CompassPoint Nonprofit Services is now accepting applications for our Next Generation Leaders of Color (NGLC) program for leaders of color working in health and human service organizations within the Los Angeles region. This program is made possible through the generous support of The California Wellness Foundation.
In order to complete the application in multiple sittings, please use the ‘Save and Continue’ feature. Instructions for using this feature:
- At the top of each page of the online application, you’ll see the ‘save and continue survey later’ button.
- Click this button to provide an email address where Survey Gizmo will send a link you can use to continue the application where you left off.
- Be sure to check your junk email box for the email from Survey Gizmo.
- Please note that your answers for each page will only be saved once you complete a page and click the ‘Next’ button; Survey Gizmo will not save data on an incomplete page.
Please carefully review the following information prior to beginning the online application.
(For technical assistance with this application, please email Maro Guevara. Applications Due: 5:00pm Thursday, March 26.
Selections Announced: Wednesday, April 15.
BACKGROUND
Now in its sixth year, Next Generation Leaders of Color is a transformative leadership development program that builds leadership confidence, management competencies, and the ability to unleash organizational change. CompassPoint has designed this program specifically for leaders of color committed to working with their community peers to drive social change.
A cohort of 20 leaders who are in deep relationship with their organization (defined as middle- to senior- level managers who plan on being in their organization for at least the duration of the program) will come together for an intensive learning experience over the course of 10 months.
This program cultivates leaders who feel comfortable leading change with and without positional authority and increases the number of people of color prepared for and in leadership positions in the nonprofit sector.
CompassPoint strives to support a powerful and resilient critical mass of diverse leaders to contribute to social justice, because social justice movements are most powerful with strong relationships and aligned strategies.
COMMENTS FROM NGLC ALUMNI:
“This has been a process of me accepting me. What impact do I want to have? I want to change the systems and create opportunities for people to change their own lives. NGLC helped me define that. I was excited to answer the question, what is my journey?”
“My peer group was extraordinary, I have never received so much support; they had a huge influence on my success. The learning I got from hearing them, from listening to their learning and their lives. My growth came from that. I was in someone’s story as a supportive role, but I was growing along with them. Each of their stories was a mirror. Every time I asked a question of them, I asked it of myself.”
“I have no doubt that my 10 months in the NGLC Program elevated my leadership. I was able to examine how being a person of color was influencing my leadership and even how I had internalized some of those responsibilities and expectations. I became more aware of how I could better leverage my strengths and the strengths of those around me. I gained perspective on how others evaluated my leadership. I reevaluated my own relationship to money and how that impacted my leadership on finances. I felt rejuvenated; I sensed that I was in a better position to lead; I recognized that I was part of a larger movement.”
“More than two years since I completed the program, I can see a clear connection between NGLC and the work we did at Habitat. CompassPoint did not invest in a program – it invested in me. As I grew in my own leadership I was able to become a leader in my organization. And together, we were able to create long term change in the community.”
“CompassPoint facilitators brought knowledge to the table, but they also brought themselves. They were real and vulnerable and mirrored for me how to also be vulnerable and yet move forward.”
PROGRAM COMPONENTS
A cohort of 20 people of color from Los Angeles health and human service organizations will enroll in an intensive program with the following components:
360-Degree Assessment Tool
The assessment will take place at the onset of the program. It will provide participants an insight into the way others perceive their performance based on their workplace behaviors. Participants will be matched with coaches who will debrief the assessment results with them and develop their individualized professional development plans based on the results.
In‐person Seminars
Participants will come together five times over the course of the program for highly interactive learning sessions. The seminar topics will incorporate a multicultural framework that examines cultural dynamics and will alternate between leadership content and management content as participants work on their organizationally focused challenge. Expect 5-7 hours of homework in-between sessions.
Facilitated Peer‐Learning Groups
Each cohort member will participate in a facilitated peer‐coaching group. Peer groups will meet over the phone for 2 hours between the in-person seminars and are designed to reinforce learning and provide real‐time problem solving and peer support towards the participant’s organizationally focused challenge.
Leadership/Executive Coaching
One-on-one leadership coaching will be made available to each participant to help them with their leadership and professional development goals regarding their self-identified adaptive organizational challenge. Coaching is optional and coaches will be matched with participants based on interest and need.
Final Cohort Gathering
To encourage and support a network of next generation leaders of color, the last in-person seminar will be a celebration of accomplishments and an opportunity to deepen the new relationships among the cohort. Alumni from other CompassPoint leadership cohorts based in Los Angeles will also be invited.
PROGRAM SCHEDULE
Participants are required to attend all program sessions. Absenteeism negatively affects the cohort experience. Before applying, please confirm you are available to attend all seminar dates.
Seminars will be held in downtown Los Angeles (exact location is subject to change). Below is the seminar schedule; all dates are scheduled from 8:30am to 5:00pm.
Program Kick‐Off and Alumni Gathering: August 4, 5, and 6, 2015
Seminar 2: October 5 and 6, 2015
Seminar 3: December 9 and 10, 2015
Seminar 4: February 18 and 19, 2016
Final Gathering and Closing: April 15, 2016
ESTIMATE OF TIME COMMITMENT
Total estimated time for participation is as follows:
- 10 days for attendance at all in‐person seminars (dates listed above)
- 2‐4 hours for 360-degree assessment process
- 8 hours for leadership coaching (spread over the course of the program)
- 1‐2 hours for providing evaluation feedback to the CompassPoint team
- 5‐7 hours each month between sessions to work on adaptive challenge learning goals
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
This program is for people of color who are currently in mid‐level management positions, have at least two years’ experience managing people and budgets, have never been an executive director, work in a Los Angeles health and human service organization, and have a commitment to social change. Participants can be of any age, but would need to have a demonstrated commitment to a career in the nonprofit sector and an aspiration towards professional advancement.
Each applicant needs to meet the following program requirements:
- Is a person of color
- Is a mid‐level or senior-level manager (as defined by your organization)
- Has at least 2 years nonprofit management experience
- Has never been an executive director
- Anticipates remaining with current organization for the next year*
- Is working in a Los Angeles health and human service organization
- Has her/his organization’s executive director and direct supervisor’s approval to participate
* If a participant unexpectedly leaves his/her organization during the program or is no longer able to meet the program requirements, CompassPoint will work with the individual to determine if continued participation is appropriate.
PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS
Full participation in the program is required to ensure that each participant is able to gain the individual as well as organizational impacts intended. Absenteeism negatively affects the experience of cohort peers as well as CompassPoint faculty and staff. Participants are expected to implement program content into their organizations and share learnings with other staff and supervisors. To ensure a positive experience for everyone we require that each participant:
- Attend and actively participate in all sessions and activities associated with the program
- Share program content and learnings with supervisor and other staff (as appropriate)
- Honor the time commitments as outlined above
- Provide feedback to group members on their work and to CompassPoint on program quality and impact
- Complete the 360-degree assessment
- Participate in the program evaluation
- Pay the required participation fee
NUMBER OF APPLICANTS PER ORGANIZATION
Only one application per organization will be considered for the program. If CompassPoint receives more than one application from an organization we will ask the organization to decide which application to submit.
PROGRAM COSTS
This program is generously funded by The California Wellness Foundation. If selected, each participant’s organization must pay a nominal participation fee. The fee is determined on a sliding scale based on organization’s budget size. This fee will be due upon acceptance into the program to secure that participant’s spot. The total value of this program is approximately $10,000 per person.
Sliding scale is as follows:
- $500 for organization’s with operating budget size of under $1 million
- $750 for organization’s with operating budget size between $1 and 3 million
- $1,000 for organization’s with operating budget size over $3 million
TO APPLY
Your responses will help us better understand your commitment to leadership in the social change sector. We invite you to share with us what inspires you to work in a leadership position, and your hopes and aspirations for your professional impact in social justice. We appreciate your thoughtfulness, thoroughness, and candor. Writing style and educational level are not considered in the selection. We will select 20 leaders of color based on:
- Eligibility requirements
- Ability to articulate how you see your work in social change and your lifetime commitment to this journey
- Ability to articulate your leadership and professional development goals
- Personal and organizational readiness to participate in this intensive program
- Thoughtfulness, thoroughness and candor of application
Once you complete the online application, you will be directed to a page to download one additional form that should be signed by your executive director. This form is due by 5:00 pm on Thursday, March 26. Please fax it to (415) 541‐7708 Attn: Maro Guevara or scan and email it to marog@compasspoint.org.
Applications must be submitted electronically no later than 5:00 pm. on Thursday, March 26.
Late applications will not be considered. Applicants will be notified of selection decisions by
Wednesday, April 15.
"HOW TO APPLY" CONFERENCE CALLS
Two, one-hour informational calls about the application process and the program will be held on the following dates:
- March 10, 2015 from 10:00am to 11:30am (PST)
- March 16, 2015 from 2:00pm to 3:30pm (PST)
To register for one of the calls, please email your name, phone number, and time of the call you plan to attend to: Lupe Poblano, project director, at lupep@compasspoint.org.
ABOUT COMPASSPOINT NONPROFIT SERVICES
CompassPoint intensifies the impact of fellow nonprofit leaders, organizations, and networks as we achieve social equity together. We are a diverse and deeply integrated staff practice working in cross‐discipline teams to design and deliver management, leadership, and strategy programming to leaders at all stages of the pipeline and organizations focused broadly on social equity. We intentionally blend learning methodologies depending on program needs – mixing teaching, coaching, peer‐learning, and consulting to achieve the desired outcomes with an individual, a cohort, an organization, or a network. Our program work is also informed by our national research. We design studies to better understand and shape the sector’s understanding of the most critical issues facing nonprofits today.