Community Leadership Accelerator
2021-22 Cohort will run from September 2021 to April/May 2022
Community Leadership Accelerator is a program designed to develop diverse leaders who are grounded in their own leadership, can sustain themselves as leaders, and can drive community change.
Are you or someone you know:
The crises of the COVID-19 pandemic, calls for racial equity, and climate change have changed our landscape and heightened the call for courageous and resilient leaders, regardless of position in an organization. Whilst non-profits are recognized as an essential lifeline out of recovery, we are also aware of the stressors in the sector, and the calls for a different, more sustainable, leadership model.
Program Goals
What you can expect
New this year
We are welcoming multiple members from a single organization to attend. Each individual in the cohort must meet the criteria above and have the intention to stay with their organization throughout the duration of the program. For the practicum, we encourage teams to work together (on at least one submission) to create change within their institution or community.
What People Have Experienced
“This is the training for the rest of us, the ones who jumped into the helping fields based on passion and drive but maybe without the MBA or MA. This is a solid base in leadership skills, terminology, ideas, and in relationships for the leaders that the future requires. Ones that have heart, drive, talent, and communication skills to meet the challenges of the world as we find it and to build the world we want to see. One of compassion, wholeness, and equity.”
“I would describe this program as life changing because there is so much a young professional can gain from it. There is also the great value of sharing a space with other community leaders with diverse experiences that can help inform our own.”
“I would highly recommend this program to others who are looking for tools to help them on their path of becoming leaders as well as refresher for those in leadership positions. This program is valuable in that it teaches you to look introspectively at yourself in order to see what strengths and potential weaknesses you possess that can have a bearing on your effectiveness as a leader, while simultaneously offering tools and strategies that can help to support these qualities. The comradery established during group sessions and the network of leaders in our community is invaluable.”
“Immensely invaluable. I walked into it wanting to get one thing out of it; instead, I gained so much knowledge in all aspects of leadership. It was more than I thought I would get out of it.”--
“I think the program has huge value for our community. When I think of the minds, hearts, and energy of the people in my group, and all of the projects, organizations, and efforts being stewarded by these incredible folks, I feel grateful that this program and partners are creating resources to support leaders.”
“I honestly thought it was incredible. By the end, I felt we had created a community of really dynamic people, coming together to work on individual and institutional issues.”
Investment
$3,000 per person per year (10% discount for participants in Southern Arizona Nonprofit CEO Roundtable member organizations). This amount does not cover travel, lodging or dinner costs for the retreats. Breakfast, lunch, and refreshments during the retreats and all curricula and materials are included.
Thanks to community partners, like the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project, Arizona Community Foundation, Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, Vitalyst Health Foundation, Elan Consulting, and Sarah Griffiths, financial assistance is available and can be requested through the application process.
Learn more about our learning philosophy
Learn more about our Teaching Team
Learn more about the benefits of the program
Are you or someone you know:
- A demonstrated leader/agent of change who envisions taking a greater leadership role?
- Ready to be more intentional and take a deeper dive into your leadership?
- Energized by learning and growth?
- Interested in and/or already driving community change?
The crises of the COVID-19 pandemic, calls for racial equity, and climate change have changed our landscape and heightened the call for courageous and resilient leaders, regardless of position in an organization. Whilst non-profits are recognized as an essential lifeline out of recovery, we are also aware of the stressors in the sector, and the calls for a different, more sustainable, leadership model.
Program Goals
- To facilitate the sharing of the wisdom and strengths in the room and the building of a peer community
- To build the emotional and social intelligence necessary for effective leadership
- To encourage and support practices that restore, inspire, sustain, and empower community leaders
- To explore what sharing leadership and power looks like through the lenses of diversity, equity, inclusion, belonging, and access
- To explore how to elevate relationship building and create strong teams with purpose
- To connect individual growth with systems and institutional change
- To put learning into practice
- To develop a pool (or pipeline) of community leaders who can drive change towards healthy, equitable and resilient organizations and communities.
What you can expect
- 8-month program with around 20 participants from Arizona
- o 3-day opening retreat (September 28, 29, 30 2021):
o 4 workshops (October 29, December 10, February 11, March 18)
o 3-day in-person closing retreat (April or May 2022)
- o 3-day opening retreat (September 28, 29, 30 2021):
- EQ Assessment and debrief
- Practicum applying the principles in action, which culminates in a Portfolio (required for completion of the program)
- Monthly facilitated reflection calls with a peer group
- Two coaching sessions with each leader (one of which will be EQ debrief)
- Homework, including pre-reading, practices, assessments, etc.
New this year
We are welcoming multiple members from a single organization to attend. Each individual in the cohort must meet the criteria above and have the intention to stay with their organization throughout the duration of the program. For the practicum, we encourage teams to work together (on at least one submission) to create change within their institution or community.
What People Have Experienced
“This is the training for the rest of us, the ones who jumped into the helping fields based on passion and drive but maybe without the MBA or MA. This is a solid base in leadership skills, terminology, ideas, and in relationships for the leaders that the future requires. Ones that have heart, drive, talent, and communication skills to meet the challenges of the world as we find it and to build the world we want to see. One of compassion, wholeness, and equity.”
“I would describe this program as life changing because there is so much a young professional can gain from it. There is also the great value of sharing a space with other community leaders with diverse experiences that can help inform our own.”
“I would highly recommend this program to others who are looking for tools to help them on their path of becoming leaders as well as refresher for those in leadership positions. This program is valuable in that it teaches you to look introspectively at yourself in order to see what strengths and potential weaknesses you possess that can have a bearing on your effectiveness as a leader, while simultaneously offering tools and strategies that can help to support these qualities. The comradery established during group sessions and the network of leaders in our community is invaluable.”
“Immensely invaluable. I walked into it wanting to get one thing out of it; instead, I gained so much knowledge in all aspects of leadership. It was more than I thought I would get out of it.”--
“I think the program has huge value for our community. When I think of the minds, hearts, and energy of the people in my group, and all of the projects, organizations, and efforts being stewarded by these incredible folks, I feel grateful that this program and partners are creating resources to support leaders.”
“I honestly thought it was incredible. By the end, I felt we had created a community of really dynamic people, coming together to work on individual and institutional issues.”
Investment
$3,000 per person per year (10% discount for participants in Southern Arizona Nonprofit CEO Roundtable member organizations). This amount does not cover travel, lodging or dinner costs for the retreats. Breakfast, lunch, and refreshments during the retreats and all curricula and materials are included.
Thanks to community partners, like the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project, Arizona Community Foundation, Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, Vitalyst Health Foundation, Elan Consulting, and Sarah Griffiths, financial assistance is available and can be requested through the application process.
Learn more about our learning philosophy
Learn more about our Teaching Team
Learn more about the benefits of the program
For more information, contact:
Sarah Griffiths: (520) 271-7970, slmgriffiths@hotmail.com
Bryn Jones: (520) 668-3366, brynelan@gmail.com
Sarah Griffiths: (520) 271-7970, slmgriffiths@hotmail.com
Bryn Jones: (520) 668-3366, brynelan@gmail.com