Consulting Services Available Now

Welcome back! Updates to my resume and interests in consulting and self-employment

Summary

• Project conceptualization to completion, management, compliance, evaluation, and communication strategy
• Written communication and project reporting
  
• Assessment of organizational and community needs, capacity building planning, coaching, mentoring
• Outcome and asset mapping, community partnerships and linkages
• Integration of Christian faith with compassion and justice, economic & community development, microenterprise, microfinance and workforce development
• Board governance process and function using Policy Governance® model, board policy design
• Nonprofit startup, strategic planning, program design, board recruitment
• Experienced in faith based community development and nonprofit leadership

Recent Consultant Roles

Board Development and Governance Function Since 2003
• Focusing board on exchange it has with the world as outcomes and impacts outside of its own walls
• Implementation, training, monitoring, comprehensive governance model for boards
• Development of training materials, policy writing and monitoring tools

Organizational Growth, Program Design, Evaluation Since 2003

• Designed and implemented community and economic development projects, workforce development
• In depth organizational assessment, leadership mentoring, growth planning and management
• Community development, partnerships and collaborations

Workshops & Teaching Since 1989

• Designed curriculum, workshops for adults, evaluated results, and one-hour to multiple-day conference workshops all areas of nonprofit management, community development, immigration, mentoring
• Classroom teaching, adult learning, workshops, public speaking—board governance process, board development, economic development as microenterprise, financial literacy and fiscal management, resource development, fund raising strategy

Professional History

World Vision Southern California Metro Los Angeles and Pomona, CA
Program Manager 2006-2007

• Managed $875,000 project to provide training, coaching, and technical assistance
• Designed a sub-award program including competitive application process, application evaluation, completion
• Assessed, mentored leadership in community organizations in south Los Angeles and Pomona
• Communicated results to internal and external clients, including US government partners

Mennonite Economic Development Associates Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Indianapolis
Regional Manager 2003-2005

• Managed a $3,750,000 project to increase capacity of 40 organizations in 5 in the USA.
• Planned organizational development strategies with leaders of community and faith-based organizations.
• Designed grantmaking program, evaluated applications and made award decisions.
• Monitored and evaluated progress of capacity building projects with organizational clients and consultants.

Job Starts, Inc. Los Angeles, CA
Executive Director 1989-2004

• Designed and implemented faith-based microenterprise, workforce development, financial literacy, and Asset Development programs to improve the economic wellbeing of families in south Los Angeles.
• Developed linkages with businesses, financial institutions and community partners to reach mutual goals and outcomes

Education

Master of Divinity, Denver Seminary, Denver, Colorado
Bachelor of Arts, InterCultural Studies, Biola University, La Mirada, California

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8th Annual Foundations & Corporations Roundtable

Brought to you by:

Southeast Communities Prevention & Intervention Programs, Inc.
EXECUTIVE SUPPORT NETWORK
8th Annual Foundations & Corporations Roundtable
You are invited to join us as we meet and build relationships with foundations and Corporations

SAVE THE DATE:
Thursday July 23, 2009
Foundations & Corporations Invited:
John Gogian Foundation Vineyard Bank
Union Pacific Rail road Annenberg Foundation
Crail Johnson Foundation
Guest Speaker : Jim Clarke, Mayor’s Office Stimulus money for Nonprofits

LOCATION: California Endowment Foundation
1000 N. Alameda Street, ( Mojave Room )
Los Angeles, CA 90012
TIME: 8:30 – 9:00 Registration & Breakfast

Guest Speaker Jim Clarke, Mayor’s Office: 9:00 - 10:00
Stimulus Money for Nonprofits

Funders Panel: 10:00 – 11:00
One on one visits with Funders 11:00 – 12:00

Registration deadline July 20, 2009 space is limited
Early registration $ 75.00
On Site registration $ 90.00

For additional information contact: Eddie Mae Williams at (323) 290-3593 or emaewilliams@scpip.org

Breakfast Served

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Madoff Affect

Welcome back.

Today, Bernie Madoff pled guilty for some outrageous criminal behavior related to other peoples money. This will have a deleterious affect on anyone who is in a business that requires trust and transparency. Fundraisers who raise money for very many worthwhile causes may be looked at with a more wary eye in the Madoff aftermath.

Nonprofits should practice transparency in their reporting far beyond what is merely required in difficult time such as these. Donors should pay attention to where their dollars are donated and invested into projects, programs and organizations that make communities and the world a better place.

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Simply Inexcusable

Welcome back!

In a study from Indiana University’s Center on Philanthropy, initiated by Bank of America

The #1 reason, cited by almost 60% of respondents, is that they were "no longer feeling connected to the organization."

And how many stopped giving? 38% of wealthy donors stopped giving to one organization in 2007; 26% stopped giving to at least two organizations.

HT: The Agitator

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Looking Ahead: Leadership Strategies for Turbulent Times

Welcome back!

The Center for Nonprofit Management will present a moderated panel discussion on nonprofit strategies during the current financial crisis, Looking Ahead: Leadership Strategies for Turbulent Times, on Tuesday, December 9, 2008, 3 pm - 6 pm. More information and registration here.

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Assessing Impact Of Financial Crisis On Nonprofits

Welcome back!

NPR's All Things Considered does a story today the impact for nonprofits. You can listen to the story here.

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Board Member Recruitment [New and Improved]

Welcome back! I put out the question a couple of days ago on the My Questions feature on LinkedIn. I got some very good input and made some revisions to my training packet. The new version of the Characteristics handout:

What characteristics should we look for in prospective board members once we have articulated the job outputs of the board of directors? Do not confuse management skills as substitutes for any of these characteristics.

• People who can think about principles and values
• People who can enjoy creating the future rather than merely evaluating the past
• People with moral courage strong ethics, possess integrity
• People who are willing to let others be strong
• People who are intelligent and willing to learn, creative, open-minded
• People who can be team players
• People with an ability to empathize with the owners
• People who have demonstrated commitment to the values and mission of the organization
• People with connections to the “moral ownership” and resources
• People with time and energy to meet
• What other characteristics would you add?

The work of the board is thinking work more than doing. People who have the interest and discipline to work in the abstract might be good board members. The big job of a board of directors is to ensure the organization does what it should while avoiding unacceptable situations and circumstances. Job outputs include: (1) explicit board policy to articulate the values of the organization, (2) monitoring, and (3) linkage to the moral ownership.

A couple of really good suggestions that I haven't added to the handout, but I will certainly share in the workshops:

From Dan: I would add under characteristics "Alligator hide" and a no "BS" sort of guy/gal or in more appropriate words "intentional and focused, result oriented." I am always repeating this to ED's and management.

From JB: "While I think a creative thinker is important, I also believe it's important for board members to be able to think independently and question the status quo. Whether the status quo is represented by staff or other board members. I've been on enough boards to know that many board members don't ask tough questions and are willing to let the past guide the future. While history is important, it's also the board's responsibility to set the future of the organization and understand what the organization must have for today to be successful. Ultimately the board must ask the question, what is the reason for this organization to exist, and is it still valid today."

And for those who suggested management skills such as fundraising, I am still not convinced. While there is a board role in resource development it is not the core of governance. Successful organizations are going to hire those skills as part of operations and hold the results accountable. Individual board members will certainly participate as volunteers but not in a role confined to board members. My experience clearly shows that there is no reason to confine the fundraising work to the board. Some significant donors and volunteers told me that they are . . . "happy to give and volunteer--but don't put me on the board, that's just not my thing."

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By the Numbers

Welcome back! How would you adjust your fundraising efforts if you knew this?

• 3% of the nonprofit sector's total annual income is from private, community and corporate foundations and supporting public charities, such as the United Way.
• The growth of giving by individuall donors in the past 30 years, as a percentage of adjusted gross income is 0%.
• 219% is the overall increase in commercial activity as a revenue generator for nonprofits from 1982 to 2002.
• 60% of the nonprofit sector's total annual income is generated from fees and payments made directly in exchange for services rendered.
  

Cited from various sources by Fieldstone Alliance, St, Paul, MN.
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Fund raising is not begging

Welcome back!

In a great discussion with a good friend who is the Executive Director of a new organization that he has founded about fund raising I said, it's not about begging for money. In fact, I said, it is giving people the opportunity to participate in what we are doing through giving. I stumbled across this article this evening at The Extreme Fundraising Blog.

Click here to read!

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