Cause Effective Next Generation: Fundraising Activation for Rising Leaders of Color

Fall 2022 Application

Thank you for applying to the Cause Effective Next Generation: Fundraising Activation for Rising Leaders of Color program. We are thrilled to be launching our 4th cohort of this program under our groundbreaking initiative, Preparing the Next Generation, with the support of our funders.

The Preparing the Next Generation initiative arose from Cause Effective’s “Money, Power and Race: The Lived Experience of Fundraisers of Color” report (2018), which reflects participants’ experience that while diversity matters in the nonprofit sector, people of color need to be skilled not only with fundraising acumen, but also have the awareness and tools to navigate the intersectional dynamics of power, race and class that are endemic to fundraising encounters. The program is designed for senior nonprofit managers who come from backgrounds in program, advocacy or finance/operations but don't have knowledge of development work and fundraising experience. Candidates for this program are those who self-identify as a person of color across various spectrums of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual identity, ability, and socio-economic class and are looking to build their capacity as nonprofit professionals and develop their leadership within the organizations they serve.

Scholarships are available to grantees of select funder groups, including Robin Hood Foundation, The New York Community Trust and Altman Foundation. In addition, subsidies are available for organizations that have with budgets under $5 million.

This program has a $4,500 value but cost is but attendance can be subsidized dependent on the organization’s budget. For organizations above five million the cost for the program is $3,000; for organizational budgets between two and five million the cost is $1000; and if the organization’s budget is below two million there is no fee for the program.

Before beginning your application, please review the following regarding your candidacy:

1. This program requires full commitment from participants and a statement of support from their Executive Directors. You can download a copy of the required statement of support here.

2. Programming will occur during the following dates and times. We highly encourage applicants to schedule these dates into their calendar in the event they are accepted into the program:

• September, 28 2022 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• October 26, 2022 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• November 30, 2022 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

3. All programming, unless otherwise noted, will take place virtually through Zoom, and a recurring link will be provided to you prior to each session.

4. Completed applications will be now be due on September 12th and applicants will be notified of their acceptance by September 19th.

Thank you again for your interest in the Cause Effective Next Generation: Fundraising Activation for Rising Leaders of Color program and we look forward to receiving your application.

Sincerely,

Judy Levine, Executive Director

About You and Your Professional Experience

Please tell us about yourself, and about your experience as a current nonprofit professional.

1. Name (First, Last):

2. Title:

3. Organization:

4. Work Email Address:

4a. Personal Email Address:

5. Phone Number:

6. Address:

7. City:

8. State:

9. Zip:

10. Please submit your LinkedIn profile url as part of your application.

11. Please submit your resume as part of your application.

12. Please select which Foundations your organization is a grantee partner of:

13. What race and ethnicity do you most identify with? (Select all that apply)

14. What are your identified gender pronouns?

She/Her/HersHe/Him/HisThey/Them/TheirsI do not wish to identify

15. How many years have you been working in the nonprofit sector?

Personal Narratives

As part of your application, please submit responses for the following questions.

1. What do you hope to achieve personally and professionally through your participation in the Cause Effective Next Generation: Fundraising Activation for Rising Leaders of Color program?

2. How might you apply the learnings from this program to your current role at your organization? How do you intend to apply it continually throughout your career trajectory?

3. How would you like a program like this to help you navigate DEI challenges in fundraising, now and in the future?

4. How has your experience as a nonprofit professional made you realize your need for a fundraising readiness program like this aimed at rising leaders of color within the nonprofit sector?

The Cause Effective Next Generation: Fundraising Activation for Rising Leaders of Color is designed for BIPOC senior managers in the nonprofit sector who want to build their fundraising skills to enhance their leadership potential. We know that your success only makes the nonprofit sector stronger. We are committed to supporting your work to effectively manage the challenges of the job, and we will partner with you to produce outcomes related to skills development, greater success on the job with respect to key performance measures, and increased job satisfaction.

The Cause Effective Next Generation: Fundraising Activation for Rising Leaders of Color program will occur on the following dates and times:

• September 28, 2022 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• October 26, 2022 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

• November 30, 2022 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Are there any foreseeable dates that you are unable to attend?

YesNo

Please submit your signed statement of support from your Executive Director. Please submit as a pdf document.

Thank you for your application to the Cause Effective Next Generation: Fundraising Activation for Rising Leaders of Color program. We anticipate receiving a high volume of applications for this opportunity, and we will be in touch regarding your candidacy for this year's cohort by September 16th. We look forward to reading your application and are committed to compiling a cohort that is representative of the goals of this program.

Our intention is to be considerate and respectful of the pre-existing workloads of Fellows, including providing substantial prior notice of required preparation before convening dates. However, it is important to recognize that this program is rigorous and entails a significant amount of time and commitment from the Fellows and their organizations. For this program, we are asking for full participation. We are confident in asking for this commitment because we believe that we can make a significant difference in the effectiveness of both Fellows and the work of their organizations. Full participation means preparing for and attending all full-group program activities as well as participating in the individual elements of the program.

As an organization, we are committed to provided an environment that is a safe space of fellowship for our cohort and facilitating team. We provide and ask of our applicants and fellows to maintain confidentiality of their peers during the duration of the program as well as after the program concludes.

If you have any questions regarding your application, please contact Kirsty Bryant, Program Coordinator, at kirsty@causeeffective.org.

Sincerely,

Judy Levine

Executive Director