internet strategies, select appropriate software, and then build sophisticated websites on a limited budget.
She has also selected software, designed interfaces and conducted user research for multi-million dollar software and website implementations with such companies as Accenture and iXL. Laura is a frequent speaker and writer on nonprofit technology topics. www.idealware.org

Cathy Ramsdell is the Executive Director of Friends of Casco Bay.  She is a certified public accountant and a marine ecologist, and she has served nonprofits and small businesses in a variety of executive, board, scientific, and consulting roles. Prior to joining Friends of Casco Bay in May 2003, Cathy’s consulting practice helped nonprofit boards and chief executives with financial, professional and organizational development. Cathy has also conducted field research, run retail businesses and worked in public accounting. Cathy is a board member of Mainewatch Institute and Trustee Emeritus of College of the Atlantic. clramsdell@cascobay.org

Gary Stern is the president of Portland-based Stern Consulting International, specializing in governance, strategic planning, and marketing with nonprofits, associations and public sector institutions. He led the Drucker Foundation National Training team, is the author of numerous nonprofit guidebooks, and is a well-known national speaker and consultant. His Maine clients include Governor's Children's Cabinet, Healthy Maine Partnerships, Literacy Volunteers, Frannie Peabody Center, and the Quoddy, Great Auk, and Kennebec Estuary Land Trusts. gary@sterninternational.com

Jeff Wahlstrom is managing director of Starboard Leadership Consulting. He has more than 25 years of hands-on experience as a nonprofit leader, board member, and consultant to an extensive list of clients, large and small, throughout Maine. He regularly provides counsel to boards on governance best practices, succession and transition planning, crisis management, and strategic planning. Jeff has developed an on-line board self-assessment tool for Maine nonprofits, and he is a frequent speaker on a wide range of board governance and nonprofit management topics. cjw@starboardleadership.com

Lisa Jepson Wahlstrom, CFRE, has 18 years experience in resource development, including 6 years “in the trenches” as Director of Development & Community Relations for a Bangor nonprofit. A native of Maine and founder of Ovation Fundraising Counsel, Lisa has provided her professional expertise on feasibility studies, grant writing, capital campaigns, and a wide range of resource development projects to cultural, educational, animal welfare and human service organizations throughout the State. lisaw@ovationfr.com