Building Thriving Communities: Why Leadership Strategy Matters

Why do community foundation CEOs pursue “community leadership” as a key organizing strategy in their foundations?

Because there was a leadership void in our community and we realized we were uniquely positioned to step up.

Because we recognized we had important assets that could help address the huge challenges facing our community.

Because under the status quo, things were getting worse in our community, not better.

These CEOs believe that by taking on tough issues, engaging residents, pursuing cross-sector solutions, and marshaling the needed resources to their community, they can be important partners in building thriving places for people to live, work, and play. They can make a difference on everything from public education to public health.

Embracing a community leadership strategy challenges community foundations to use their many assets in new ways to realize higher levels of community impact. It may require shifting the organization’s culture, developing new relationships, leveraging more resources, and building staff skills and understanding. The potential result is a healthier and more vital community for all.

At CFLeads, we are helping community foundations deliberately advance these practices, which were identified by the National Task Force on Community Leadership and thoroughly articulated in the Framework for Community Leadership. The framework provides the key intellectual underpinnings for community leadership and helps community foundations of all sizes assess their capacity for this important work.

If you’re a CEO who’s interested in refining your organizational strategy to make a bigger difference in your community, join us at the “CEO Retreat: Leadership for a Community’s Brighter Future: Why Strategy Matters,” which will take place September 8–9, just before the Council on Foundations Fall Conference for Community Foundations* in New Orleans. Work with your CEO colleagues, CFLeads, and CF Insights to identify ways to step up your game. Hear stories from your peers, get their advice, and go home with ideas you can put into action.

Deborah Ellwood is executive director of CFLeads, which helps community foundations advance the practice of community leadership to build thriving communities.

*Register for the conferenceby August 3 to take advantage of the $150 early bird discount.