Haas Leadership Initiatives Information Kit

What the program is and how it works

This information kit provides an overview of the Fund’s work in and approach to leadership development.

Flexible Leadership Awards Kit

Everything you ever wanted to know about the FLAs... but were afraid to ask

Learn how the FLA program is helping leaders think expansively about what their organizations want to achieve and the challenges they have to meet to get there.

Headlines from the FLA Evaluation

Why we evaluated and what we learned

Fund staff, grantees, and the program evaluator help connect the dots between leadership development activities, and the impact of the work.

FLA Overview

An overview of key program elements

Linda Wood and Paula Morris break down the three central components of the FLA: the grant, plan consultant, and peer convenings.

The Resonance of Coaching

How grantees used this tailored approach

Coaching was one of many supports offered to grantees, but it quickly rose to the top choice.

Assessing Readiness

How to tell when an organization is ready for leadership support

Learn about the factors to consider when assessing organizational readiness for leadership support, including "the one thing" needed for success.

Absorptive Capacity

What is the optimal grant size?

Evaluator Bill Ryan talks about how much leadership development a nonprofit can actually tolerate.

A Trusted Advisor

How plan consultants help organizations develop and resource their leadership goals

Learn about the unique role that the plan consultant plays, and how they have become a linchpin to the FLA process.

Securing the Firewall

Creating a safe space for authentic leadership engagements

How the FLA addresses the real tension between grantees’ ability to admit and work through difficult problems, while not having to worry about maintaining an image for the funder’s sake.

Successful Executive Transitions

Supporting organizations through high-stakes transitions

Bucking national trends, the FLA supported several executive transitions, all of which were successful, and took support at many different levels.

Striking Budget Growth

A surprising result of investing in leadership

13 of the 14 participating FLA organizations grew, despite the recession.

Beyond the Exit Survey

How we evaluated the impact of leadership support

The FLA evaluation included self-assessments, but also went deeper to measure success. Learn how in this video.

More than a Grant

What’s the secret sauce?

How expertise, accountability, and success help make the FLA a success.

Coaching as a Capacity-Building Tool

How can coaching change leaders, organizations and movements?

Coaching expert Bill Ryan talks about the exciting potential of coaching for social change in this NPQ interview.

UnderDeveloped

National study sounds alarm about nonprofit fundraising

Nonprofits across the country work tirelessly to make positive change in their communities. A new study confirms a major shared challenge that threatens their ability to do so: fundraising.

National Study Sounds Alarm About Nonprofit Fundraising

National report reveals major fundraising challenges for nonprofits

The study found high levels of turnover for development staff, lack of basic fundraising systems and inadequate attention to fund development among staff and board.

An Inside Look at the National Center for Lesbian Rights

Building a stronger organization while fighting for justice

Hear the story of how NCLR used their Flexible Leadership Award to strengthen their organization during a critical moment for LGBT rights.

NCLR Case Study Trailer

A window into how the FLA works

Hear two social justice leaders talk frankly about the challenges their organization was facing, and how leadership support helped make a difference.

Widespread Empathy

How connection and compassion can power philanthropy

When grantmakers feel connected to grantees' perspectives and missions, it empowers the entire process of philanthropy.

Continued Support for Underserved Communities

Affirming a longstanding commitment to equality

As a partner in Philanthropy’s Promise, the Fund has pledged to continue providing at least half of its grant dollars to benefit underserved communities.

From Understanding to Impact

Lessons from the field

How do foundations turn their deep knowledge in a field into more effective grantmaking?

Leadership and Race

How leadership programs can help solve racial inequalities

Part of the Leadership for a New Era series, this report explores the ways in which our current thinking about leadership often contributes to producing and maintaining racialized dynamics.

Goals of the FLA

Perspectives on investing in and evaluating coaching

In this short video, evaluator Bill Ryan describes the goals and key elements of the Flexible Leadership Awards program.

Coaching can't be just for executive directors

New perspectives on funding and evaluating coaching

Janet Carter offers thoughts on how to approach coaching in a comprehensive way that will benefit every level of the organization.