As a young wannabe nonprofit leader, I once attended a talk on fundraising and partnerships given by the head of a major national arts center based in DC. I don’t want to name any names, so let’s just call it… the Hoover Place for the Performing Arts. The organization’s head was a legend in nonprofit management circles.
As we listened to his words and waited eagerly for him to lay some wisdom on us, something became obvious: everything he said originated from his background as the chief executive of a multimillion-dollar performing arts juggernaut.
I left the talk with the sense that this executive’s advice on fundraising and partnerships seemed to involve starting out by already being large and successful. Not helpful for me when I was trying to help an organization staff up after 10 well-reviewed but broke years of producing art. The trainer's experiences weren't relevant to my organization's size and scale.
Image: Trinities
At this year's Leadership Retreat, you'll be able to grow more mighty thanks to the hard-earned wisdom of peers from differently sized organizations.
Another time, I attended a day-long conference for nonprofits in my area. At the time, I was working at a national organization in the environmental sector, but I quickly saw that the audience and most of the sessions were oriented toward locally-based, human-services organizations. Worthy, effective, admirable organizations, of course, but not applicably to my sector. This time, the trainers' experiences weren't relevant to my organization's area of focus.
The Alliance Leadership Retreat is very carefully designed to avoid both of these scenarios.
In 2014, the Leadership Retreat will be customized for state and local biking and walking advocacy organizations' various sizes and focus areas.
(Snag your spot for the September 5 - 8 Leadership Retreat before spaces fill up.)
As an advocate at the Leadership Retreat, you'll have the opportunity to spend several sessions with staff and leaders of organizations just like yours. On Saturday, you’ll have the chance to attend sessions by organization type: State? Local? Large? Small? Pedestrian-focused? Community bike shop? We’ve got it all!
Then on Sunday, we’ll switch things up and focus on people, offering sessions tailored to the type of work you do. Are you an Executive Director of a large organization? A Board member? Maybe on the communications staff? Step right up! Plus, there will be a special focus on that versatile, overworked, underappreciated one-person band: the Executive Director of a single staff organization.
Finally, if nothing else here sounds like you, we’re opening up some space for an Unconference where you can propose a session on whatever topic is nearest and dearest to your heart.
The bottom line is that if your organization is a member of the Alliance for Biking & Walking, this is your retreat. It's your chance to connect with your peers from all across North America about the unique and important work that your organization does.
Register for the 2014 Leadership Retreat, September 5 - 8 just outside of Pittsburgh, here.
In the next few weeks, we’ll share examples with you of how bicycle and pedestrian advocacy leaders just like you have benefited from attending the Leadership Retreat; plus we’ll announce some of the sessions you can choose to attend. Stay tuned, and we look forward to seeing you this September 5 - 8!
