NCG Event Archive: 1999

The Role of Funders in Developing and Supporting Nonprofit Leadership
Thursday, November 11, 1999

According to a number of recent studies, both national and local, the average tenure of a nonprofit executive director is three years. A new research report on nonprofit executive directors from the Support Center for Nonprofit Management, Leadership Lost: A Study on Executive Director Tenure and Experience, shows that nonprofit CEOs typically hold their jobs for four to six years, were hired from outside their organizations, and find their jobs both enormously stressful and rewarding. Two of the most frequent reasons for resignations by executive directors are related to compensation and board/executive director relations. From the nonprofit perspective, grantees often complain that funders are not interested in investing in infrastructure.

In a discussion with Jan Masaoka, executive director, Support Center for Nonprofit Management; Tim Wolfred, project manager, Executive Transitions Program at the Support Center; and a panel of leaders from the nonprofit and philanthropic communities, we will attempt to explore the nature of nonprofit leadership, examine the major issues and challenges, and look at possible solutions. Some of the questions to be addressed in this session include:

• Are there ongoing practices in philanthropy that contribute to the high turnover of nonprofit executives?
• How does the for-profit sector approach this issue?
• How can funders be encouraged to think about investing in organizations and not just individuals?
• What are some of the challenges as well as opportunities presented by changes in leadership?
• Is there a new style or styles of leadership in the nonprofit sector?

A Conversation with Michael Bernick
Friday, October 29, 1999

Please join us for a conversation with Michael Bernick, Director, Employment Development Department, State of California to learn about California's employment plans and to discuss ways for grantmakers to work effectively with the Employment Development Department.

Toward A Violence Prevention Movement: A Report from the National Funding Collaborative on Violence Prevention
Wednesday, October 20, 1999

In this session, we will hear a report on the national activities and California demonstration projects of The National Funding Collaborative on Violence Prevention. The speakers will be Linda Bowen, executive director of the collaborative; Maria Theresa Viramontes, East Bay Safety Corridor Project; and Babatunde Folayemi, ProYouth Coalition, Santa Barbara. The collaborative is a public/private model, consisting of 15 private foundations and corporations, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Through partnerships with community foundations, the collaborative is working to create an effective national violence-prevention movement of promote local advocacy, public education, and prevention efforts in California projects in Oakland and Santa Barbara, as well as in San Antonio, Texas, Spartanburg, South Carolina, Rockford, Illinois, New Orleans, Louisiana, Flint, Michigan, Knoxville, Tennessee, New Haven, Connecticut, and New York City. Briefing sponsors are The David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the East Bay Community Foundation, The California Wellness Foundation, and The San Francisco Foundation

The Mission District's Transformation: Preserving Community Assets
Monday, October 18, 1999

This briefing will present a case study of how one neighborhood is responding to the challenges of rapid transformation and gentrification. What are the needs? What's being done? What are the opportunities? Funders will hear from representatives of neighborhood organizations working collaboratively to develop and implement local economic development, including housing, financial, and social services. Sponsors are Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, The San Francisco Foundation, and Van Loben Sels Foundation.

Religion and the Forests: Protecting our Natural World
Monday, September 27, 1999

In this briefing, funders will learn about the growing alliance between religious and environmental leaders to protect our natural world, with a particular focus on forests. Speakers will be Fred Krueger, executive director, Religious Campaign on Forest Conservation; Barak Gale, chair of the Bay Area chapter of Coalition on the Environmental and Jewish Life; and Connie Hanson, founder and director of Christians Caring for Creation (CCC), a national prayer network. Doug Bevington of the John Muir Project will be the briefing moderator.

One of the most exciting developments in conservation activism in the past couple of years has been the increasingly prominent role played by the religious community, particularly on forest issues. The Religious Campaign for Forest Conservation (RCFC) has played an indispensable role in building this bridge between religious and environmental organizations. This fall, the RCFC will be hosting a National Strategic Planning Conference which will bring together religious leaders, government officials, and Congressional representatives. The RCFC will also be releasing its new magazine, "Religion and the Forests." This briefing is co-sponsored by Environmental Grantmakers Association West.

Exploring Ethical Decisionmaking for Family Philanthropy
September 24, 1999

NCG's Family Foundations Network, Program and Professional Development Committees, in conjunction with the Council on Foundations, will present a workshop especially for trustees and staff of family foundations. This workshop will focus on tools for recognizing and solving ethical issues in family foundations. It is highly participatory and will involve practical examples from participants. Dr. Michael Rion, author of Responsible Family Philanthropy: A Resource Book for Ethical Decision-making for Family Foundations, published by the council, will lead the workshop. The registration fee is $30 for NCG members, $45 for non-member grantmakers.