Strategic Partnerships

Albuquerque Community Foundation to Partner with Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Center for Creative Leadership to Enhance Pipeline of Nonprofit Health Executives.

Albuquerque is One of Nine to Participate in Fellowship Program to Prepare Next Generation of Nonprofit Leaders.

Albuquerque, NM–Albuquerque Community Foundation has been selected to collaborate with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) and the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) to implement a national fellowship program in Albuquerque that will help train the next generation of community health leaders. The RWJF Ladder to Leadership program aims to boost the skills and capabilities of early- to mid-level professionals working in health and health-related nonprofit organizations so they will be positioned to lead organizations as many nonprofit leaders retire.

Over the next 4 months, RWJF, CCL, and the national advisory committee of the Ladder to Leadership program will select 30 fellows who work in Albuquerque to take part in the 16-month leadership curriculum. Fellows will participate in face-to-face training sessions, individualized executive coaching, and team project work.

“This program will offer excellent training to the emerging nonprofit leaders in Bernalillo County, not only enhancing their professional growth but helping our community grow a cadre of skilled health professionals to provide needed leadership,” said Randy Royster, Executive Director, Albuquerque Community Foundation.

The nonprofit sector, like many industries and sectors, is facing an impending exodus of senior leaders who plan to retire in the coming years. A study by the Bridgespan Group estimated that by 2016, nonprofit groups will need approximately 80,000 new senior managers each year.

“Nonprofit organizations are a critical part of health care and service delivery in this country. It is important we work with current leaders to build a pipeline of qualified future CEOs and executive directors, so we do not lose the vision and capacity needed to continue to do this work effectively in the future,” said Sallie Petrucci George, M.P.H., program officer at RWJF. “We are committed to investing in tomorrow’s nonprofit leaders to make sure they receive the training they need to best serve those at-risk communities.”

Albuquerque was one of nine sites selected across the country to participate in the program. It was chosen because of the unique health care issues arising from a large geographical area being served primarily from one city and because of the state’s high percentage of poverty. Other criteria included census and demographic information, community-based needs for public health leadership development, and commitment of local community partners.

“We believe this program will have a powerful and lasting impact on individual leaders and their organizations,” said Karen Dyer, director of CCL’s Education and Nonprofit Sector. “By design, the program encourages fellows to apply new skills and innovative solutions to problems in their communities as these skills are learned. So they are giving back to the community as they go.”

To become a fellow, applicants must demonstrate a record of accomplishment within the nonprofit sector, potential for leadership in the nonprofit health or health care field, and a proven commitment to serving at-risk groups.

To learn more about who is eligible and how to apply, visit: http://www.rwjf.org/applications/solicited/cfp.jsp?ID=20281. 

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation’s largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the Foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful and timely change. For more than 35 years, the Foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. When it comes to helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need, the Foundation expects to make a difference in your lifetime. For more information, visit www.rwjf.org.

The Center for Creative Leadership (CCL®) is a top-ranked, global provider of executive education that develops better leaders through its exclusive focus on leadership education and research. Founded in 1970 as a nonprofit, educational institution, CCL helps clients worldwide cultivate creative leadership—the capacity to achieve more than imagined by thinking and acting beyond boundaries—through an array of programs, products and other services. Ranked among the world’s top providers of executive education by BusinessWeek and the Financial Times, CCL is headquartered in Greensboro, N.C., with campuses in Colorado Springs, C.O.; San Diego, C.A.; Brussels, Belgium; and Singapore. Its work is supported by more than 500 faculty members and staff. For more information, visit www.ccl.org.

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