We believe that the most effective way for community foundations to develop their community leadership skills is to learn from others in the field. While every community is different, community foundations themselves share a lot of similarities that allow for the transfer of knowledge, skills, resources and learning from one community foundation to the next.
To facilitate this, we offer a wide range of peer learning opportunities to help community foundations strengthen individual leaders, build organizational capacity and address critical issues. These opportunities range from workshops and webinars to day-long symposia and multi-year learning networks. Our peer learning networks, which have been refined over a decade, are iterative, experience-driven, team-based and action-oriented.
These peer learning opportunities are designed to help community foundations do the following:
Develop their community leadership potential: Our year-long Executive Leadership Institute and 1.5-day Introduction to Community Leadership were created to make community foundation staff, Board and leadership comfortable with the concept of community leadership, and prepared to incorporate it into their work. We also present community leadership at meetings, conferences, and workshops.
Take action on critical issues: We also create opportunities for community foundations to apply their community leadership work to specific issues facing their communities, such as race equity or economic security. These opportunities include multi-year learning networks, day-long symposia, and webinars.
Below are the peer learning opportunities that we currently offer or are offered on an ongoing basis at CFLeads. To see what’s coming up, visit our Events Calendar.
Executive Leadership Institute for CEOs
The Executive Leadership Institute is a year-long learning opportunity focusing exclusively on community leadership for community foundation CEOs.
Executive Leadership Institute for VPs
The Executive Leadership Institute is a year-long learning opportunity focusing exclusively on community leadership for community foundation VPs.
Introduction to Community Leadership
A unique introductory course designed to build the skills, knowledge and resources of community foundation staff to deepen their community leadership practice.
Equity Network
The Equity Network is comprised of community foundations working to institutionalize the capacities needed to advance racial equity in their organizations and in their communities.
Coalition for Inclusive Communities
Building on our Equity Network, the Coalition for Inclusive Communities is comprised of community foundations working to advance workplace equity in their communities.
Economic Mobility Action Network
The Economic Mobility Action Network is made up of six community foundation teams coming together to further an economic mobility agenda for their communities.