Annual Report 2011: Highlights

2011 Program Highlights

Cohort Leadership Programs
CompassPoint’s cohort leadership programs continue to create strong, connected leaders for the sector’s movements. Our intensive multi-component initiatives cultivate effective nonprofit leaders using a range of modalities – teaching, consulting, coaching, and peer learning – and an approach that integrates management skill building, leadership development, and a multicultural framework. In 2011, over 150 leaders in the Bay Area and around the state participated in the following comprehensive cohort leadership initiatives through CompassPoint:

• The Next Generation Leaders of Color Program, an intensive leadership development program for managers of color working in Bay Area health and human service organizations, launched its second cohort.
• The Leadership Development Program for Executives Serving Transition-Age Youth (TAY) over the course of 2011 worked with its fourth and fifth cohorts of executives from the foster youth field. The program is now entering its sixth year supporting the leadership and network development of TAY leaders statewide.
• The Fundraising Academy for Communities of Color, an intensive training and coaching program specifically for fundraising staff, board members, and other volunteers within nonprofits based in communities of color, was convened for development leaders in three locations in 2011: the East Bay, the Central Valley, and Los Angeles.
• The Strong Field Project graduated its first cohort of 20 leaders and launched its second cohort in 2011. The program aims to create a strong, coordinated network of domestic violence service providers in California.

“I feel this was the most worthwhile time I have ever spent in development of my career. There is no other place that I would have been able to not only learn new things that are industry specific, but also increase my awareness and personal and professional networks. Thank you more than words can express for the opportunity to have been a part of such an innovative and worthwhile effort.” – Leadership Program Participant

Daring to Lead 2011 and Upcoming Study on Development Directors
In collaboration with the Meyer Foundation, we designed and conducted the research and analysis for our third national study of executive leadership in 10 years. Daring to Lead 2011, which included the participation of 10 regional partners across the country, features the main Daring to Lead report along with three focused briefs featuring corresponding calls to action: “Leading through a Recession,” “Inside the Executive Director Job,” and “The Board Paradox.” This report is helping nonprofit staff, funders, and capacity builders to define the nonprofit leadership discourse.

In late 2012, CompassPoint, in partnership with the Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund will release our next study for the sector that explores the role of the development director within nonprofit organizations. Through this research we hope to deepen the sector's understanding about what successful development leadership looks like and how nonprofit leaders can better identify and support the talent they need in this essential role.

Expansion of the Finance Professionals Network
CompassPoint’s Finance Professionals Network continues to grow as a resource in service to Bay Area nonprofit finance leaders. We successfully launched the Contra Costa County Finance Professionals Network in the first quarter of 2011.FPN is one network of senior finance managers from over 100 nonprofit organizations, with six in-person meetings per year, and one very active listserv for peer advice and problem solving. Nonprofit finance professionals now have four FPN locations to choose from – Moraga, San Francisco, San Mateo, and San Jose.

“The information on the Listserv is most valuable to me as well as the topics covered during the meetings. As the only financial person in my organization, it helps me to know that I can receive assistance from numerous financial experts in the network.” – FPN Participant

Latino Board Leadership Academy
The Latino Board Leadership Academy (LBLA) is a comprehensive board member recruitment and training program to strengthen the pool of prospective board members of color and raise the quality of board participation in the South Bay. Over two rounds in 2011, LBLA, which was a successful program partnership of CompassPoint, the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley, CEN, and The Health Trust, helped train, prepare, and place 120 prospects for board service with South Bay nonprofit organizations. We look forward to expanding this model to other Bay Area regions in the coming year.

New Communications Channels – To the Point eBulletin, CompassPoints of View Blog
To build community and share information about our leadership and management programs, learnings, and resources, CompassPoint stepped up our organizational communications efforts through a strategic, coordinated online publications and social media presence. These efforts include: