2022 Catalysts for Change

The Catalysts for Change Leadership Program is an initiative of the Capital Region Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Action Collaborative facilitated by the Community Foundation for the Greater Capital Region.

Based on the Nourishing Tomorrow’s Leaders program at The Gifford Foundation, the Catalysts for Change Leadership Program is an 9-week board development series that will focus on increasing inclusiveness and diversity on nonprofit boards and linking leaders to supporting nonprofits. The program is designed for up to 15 community members currently looking to join a local nonprofit board or new to serving on a board. After completing the program, participants will be connected to local nonprofits in the area looking for new board members and will join a network of leaders looking to change the state of diversity and inclusion on nonprofit boards.

The application period has closed.

The program will focus on recruiting a diverse cohort, including people who self-identify as:

  • Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, or a Person of Color
  • LGBTQ+
  • A person with a disability,
  • An immigrant or non-U.S. citizen
  • A religious minority
  • A member of an underrepresented community

Program Goals

  1. Increase diversity on nonprofit boards and build inclusive cultures.
  2. Create a pipeline of trained board members.
  3. Strengthen the skills and knowledge of new leaders in the community.
  4. Build and strengthen a supportive network to help board members survive and thrive.
  5. Increasing awareness of equitable issues in our community.

For more information and questions, please contact Daquetta Jones , Director, Equity & Inclusion Initiatives.

Program Benefits, Expectations, and Application Process

Ideal Candidates will Have:

  • Passion for serving the Capital Region and striving for equitable and just communities.
  • Motivation for personal leadership development and growth.
  • Current community involvement and the desire to join a nonprofit board or new to board service.
  • Interest in expanding their network and initiative to make connections.
  • Commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and action.

 

Benefits of Participating:

  • Network with nonprofit board leaders and local community experts.
  • Develop a supportive network of peers from diverse identities and communities in the Capital Region.
  • Gain key leadership skills, resources, and knowledge that will aid in your nonprofit board service.
  • Build connections with local nonprofits looking to expand their board and increase their board diversity and inclusiveness.
  • Contribute to strengthening and advancing equity in the region.

Participant expectations:

  • Attend all sessions. Participants must attend 7 out of 8 sessions to complete the program and graduate.
  • Be open to growth and connecting with people from different identities and cultural backgrounds.
  • Take initiative to build connections within your cohort.
  • Willingness to provide critical feedback to help the program improve and expand in the future.
  • Stay connected after completing the program to build a strong network of leaders in the region.

Program Timeline:

  • July 1, 2022: Application Available
  • July 29, 2022: Application Closes
  • August 16, 2022: Program Participants Notified
  • August 30, 2022: Participant Meet and Greet
  • September 20, 2022: First Day of Program
  • September 27, 2022 – November 15: Training Workshops
  • November 18, 2022: Graduation Event

Program Details

 

Session Learning Objectives Date
How Boards
Add Value
  • What does nonprofit mean
  • Identify different types of nonprofits
  • Background of how nonprofits got started
 Tuesday, September 20, 2022
ABC’s of Being a Board Member
  • Key Responsibilities-fiduciary responsibility, reading financials, what gets voted on, annual filings, consent agenda, etc.
  • Does your nonprofit really impact the targeted population and how to tell
  • Understanding the time commitment
  • Officers and committee structures
 Tuesday, September 27, 2022
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • Understanding the basic of diversity, equity and inclusion
  • Learning about power and racism/sexism/ageism, etc.… or ignorance, Values, and Stereotypes.
  • How to handle being the only one in the room (practical coping tools)
 Tuesday, October 4, 2022
Group Dynamics
  • Understanding how groups form and behave; discuss power & tokenism
  • How to maximize your input in a group setting
  • Understanding the “players” in these settings and how to navigate (practical tools)
  • Having a “robust” discussion
 Tuesday, October 11, 2022
Change Management  

  • Learning strategies on how to inspire, implement and manage change
  • Understanding tactics to influence others and change group culture
 Tuesday, October 18, 2022
Collaborations and Conflict Resolution
  • Understanding conflict and its causes
  • Difference between compromising, accommodation, competition, and collaboration
  • Active listening tools
  • Getting to win – is it always possible (consensus building)
  • Negotiation techniques
 Tuesday, October 25, 2022
Making the Connection
(Networking)
  • How to make myself more marketable to boards (tools)
  • Understanding what I can contribute (other than money)
  • Art of Networking; One on ones and storytelling
 Tuesday, November 1, 2022
Lifecycles of a Nonprofit

 
  • Understanding different funding streams
  • What every nonprofit should have (bylaws, operating procedures, insurance, etc.)
  • Understanding the nonprofit lifecycle
  

Monday, November 7, 2022
The Trojan Horse of Social Movements: Transforming (Power and Oppression in) the Nonprofit Industrial Complex
  • Defining the nonprofit industrial complex and how it works
  • Understanding How and why the nonprofit industrial complex was created
  • Practicing awareness on how these power dynamics manifest within our bodies
  • Brainstorm and identify practices, approaches, methods for transforming oppression within the nonprofit workforce
 Tuesday, November 15, 2022
Graduation
  • Remarks from Community Leaders
  • Present community project findings
  • Connect with local nonprofits
 Friday, November 18, 2022

 

Please email Daquetta Jones for more information.

Meet the 2021 Cohort

NONPROFIT BOARD OPPORTUNITIES 

To highlight board service opportunities for our Catalysts graduates and other community leaders, the Foundation conducted a survey; inviting nonprofit organizations to share their information to be included on a list of IDEA-committed organizations seeking to increase diversity on their boards.

The Community Foundation received over 100 submissions and this resource is now available online by visiting this link. The listing is a user-friendly and up-to-date Google spreadsheet that can be downloaded and sorted to suit the user’s needs.

If you represent a nonprofit organization and are interested in adding your organization to the list, please complete this brief survey. Your response will be automatically added to the current listing.

If you have any questions, please email us at info@cfgcr.org.