Aware of how conference dollars have evaporated, the Santa Barbara Foundation will cover the expenses of 10 nonprofit executives so they can attend a two-day, cutting-edge leadership conference at Stanford University’s Nonprofit Management Institute next week.
The annual conference will explore creative new strategies for running and growing organizations through tough economic times. It includes speakers and facilitators who are nationally recognized leaders in the fields of nonprofit management, fundraising, cross-sector collaboration, effective use of the volunteer workforce, and strategic structuring.
Upon their return to Santa Barbara, the local nonprofit leaders will share what they have learned with others in the nonprofit community through a series of planned meetings. This “pay it forward” approach is an innovative model for both leadership training and collaboration in Santa Barbara County.
“This modest investment should bring big results,” said Ron Gallo, Santa Barbara Foundation CEO and president. “While budgets are strained, it’s never a more important time to invest in our leaders’ knowledge of best practices and to provide the tools and training they need to be even more effective.”
Among the local organizations represented at the Stanford conference Oct. 6-8 are Child Abuse Listening & Mediation (CALM), Easy Lift Transportation, Good Samaritan Services of Santa Maria, the Lobero Theatre, the Nonprofit Support Center, Pacific Pride Foundation, Partners in Education, Santa Barbara Channelkeeper and VTC Enterprises.
“This is philanthropic collaboration at its best,” said Lois Mitchell, president of the Orfalea Foundations. “To provide professional development in these tough times is a critical investment in the leadership of our community.”
“Nonprofits have seen their funding diminish but demand for their services increase,” said Lisa Holden, director of the Nonprofit Support Center, which provides training, consulting and leadership to hundreds of nonprofit organizations in the county.
“Helping nonprofits do their good work better is critical. At the conference, we will have the opportunity to test our assumptions, discuss new opportunities, and go home with plans to improve our organizations’ effectiveness, and then keep passing it along to others.”
— Alixe Mattingly is the Santa Barbara Foundation’s vice president of communications.
Comments
