What’s one way for businesses to invest in their communities and their staff? Look to nonprofit board leadership development.
Great leaders help move an organization forward. They tinker with problems, forge connections, and see opportunities. At nonprofit organizations in particular, there is a continuous need to develop, recruit, and retain talented leaders. Limited time and resources make this a challenging space, even for the most inspiring and meaningful causes. That’s why a nonprofit talent pipeline and nonprofit board leadership development are so important.
With a goal of being more engaged in our own communities, Epic Marketing Consultants Corporation recently sent two staff to complete Spur Impact’s Emerging Leaders Community program. It’s built by a Delaware nonprofit to assist Delaware nonprofits, and aims to train and prepare tomorrow’s nonprofit leaders. Notably, the program does triple duty, offering professional development, community impact, and organizational development. Participation in the program allowed our associates to reflect on their own skills and strengths. At the same time, they got to discover how they could provide meaningful support to an organization that aligns with their passions and interests.
Below, our Epic Marketing associates share the experiences that resonated with them, with a special focus on operations, marketing, and communications insights.
Flora’s ELC insights
I recently became aware of a nonprofit organization whose mission spoke to me. This got me thinking about the role I truly want to play in helping others. I had never previously considered nonprofit board leadership. Realizing I had skills and technical experience to offer others, I joined the Emerging Leaders Community hoping to find direction.
I’m probably one of the few people in the world that really enjoys taking a hard look at past projects. Diving into what went well, and what didn’t, can change not only how the next project goes, but the organization as a whole. It’s absolutely necessary for organizational growth. I would love to bring that knowledge and skillset to a nonprofit board.
A lack of organizational and operational efficiency within nonprofits – due to technical skills, time, or board member expertise – can hinder an organization from achieving its mission. I truly believe that any organization can use more strategic operations. Here at Epic, I have implemented new organizational structures, as well as reflective procedures that have proven to improve operations. However, I learned through ELC that improving operations at nonprofit organizations can be a challenge. Not every nonprofit operates at the same financial level, and not all board members have the same amount of time to give. However, being that consistent, so-called “squeaky wheel” can help move everyone along. Through ELC’s nonprofit board leadership development, I saw how current and potential board members step into their roles within the board and envisioned myself there.
Making an emerging leader and nonprofit board match
An incredible perk of the ELC program is the opportunity to connect with nonprofit boards with leadership needs. A key piece of information I walked away with was the importance of finding the right match. Just as you are seeking to match with an organization, that organization must be a match for you. ELC taught me what to look for in a nonprofit organization, as well as what questions to ask leadership. How are funds being used? Where is funding coming from? As an operations professional, being able to analyze that information is critical and could lead to potentially meaningful insights.
I went into the Emerging Leaders Community program with next to no knowledge of nonprofits. It was interesting to learn that each nonprofit has its own community dynamic – from very strict roles and responsibilities to more communal meeting-of-the-minds groups and everything in between. Knowing that, it’s less intimidating to want to join a board. And makes it more exciting to see what dynamics are out there, how I fit in, and how those dynamics best get the most help to the most beneficiaries.
Flora Sutalo, Chief Operating Officer
Dara’s ELC insights
Having grown up in Delaware, I understand the transformative power of the arts at the local and regional levels. Always, arts and creative educational experiences were accessible. And, it was thanks to this access that I was able to see myself exploring a career in the arts. My first job out of college was editing a newspaper features section – providing profiles of artists who lived in the community, previews of upcoming events, and generally writing about what makes life interesting.
In the years since, I’ve picked up other skills – nonprofit fundraising, ghostwriting, digital marketing – and I knew I had something to offer organizations who shared my passion for the arts. However, I’d recently started viewing my contribution to merely that of ticket holder. With fewer opportunities to write about the arts, being an engaged audience member seemed like the safest choice.
Signing up for the Emerging Leaders Community program, with the support and encouragement of Epic Marketing leadership, was a game changer. Never before had I actually considered myself as a potential arts nonprofit board member. But, what excited me about nonprofit board leadership development and, specifically ELC, was the holistic approach to developing well-rounded leaders from nontraditional talent pools. Maybe this would help me tie together all my interests and skills, I thought.
Nonprofit board leadership development builds connections
As an analytical thinker, sometimes there’s nothing that bugs me more than missed connections. But what if… Have you though about… Maybe we should try it this way…? A strength of the Emerging Leaders Community program is its ability to build connections and create opportunities while building the foundational skills and knowledge needed to join a board of directors. Our sessions together included:
- Nonprofits 101
- Board roles and responsibilities
- Leadership skill development
- Strategic planning and program evaluation
- Financial management
- Fundraising
The focus on leadership skills, strategic planning, and financial management provided me with direction on how I could contribute meaningfully to a nonprofit organization’s growth. A favorite lesson of mine was a visit from the chief external affairs and communications officer for Westside Family Healthcare. Discussing how ethical storytelling can change the narrative by asking “who is the hero of the story?” lead our cohort to an eye-opening discussion around best practices. That’s simply one example of how expert visitors helped drive information-packed lessons into 90-minute presentations.
As a committed professional making Delaware my permanent home – and now a graduate of the ELC program – I am eager to stay actively involved and do what I can to help. After all, I want Delaware’s amazing arts scene to continue to exist and thrive for all to enjoy.
Dara McBride, Senior Marketing Specialist
The ELC program is offered three times a year, with cohorts beginning in February, June, and October. You can learn more about it from our friends at Spur Impact.
