Tuesday, September 14th

Time: 5:30-7pm

Location: City Year

287 Columbus Ave, Boston

RSVP to: bigcitizenship@gmail.com

In Big Citizenship, Alan Khazei shares his experiences founding and growing his City Year program, saving Americorps, and creating the new national campaign called ServiceNation, offering inspiration as well as practical advice. He addresses how to balance private and public funding; work with all levels of government; build bipartisan support on even the most contentious issues; attract volunteers, and get young people involved.

For social entrepreneurs, activists, idealists, community leaders, politicians, and donors who support nonprofit organizations, Khazei’s story demonstrates not just how to fight for what you believe in, but how to turn ideals into effective institutions that make the world a better place.

This event is being hosted by Meg Ansara, Stand for Children; Josh Biber, Teach for America; Michael Brown, City Year; James Cleveland, Jumpstart; Patrice Keegan, BostonCares; Vanessa Kirsch, New Profit Inc.; Eric Schwarz, Citizen Schools; David Shapiro, Mass Mentoring; Bob Giannino-Racine, ACCESS; and James Weinberg, Commongood Careers

OpportunityNation, a new campaign of our friends at Be the Change focused on increasing opportunity and economic mobility in America, will be hosting two conversations at Northeastern University (not affiliated) on August 9 and 11 with college students and recent graduates to talk about barriers to opportunity in the current economic climate.  And you are all invited!  During this conversation college students and/or graduates can share their stories about the realities behind achieving the “American Dream” in today’s world, and can propose suggestions for solutions that could help.  If interested in engaging in this important conversation, you will not only create connections with others facing similar issues, but will also participate in a national movement that plans to address these issues in the coming year through political and cultural tactics.

Please RSVP to Winfred Fields at and provide your name, how you found about this conversation, and which session you will attend.  Food, drink and AC! will be provided, and feel free to bring a friend.

“As a 21 year old about to graduate from college the job market and economic climate are pretty terrifying.” - Student Comment, New York Times

Session 1
Date: Monday, August 9 at 5:30pm to 7:00pm
Location: Frost Lounge at Northeastern University

Session 2
Date: Wednesday, August 11 at 12:00pm to 1:30pm
Location: Frost Lounge at Northeastern University

How will you move from “next” to “now”?

Explore these questions with other under-40 nonprofit leaders during the NGen program at the Independent Sector Annual Conference this October. NGen: Moving Nonprofit Leaders from Next to Now provides you and your peers an exceptional opportunity to enhance your professional networks, develop your leadership opportunities, and contribute to the future of the nonprofit community.

Each year, the IS conference is the premier gathering for leaders of America’s charities, foundations, and corporate giving programs.  At the 2010 conference, which takes place October 20-22 in Atlanta, NGen will again bring together talented nonprofit professionals under the age of 40 for a series of sessions designed specifically for people like you.  NGen offers:

Targeted pre-conference workshop sessions on October 19-20, addressing topics important to emerging leaders
Opportunities for rising young leaders to connect with leaders of all ages
Examinations of issues central to the nonprofit community and ways to add your voice to the conversation

Visit the IS website to view the NGen schedule and learn more about the benefits of participation to you and your organization.

Register for one and a half days of pre-conference NGen programming for only $100, or add NGen to your IS conference registration for only $50 more.  Act now and save—the “early bird” discount for the full conference expires this Wednesday, June 30! 

We need rising stars like you to be part of the nearly 800 leaders coming together in Atlanta this fall. I encourage you to register today!

All nominees must be under-40, work for a U.S.-based nonprofit or non-governmental organization, and have had a transformative, measurable impact within their field, beyond his or her organization. The winner of the American Express NGen Leadership Award will be announced in late August, and will be recognized during the IS Annual Conference in Atlanta, October 20-22.  Nominations will be accepted through Monday, June 14.  Self-nomination is not admissible for this award.

Visit the IS website for more information on the award criteria, the selection process, and the nomination requirements.

This award extends Independent Sector’s commitment to encouraging emerging leaders in the nonprofit and philanthropic community.  All under-40 nonprofit professionals are invited to join IS for the NGen Program at the IS Annual Conference in Atlanta this October, which will offer expanded programming and networking opportunities for emerging leaders. Visit the IS website to learn more about how you can register for NGen: Moving Nonprofit Leaders from Next to Now.

This was your first time at a Skoll World Forum; why did you decide to attend this year?

As Commongood Careers has grown to a point of national scale and with the launch of our new venture, Talent Initiative, I have been focusing a greater amount of my time on advancing the sector as a whole, on both a national and global level.  This is coming at the same time as I believe that we are approaching one of the most pivotal inflection points in the history of the social sector.  As we emerge from the global economic downturn, many world leaders—including President Obama in the US—are re-envisioning the role that entrepreneurial, outcome-based and high-impact nonprofits/NGOs have in moving our society forward.  The Skoll Forum is one of the most significant annual conversations among social entrepreneurs about the future of our work and our world.  Given my new focus areas and the strategic imperative of this time, I was excited about the opportunity to join the dialogue this year.

How was this conference different than other conferences that focus on social entrepreneurship?

There are not too many conferences focused on social entrepreneurship, and I wish that there were more. The Skoll World Forum is the most globally diverse conference that I have ever attended.  At any given event, I was as likely to be sitting next to someone from Ghana or Palestine as I was to be comparing and contrasting the hiring needs of nonprofits in Korea or Darfur.  It was an amazing experience to see how many similarities exist across the world, and to imagine how different our work would be in different cultures and contexts.

You led two workshops about talent while you were there. What were the themes, concerns and ideas that were discussed during that session?

We had two great sessions on “Human Capital and Social Entrepreneurs” in Oxford.  At the start of each session, we went around the room and asked participants to share their greatest areas of concern or challenge related to human capital and management.  Then, for 90 minutes, my colleague Pari Jhaveri of Third Sector Partners in India would answer as many of their questions as possible.  Many of the participants were focused on specific hiring needs, most commonly based around hiring (in many cases their first) Chief Operating Officer and/or Chief Development Officer.  These hires both represent a vital developmental turning point for many organizations and exploring how to structure these roles and integrate them into existing management structures was a fascinating conversation.  Many social entrepreneurs were also focusing on maintaining a competitive compensation structure within this economic environment, preserving their organizational cultures throughout a rapid growth process, and building “bench strength” and succession plans for senior managers.

What are your overall impressions of the Skoll World Forum 2010?

It is an amazing opportunity to convene leaders from incredibly diverse backgrounds that all share a common entrepreneurial approach to their myriad visions for social change.  I feel incredibly fortunate to have been able to attend and I hope to do so again next year.

How did you get home when everyone else seems to be stranded in Europe as a result of the Icelandic volcano?

Eric Schwarz from Citizen Schools and I had to get back to Boston early for an event and I think that we were on the very last plane out of Heathrow before they closed down all of British air space.  We really lucked out on that one!  Now just about a week later, I understand that most of the conference attendees are still unable to return home, with many of them making their way in cabs and busses down to Madrid where it is rumored that you can get a flight out.  This phenomenon has just absolutely amazed me and it seems to have bottled up the world’s greatest social entrepreneurs in one place for an extended period!  We have a lot of work to do and I hope that everyone can get home soon.

Let’s imagine that I have a magic wand. What I am going to do with my magic wand is go into your organization’s bank accounts…. and zero out the cash balance….  Then, I am going to go to your office and I am going to wipe out all the program data, all the technology, your strategic plan, your branded materials, and, in fact, the whole office itself….  And finally, I am going to pick up all of your staff, and all of your board members, and all of your volunteers and place them in a field together.  And I am going to ask that group, with you as its leader, to have the biggest impact on your mission possible.  I’d be willing to bet that all of you could get some pretty damn impressive results using just those people and nothing else.

So, here’s a different scenario.  I take out my wand again but, this time, I wipe out all those people.  Don’t worry.  They’re OK.  I sent them to the Cayman Islands on vacation… and I sent you with them… all expenses paid.  Now, let me ask you: Back at home, how much good is all the money, and technology, and infrastructure that is left behind going to get done on its own in service to your mission?

I’m sure by now, you all get my point.  In our sector, it’s the people, first and foremost, that dictate our ability to do good in the world. 

But why am I bothering to point out things that I know, that you know, already?  I’m standing up here in the hope of communicating one single and simple message… which is that it’s about putting people-FIRST.

I know from working with many of you that human capital is among your top five organizational priorities, which is GREAT.  The problem for many of us, however, is that it is number 3 or 4, rather than number 1.  And there is a world of difference between being a people-first organization and a people-fourth organization.

Now I know that no-one wants to think of themselves as being a “people-fourth” organization.  But the truth is, “putting people first” makes total sense and is something that we can commit to…. until we look down at our blackberries or iPhones and remember 3-4 more urgent, but ultimately less important things that need to be addressed ASAP and talent development will just have to wait.  So, one day, when we have a little more time and a little more money, we’ll make some investments to really get our organizations up to speed along those lines.  But… that day never really comes… or it comes too late to capture the opportunity of the moment.

The best leaders among us today, however, have proven that if we truly think and act on a people-FIRST basis, we can make the most out of this pivotal time in the evolution of our movement.  With a people-FIRST mindset, we can dramatically:

• Increase our revenue streams
• Improve our programs results
• Scale our operations and
• Change the lives of millions of people… in a way, and to a degree that simply is not possible without this mindset.

And it is NOT JUST about getting the right people on the bus, which is important.  It’s also about how we on-board, compensate, evaluate, manage, develop, and retain our people. 

So, this afternoon, I want to ask you to make a commitment.  Whether you are a social entrepreneur, a funder, a government employee, or a thought leader in the sector….  I want to ask you to really explore what it would look like to make human capital your organization’s number one priority.  Think about how you would go about doing it.  What would change?  And what benefits you could expect to see from that shift.

So, let’s go back to imagining.  I can imagine a social innovation movement that that puts people-first across the board.  I can imagine a sector that is better, stronger, smarter, more efficient, more effective, grows more rapidly, and brings increasingly high levels of social change to a world that needs it.

Imagine all of your staff and volunteer positions filled with cracker-jack, rock-star talent, and with those people being managed and developed in a tightly aligned organizational culture that allows them to achieve their fullest potential.

Or, imagine that they might as well be sitting in the Cayman’s.

Imagine it.

These events are free, but space is limited and registration is required. Seats will be made available on a first-come, first-served basis. You must RSVP in order to attend. All events will take place in centrally located downtown hotels. Location and other information will be made available to confirmed attendees.

Please contact Kasey Gagnon at as soon as possible to join the conversation in your region.

New York City
January 20, 2010
8:00-11:00am
Panelists:
- Matthew Klein, Blue Ridge Foundation
- Charles Best, DonorsChoose.org
- Lara Galinsky, Echoing Green
- Mike O’Brien, iMentor
- George Overholser, Nonprofit Finance Fund

Boston
January 22, 2010
8:00-11:00am

Panelists:
- Michael Brown, City Year
- Eric Schwarz, Citizen Schools
- Doug Borchard, New Profit, Inc.
- Alexandra Quinn, Project HEALTH

San Francisco
January 27, 2010
8:00-11:00am
Panelists:
- Suzanne McKechnie Klahr, BUILD
- Anne Marie Burgoyne, Draper Richards Foundation
- Louise Davis, Peer Health Exchange
- Jill Vialet, Playworks

Washington, D.C.
February 2, 2010
8:00-11:00am

Panelists:
- Darell Hammond, KaBOOM!
- Kirsten Lodal, LIFT
- Brett Jenks, Rare Conservation
- Eleanor Rutland, Venture Philanthropy Partners

Of particular interest, the Council on Foundations shared a research report entitled “Career Pathways to Philanthropic Leadership.” This baseline study looks at potential keys to success for emerging leaders in philanthropy, as well as offers insights into the total appointment process.

The key findings from this research include:

1. Nearly 80 percent of the 440 foundations appointing CEOs and executive directors during the study period filled them not through internal promotions but from candidates outside the
foundations.

2. Most of the successful candidates held executive positions in their immediate prior position as either chief executive or vice president before successfully landing in their current position.

3. The majority of the successful candidates made the transition from fields outside of philanthropy— primarily from the business and nonprofit sectors.

4. Of the successful candidates, nearly 20 percent were from racially and ethnically diverse backgrounds and about half were women.

5. Thirty percent of field leaders who were interviewed said mentors played a major role in their career advancement.

6. About 85 percent of the interviewees expressed significant skepticism about the willingness of trustees, search consultants, and other hiring decision makers to be influenced by leadership
development efforts (such as fellowship programs that train new leaders) as they contemplate hiring decisions about executive candidates.

The report is now available for download on the Council of Foundations website, and is a must read for current and future philanthropic leaders.

How will you move from “next” to “now”?

How can you add your voice to today’s urgent conversations about tomorrow’s inspiring possibilities?

Join other emerging nonprofit leaders in conversations about these questions by participating in NGen: Moving Nonprofit Leaders from Next to Now at the Independent Sector Annual Conference, held in partnership with the Council of Michigan Foundations. The NGen program, free to those attending the conference, provides an exceptional opportunity to enhance your professional networks, build your leadership skills, and contribute to the future of the nonprofit community.

Each year, the IS conference is the premier gathering for leaders of America’s charities, foundations, and corporate giving programs.  At the 2009 conference, which takes place November 4-6 in Detroit, the NGen program will again bring together talented nonprofit professionals under the age of 40 for a series of sessions designed specifically for people like you.

Our society is changing rapidly and in unexpected ways, and we need young leaders like you to be part of a conversation about how to strengthen the sector at large and increase our individual and collective impact.  This year’s Annual Conference will engage attendees in provocative discussions about the present and future state of our community through innovative formats that inspire collaboration and dialogue. That conversation has already started online, and we urge you to join us at FutureLab: An Online Challenge for the Nonprofit Community to Chart a Vibrant 2020 to contribute to discussions that will continue at the conference in Detroit.

We need rising stars like you to be part of the nearly 1,000 leaders coming together in Detroit. We encourage you to register today. Visit the IS website to view the NGen schedule and learn more about this diverse group of leaders.

Are you ready to magnify your impact through dynamic collaboration with your peers?

Recognizing that the leaders we need tomorrow are poised to contribute today, Independent Sector is pleased to introduce the American Express NGen Fellows Program. This exciting new program will offer 12 young professionals from IS member organizations a rare opportunity to magnify their impact and accelerate their careers. The program, which includes complientary registration and lodging for the 2009 Annual Conference, will build the capacity of these emerging leaders through tailored online and in-person programming and special networking opportunities.

American Express NGen Fellows will be a diverse and talented group selected from under-40 staff at IS member organizations.  Visit the IS website to learn more about the benefits of participation in the fellows program, the selection process, and how to apply.  Applications are due August 14, 2009. 

The American Express NGen Fellows Program enhances IS’s NGen: Moving Nonprofit Leaders from Next to Now program, which is designed to expand and improve the nonprofit talent pool by developing the leadership skills and networks of emerging leaders.  Free to all under-40 conference attendees, NGen offers targeted workshop sessions addressing topics important to emerging leaders and opportunities for rising young professionals to connect with leaders of all ages.

As could be expected, much of the conversation at the conference centered around the economy’s impact on career paths and longevity. According to Allyson, the overall vibe about long-term career opportunities in the sector hovered around cautious optimism. While there was concern about the ability to retain one’s job (about 5% of conference attendees had been laid off this year) or build a long-term career (many attendees planned to work in the government or private sector at some point), there was an overall belief that the sector will continue to grow and create opportunities for young professionals. This sentiment was especially true for people who worked in the education field or other sub-sectors that may benefit from initiatives such as the Serve America Act and Obama’s economic stimulus packages to nonprofits.

When the topic of the “leadership gap” arose, practically all YNPNers in attendance saw the glass as half-full. The feeling of “we’re here and ready to lead” overwhelmed any perception that the nonprofit sector is either currently experiencing or heading for a leadership crisis. As Allyson summarized, “This generation is the solution. We’re doing everything we can to prepare for leadership roles.”

Eric Dawson, President and Co-Founder of Peace Games followed with an inspiring story about what led to the creation of Peace games, his challenges and achievements. One interesting concept that often social entrepreneurs struggle with is measurement and how you know whether or not your program is effective. Brilliantly, Dawson raised the point that impact is more than about traditional forms of evaluation and measurement, distinguishing W and w - BIG work and LITTLE work. BIG work is about never losing sight of the overall mission, the bigger picture and not getting discouraged when trying to see impact because social change is hard to measure and often isn’t apparent right away. LITTLE work is the quantitative measurement, which most organizations need for funding. He also said that social entrepreneurship is more than just building programs – building programs isn’t enough; it’s about building movements, cultivating relationships and connecting people. Dawson was very thoughtful and sincere in his reflections about Peace Games and Social Entrepreneurship – we were all very grateful for his openness.

It was an inspiring day to say the least, and it was great to be surrounded by such progressive individuals looking to take what they learned back to their communities. Thank you BCCJ, ASHOKA and Brandeis Heller School of Social Policy and Management for a powerful event.

Open to the public, the session was hosted at Northeastern University,
drew an audience of over 60 people, and was moderated by the Founder and
CEO of Commongood Careers, James Weinberg.  Other panelists included:
James Cleveland, President of Jumpstart for Young Children; Priscilla
Cohen, Director of Strategic Initiatives at Citizen Schools; Jennifer
Macauley, Director of Communications at New Profit Inc.; and Christine
Morin, Director of New Site Development at City Year Inc.

The panel opened with James Weinberg providing framing remarks about the
powerful nature of social entrepreneurship as a force for innovative
change throughout the world.  Each panelist then took several minutes to
introduce themselves and answer the question: “Who is the most
inspirational social entrepreneur that you have ever known, and what do
you think made them a ‘social entrepreneur’ as you think about and
define the term.”  The audience then engaged in an hour of lively
interactive discussion with the panel, followed by time for individual
discussions and networking.

It was a powerful event and we would like to thank each of our
panelists, Northeastern University for so generously hosting us, and the
Coro National Alumni Association for sponsoring the event and making
this important discussion open to the public.

Friday, November 7, 2008
1:00 - 3:00pm

Northeastern University
Egan Research Center, Raytheon Amphitheatre
120 Forsyth Street, Boston, MA 02115

Moderator:
James Weinberg, Founder & CEO, Commongood Careers

Panelists:
Priscilla Cohen, Director of Strategic Initiatives, Citizen Schools
James Cleveland, President, Jumpstart for Young Children
Jennifer Macauley, Director of Communications, New Profit Inc.
Christine Morin, Director of New Site Development, City Year

This panel is open to the public with an RSVP and is being organized as part of the 2008 Coro National Alumni Gathering.

Session Overview: Social entrepreneurship is increasingly recognized as one of the world’s most powerful forces for bringing about positive social change.  Leaders in this hybrid field, which exists somewhere in-between the private, public and nonprofit sectors, are often at the helm of rapidly scaling ventures that offer “game-changing” solutions.  But from where does all this power originate and where is it all headed?  This panel will discuss the essential nature of social entrepreneurs and the factors that make them such a unique lever within our society.  We will also explore what the future of the movement might be, especially in these uncertain economic times.

RSVP ASAP to Maureen Sarna, , 617-542-1404 x 29

Event Sponsors:
Coro trains ethical, diverse civic leaders nationwide.  Coro leaders develop skills and master tools needed to engage and empower communities. The Coro National Alumni Association (CNAA) is the official alumni association of the Coro Foundation and its regional centers and programs.  CNAA strives to foster communication and a spirit of friendship, assistance, and cooperation within the Coro community.  To learn more about Coro and apply for its leadership programs, please visit http://www.coro.org or email recruitny@coro.org.

Commongood Careers is an innovative not-for-profit search firm that supports social entrepreneurs with their recruitment and hiring needs at every organizational level.  Commongood Careers offers personalized, engaged services to jobseekers and nonprofits throughout the hiring process, as well as access to a wealth of knowledge about nonprofit careers. Ultimately, Commongood accelerates social change by placing the best talent in the right roles at the nation’s most effective mission-driven organizations.
To learn more, please visit: http://www.cgcareers.org.

SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP PANEL DIRECTIONS

Northeastern University
Egan Research Center, Raytheon Amphitheatre
120 Forsyth Street, Boston, MA 02115

Parking is available at the Renaissance Parking Garage, 835 Columbus Avenue, Boston.  The Egan Research Center is located behind the parking garage, on the other side of the Ruggles T Station.

Traveling by Public Transportation:

GREEN LINE: From downtown Boston, take an “E” train outbound to the Northeastern stop, the first stop above ground.  From the Northeastern stop, walk down Huntington and turn into the campus by walking down Forsyth Street.  The Egan Research Center is toward the end of the street.

ORANGE LINE: Take the Orange Line going outbound to Forest Hills and get off at Ruggles Station. The Egan Research Center is toward the end of the street.

As an NGen sponsor, we at Commongood Careers are excited to see these issues being addressed at one of the most well-attended and influential nonprofit conferences.

Learn more about NGen.

On October 8th, the Stanford Social Innovation Review will host a conference called Online Giving Marketplaces: Changing the Face of Philanthropy. I’m thrilled to see these platforms finally getting the attention they deserve. I’m also delighted to be moderating one of the panel discussions. Over the years I’ve paid a lot of attention to online giving sites—GlobalGiving, Kiva, NetworkForGood, GiveIndia, HelpArgentina, DonorsChoose, GiveMeaning, and GreaterGood South Africa, among many others (check out socialactions for a mashup of more than 30 platforms).

Why do these sites matter? Because they represent giving that’s faster, more global, and boasts multi-media interactivity? Or is there something else, something more transformative, going on here? Why are these sites proliferating, and what differentiates them from each other?

These platforms are important beyond just their speed and glitz factors in several ways.  They enable small gifts to be aggregated—by the donors—and they let donors manage portfolios of their giving. This is a baseline for ultimately getting to more strategic giving. Second, online giving platforms provide a potential source of data about giving trends and patterns, in something approximating real time. Third, they could provide a common backbone for donation transactions. Fourth, they are positioned to gather real feedback and input from people within funded institutions, as well as the people who benefit from them (see GreatNonprofits for more on this possibility). Fifth, they might serve as early warning signals about issues or giving patterns. Sixth, there are already emerging connections between “online giving platforms,” “social investors,” and “social stock exchanges”—so it only makes sense that new metrics systems, reporting tools, and portfolio assessment tools will come next. Seventh, these sites are specifically set up as marketplaces with buyers and sellers connected by interests; this framework is distinct from the way nonprofits and donors usually talk about themselves, and one that has both advantages and disadvantages. Finally, we have not yet seen real interconnectivity between online giving platforms and “offline” donor services. Is this next, and what might the results of such partnerships look like?

The speakers at the Online Giving Marketplaces conference, who include the founding executives and board members of several of the sites named above, will surely add their ideas to this list.

Updates: The conference has been moved to a larger venue; the original site sold out. (You can find information on logistics here.) If you can’t attend, but have key questions you’d like to ask, send them to me, at and I’ll do my best to get them asked. I’ll report answers via a blog post.

Tenacity will be honored by the USTA during Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day at the US Open this year as the featured National Junior Tennis League organization. Attracting over 30,000 adult and youth spectators, Arthur Ashe Kids Day honors tennis legend Arthur Ashe and continues his mission of using tennis as a means to instill in kids the values of humanitarianism, leadership and academic excellence. To see the coverage, tune in to CBS Sports TV on Sunday, August 24th, from 12 - 1:30 PM (EST) for the Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day national broadcast featuring a short video on Tenacity.

We congratulation our partner Tenacity for being recognized on this special day that celebrates the importance of shaping and encouraging youth in the classroom, on the court, and in the community.

Interested in learning more about social enterprise? Does your organization use market-based strategies to advance social change? Then join Commongood Careers at the 9th Social Enterprise Summit, hosted by the Social Enterprise Alliance.

9th Social Enterprise Summit
Building Networks - Forming Partnerships - Accessing Capital
March 9-11, 2008
Boston Park Plaza

Through this conference, get connected to this exciting movement for social innovation through:

• Meeting successful social enterprise practitioners.
• Enjoying tours of local social enterprises in Boston.
• Discovering double-bottom line organizations in your community.
 
• Attending any of 50 informative sessions on social enterprise strategies.

Social enterprises can do more together than alone, and the Summit will be an opportunity to discuss ideas for advancing the field and creating a more conducive climate for social enterprise. Be there, and tell your friends and colleagues.

Learn more and register.

This is our second year supporting the conference and once again the conference organizers out did themselves—the event was a huge success. Serving as one of approximately 100 exhibitors, our team met and had wonderful conversations with women interested in fulfilling their personal and professional mission in the nonprofit sector.

Our team felt that the conference provided a fabulous opportunity for women to come together to hear from panelists expert from a wide swath of professions including financial planning, nonprofit management, marketing and communications. Commongood Careers’ very own Jana Reed spoke on the topic of “Leading Innovations to Advance Nonprofits”. Her remarks focused on talent and the need for talent in the nonprofit sector at all levels of the organizational chart. In reflection, we heard from many women that the day was inspirational and helped them to see the impact of their careers through a different lens.

Were you at the conference? If so, please share your thoughts on the day and comment on this blog! If you were there but missed Jana’s presentation, you can find related topics in our Knowledge Center. If you missed the conference this year, we hope to see you next year.

“This month we attended 7 events starting first with the Social Venture Partners Conference in Seattle where we heard from Patty Stonesifer, Executive Director of the Gates Foundation and I sat in on a session on transitioning from the for profit to nonprofit sectors. From there back to Boston for two days in the office and then back to Seattle for the Action Without Borders, Idealist Career Fair. We connected with hundreds of jobseekers and presented two back-to-back Workshops on Finding a Great Job in the Nonprofit Sector. I left Seattle feeling exhilarated about the energy and interest from so many people with diverse experience and background—all interested in working in the social sector.

From Seattle I flew the red eye back to Boston to conduct two career advisories and then on to Los Angeles for the Independent Sector conference. The first day at the conference the Nonprofit Sector Workforce Committee met and our very own James Weinberg was nominated Vice Chair! The Committee focuses on three areas: general marketing of the sector; diversity in the sector; and student debt. The Independent Sector conference feels like old home week in that so many of our colleagues and partners in the sector come together to share ideas, best practices, and old fashioned conversation!

After Independent Sector, I joined my colleague Kasey in Portland, OR for the Action Without Borders Idealist Career Fair at Portland State University. Over 800 people attended the Career Fair, I presented one workshop on Careers in the Nonprofit Sector. The room was packed and people flowed to the hallway.

After the event, Kasey and I jumped on the red eye and flew to Boston. I spent a few hours at Logan and then on to Washington DC for the Academy of Women Symposium at the Women’s Military Memorial at Arlington Cemetery. Commongood Careers was invited to participate in the conference and we were excited to accept the invitation. I was humbled and awed by the sheer intelligence and commitment the women I met have for the country. Many of the women I met want when they leave service to continue to serve the country by working in the social sector. I know that Commongood Careers will be helpful to them as they chart their path. ”

We also met many organizations concerned with the need to develop nonprofit talent in Texas. A representative from the San Antonio Nonprofit Council shared, “Talent is a real need for organizations. We wish there were more resources devoted to connecting professionals and organizations.”