Monthly Update | February 2023
CEN Member Spotlight
Hi there! We'd love you to join us in celebrating Women's History Month. We would like to recognize and celebrate our outstanding members who provide services to women and advocate for women through the nonprofit sector! Thank you for your valuable contributions to our society and world! This Women's History Month, we ask that you consider supporting the following organizations within the CEN network. 

  • 2 For 2 Boobs, Inc.
  • Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative, Inc
  • BreastfeedLA
  • Ivy and Pearls Foundation
  • My Sister's Keeper Success Institute, Inc
  • San Jose Women's Club


If we missed anyone, don't hesitate to contact information@cen.org for a special social media shout-out. 
Keeping up with CEN
Board Match Event: Register Now!
CEN’s Board Organizational Preparedness (BOP) cohort program supports organizations working to diversify their boards. The program promotes long-term success through a deep understanding of IDEAL principles—which better ensures that organizations can demonstrate their readiness to engage diverse board candidates and diminish cultures and practices that have historically done harm.  

CEN has designed a two-part series of workshops to help organizations diversify. 
  • IDEAL Training: This 1-day workshop is a genuine, candid space to explore IDEAL principles and their effect on the nonprofit organizations themselves as well as the communities they serve. 
  • Panel Discussion and Roundtable: Guest speakers offer peer learning and leading practices to embody IDEAL. Then, BOP organizations are invited to share their plans to incorporate IDEAL into their governance and board recruitment practices.   
 
Matching: The experience culminates in a board matching event* where the Building Representative Boards cohort and Board Organizational Preparedness organizations can connect and explore the possibility of working together to further their collective community impact. 
 
The board matching event is exclusive to those who have committed to and completed the IDEAL training portion of Board Organizational Preparedness, demonstrating readiness to foster an inclusive board culture. 

Important Dates
March 23rd - IDEAL
March 28th - Roundtable Panel
April 13th - Board Match Event


For more information about requirements and cost, please email information@cen.org.
Harvard Business School Course:
Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management
CEN provides up to two partial scholarships for our members, annually, to access this incredible program. The Harvard Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management course (SPNM) is a week-long executive education and leadership development program offered by the Social Enterprise Initiative. The program, which will take place in person on July 9-15, 2023 on the Harvard Business School Campus, is tailored to nonprofit executive directors and CEOs and explores mastering nonprofit leadership in uncertain times. Through SPNM, participants develop a strategic outlook to improve the effectiveness of their organizations by understanding core management concepts, applying these concepts strategically, and learning how to implement change within their organizations.

Interested in applying? CEN members, please email information@cen.org.
Renew Your CEN Membership Today
As a member of CEN, you will get connected to a diverse network of nonprofit leaders who are on the same learning journey that you are. You'll receive deep discounts - usually 50% or more - on all our offerings and will gain access to partnership opportunities and no-cost services. We are dedicated to empowering nonprofit leaders through continued learning and to building spaces where everyone has a seat at the table and individuals are comfortable bringing their whole self. CEN resources can provide you with the support you need to thrive in the nonprofit sector, both personally and as an organization.
Membership Includes...
  • Registration for one CEN Workshop - at no cost - and 50% off all other workshop registrations (training for nonprofit executives, staff, & board leaders)
  • A 25% discount on all Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Boot Camp registrations (a limited number of additional scholarships are available on a needs basis)
  • Scholarship opportunities for Executive Directors:
  • Conference & Executive Education Scholarships (at Stanford & Harvard)
  • Access to Leaders Institute
  • Access to our experts! Includes email consultation about questions, resources, and templates
  • Networking opportunities and deep discounts to partner events.
Did You Know?
Each month we share articles/resources that challenge the way we view work and inspire a new way to effect community impact.
"What concerns me is that this line of thinking is so prevalent in our sector: The idea that doing things the “right” way, which means following the rules no matter how nonsensical and ridiculous, is somehow more important than actually solving the issues we set out to solve"

Nonprofit AF writer Vu examines the importance of having an equity mindset when it comes to decision making in the nonprofit sector. In his article, he raises the question of why it is imperative to distinguish between doing things correctly and doing the right thing.
Professional Development
CEN offers virtual training opportunities that merge fundamental leading practices with resources and opportunities for peer-to-peer connections and support. Additionally, we offer special discounts and payment plans to make these programs increasingly accessible during this challenging time, so please reach out!
Management Basics - Part 1
Are you leading a team with limited formal training on what it takes to be a successful people manager or struggling with management and looking for a refresher on management leading practices? Participants will learn how to set expectations, manage performance day-to-day, and review human resources best practices. Additionally, we'll offer leading practices and strategies for managing and working remotely as well as resources to help staff cope during difficult times.
Management Basics - Part 2 
People are your organization's most valuable resource, and effective team management can be one of your biggest opportunities for impact -- especially during times of crisis. Effective leaders proactively address issues within teams that would otherwise contribute to a culture of distrust and resentment. You will gain strategies to build a culture founded on belonging and trust (increasingly important in a virtual setting) by exploring working styles and setting expectations. 
ED/CEO Monthly Roundtables
CEN's virtual roundtable series provides nonprofit EDs/CEOs with a unique opportunity to connect as we enter 2023 and continue to meet the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our monthly forum is a space for nonprofit leaders to come together for peer-to-peer connections and support. Participants will share experiences, challenges, and solutions during facilitated discussions that also include resources and leading practices provided by CEN. 
CEN's IDEAL Program for Nonprofit Professionals
This 1-day program is a genuine, candid space to explore the principles of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access, and Liberation (IDEAL) and the effect of these principles on the community you serve and the organization as a whole. We intend for this to be a space where you can be real, courageous, and supported as we deeply and authentically discuss IDEAL topics, so we’re asking everyone to commit to being present for the entire course and to engage in behaviors that demonstrate a commitment and genuine respect for the work and one another.
Organizational Consulting
Our organizational consulting program combines IDEAL principles with leading practices to offer tailored consultations that meet an organization's unique needs. Whether an organization is looking for a basic refresher on board roles, a custom-designed staff or board retreat, or a long-term engagement on organizational effectiveness (IDEAL work, strategic planning), CEN can provide a solution to meet both your needs and your budget. Once we agree on a scope of work, we begin with an organizational assessment (recommended assessments vary by project but include resources such as the DEI Spectrum Tool and our board self-assessment survey based on BoardSource’s Ten Basic Responsibilities of Nonprofit Boards). Armed with a baseline for expectations, we work in partnership with organizations to set new goals for improvement. Each engagement is customized for our clients based on organization size, goals, and need and is delivered in a format that appropriately fits the scope of work. These customized consultations are conducted by CEN's nonprofit experts on staff and can range from a 1-hour onsite facilitation to an 18-month long, in-depth engagement that involves the entire staff and board in an organizational evolution.
Private Coaching
We offer customized coaching using an IDEAL framework to support individuals at any stage of their leadership journey, working within organizations of any size. Coaching provides the opportunity for professionals to take a closer look at their current challenges as well as short and long-term professional goals. This process will help individuals develop skills, implement new strategies and create new practices to maximize their impact and the impact of their organizations. Rooted in IDEAL, individuals who enter into a coaching partnership with us will develop skills to help uplift inclusion, celebrate diversity, and create equitable programs and systems that lead to greater access and liberatory practices for the organization and communities being served. If you have a need for coaching, please reach out to us at: LDS_Team@cen.org for a no-cost 30-minute consultation.
Corporate Sponsorship
CEN has revamped its sponsorship program. Sponsorships provide you or your company with a unique opportunity to gain widespread visibility among CEN's community and partners. CEN works to provide a variety of sponsorship formats including funding for general operations, special events, and targeted programs.
Interested in becoming a sponsor? This is a great opportunity to share your services with our community of nonprofit leaders and to support CEN's ongoing efforts! Please email development@cen.org.
Community
CA Arts & Culture Summit
Join Californians for the Arts and Create CA in Sacramento for the CA Arts & Culture Summit on April 17th and Arts Advocacy Day on April 18th.
 
The Summit on Monday April 17th will unite arts and civic leaders for two days of events filled with knowledge-sharing, coalition building, and movement visioning. Tickets are now on sale NOW. There is limited availability, get yours today!
Thrive RISE (Resilience in Shared Emergencies) Coordinating Staff Roles During Disasters
Staff roles can shift drastically during emergencies; planning for who will take on what roles can greatly facilitate an organization's response to emergencies and orient staff to respond. This free 4-hour training will provide an overview of the Incident Command System (ICS) explicitly geared toward nonprofits and community-based organizations in San Mateo County, and organizations will then apply their new knowledge through group exercises. Participants will learn how to effectively prepare and coordinate staff to take on five roles crucial to disaster response and recovery.
Nonprofit Sector Job Openings
Bay Area Women's Sports Initiative (BAWSI) - Co-CEO

BAWSI has a unique leadership structure in which the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) position is shared by two people, each of whom work 60% of the work week. One of the two Co-CEOs is currently employed by BAWSI and the organization is looking to fill her counterpart.
Elevate Tutoring - Executive Director

Elevate Tutoring is looking for an organized, energetic self-starter to serve as a
transitional full-time Executive Director for our growing nonprofit organization.
Have a Job Opening You Want to Share?

Please email information@cen.org to feature your organization's job opening(s) in an upcoming newsletter (format: 3-4 sentences with a link to learn more). Priority is given to CEN members.
Sobrato Center for Nonprofits - Redwood Shores
330 Twin Dolphin Drive, Suite 151
Redwood City, CA 94065
650-517-5855